People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-11-25

turned away as hastily as il each mo-
ment were precious.
Aunt Jones sat building air castles
when Brice reeDte1ed. running his in-
gers through his dark curling locks
and announcing triumphantly-as if
the experience had not taken his breath
away, u saw her SIRE enough. aunt.
Which oue?" was inquired.
''0h, then there are more of her! The
lovely girl who received your Thanks
giving offering with such grace may be
about quitting her teens, Ishould saw"
"Yes, that is She" responded the
other, smiling her qualification. alicia
is her name. There is married daugh-
ter, have heard, and there are twins
of fourteen or fifteen. When You come
again, Bricey, say before the holidays
are over, | will have the young lady
and her mother TO tea Miss Alicia is
said to be very accomplished and
charming. ! expect to be on terms of
intimacy with them directly"
Al this interesting point rumble Of
wheels came to their ears, and Mrs.
Jones and Brice Bellingham hurried
forth to welcome a carriage full of
friends-further arrivals in honor of
the occasion. From that hour until an
other nightfall joy and duty conferred
in themselves.
1t was Thanksgiving night and Mrs.
Jones was temporarily alone, Brice
having gone to the station to witness
the departure as he said, OF all but
himself
A boy, the same whom Brice had met
on the road-the too early inheritor Of
his fathers greatness in trousers rang
the bell and put into the mistress hand
note. With glance at the neat super
scription she opened and read:
DEAR Mis- JONES: Mother requests me 20
express her almost painfully deep sense Of your
| goodness in making so bountful provision for
our wants on this ever.favorite anniversary
asking also that you win in the same Christian
! spirit forget as you have evidently forgiven
all words and acts which have disturbed your
! friendly intercourse and been source OF in.
| finite regret to her.
Il am gratefully and respectfully yours
MARY J. BROWN"
Thrice the bewildered recipient read
this missive; then the truth flashed up
on her. But even at this point she was
rather overwhelmed with humiliation
than sorry for the mistake her meSsen-
ger had made in the delivery Of her
Thanksgiving supplies. The apparent
error struck her as an interposition of
Providence, the wisdom whereof she
burst not question. ''The woman need
not ask my pardon" she murmured
with bowed head; 81 have been far
more at fault than she in this quarrel
that might, if it had gone on, infected
the whole parish.
Brice Bellingham on his return from
the station noted his aunt's air OF alb
straction, attributing it to the depar-
ture of those dear to her heart, amid the
uncertainties that attend our feeting
years, also doubtless to tender associa-
tons Of the day with kindred and
friends who were now only blessed
memory.
How Mrs. Jones builded better than
she knew, and what share his ridicu-
lous inadvertence had had in the
Transforming of events, Brice never
dreamed. No, not even when a year
later his marriage was celebrated in
that lady's smiling presence, and he
bore away his bride guess whom?) the
proudest and the happiest man who
ever breathed the atmosphere of Eel
ton Falls. -Lavinia :. Goodwin. in
Springfield Mass Republican