Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1892-11-26
,nce rose to his feet. When she looked

UP, his place was filed by Sir Felix.
Winter passed into summer. and still
Harold Batliscombe avoided Marion's
homo as IL its inmates had got the
plague. Tired Of going 10 balls, when
her favorilc partner was never there,
Marion Dearsley turned her thoughts
TO more serious things, and being cx-
ceedingly unhappy herself, for the first
time In her life, began TO think of those
who had never known what happiness
was.
One lovely day in June. when the
Park vas crowded with fashionable
tbrongs. and flowers iu balcony and
square were striving TO fill the misty
mir with their fragrance. Marion BEARS
Icy Knocked at the door of n miscrable-
looking house in a squalid street. and
asked If it were true that a little girl,
named Lottic Smith. was living there.
and very i'll.
Walk in, num-" said a haggard-
looking woman with tired eyes; shes
getting past everything but grooming
and coughing. and that she do pretty
nigh all the day."
A few minutes later, Marion was
bending over n miserable pallet-bed,
on which n shrunkcn form was living,
and feeding the thirsty lips with spoon
fuls of orangc-jcliy.
The chihd's wistful eyes looked I'D
into the pretty face, which had grown
SD pale and sad during the last few
months, and whispered hoarsely:
"Mc goin' To take little tar with
me-"
What does she say?" looking round
ut the mother.
BLESS her hearth wiping her eyes
with the corner of her apron; ''she's q
adyin'. and she's glad TO go; and she's
got summat under her pillow which
she always says she must take with
her. A penny thing, | fancy, she must
ha' got from one Of the chil'en. Show
it to the lady. dear"
Lottie put her hand under the old
sack of straw which did duty for n
pillow, and brought forth her treasure
with glisiening eyes.
My ring!' exclaimed Marion. drop
ping the spoon in her agitation.
Your ring, ma'am? My goodness.
Lottie. think of you stealing the lady's
ring!"
'Sho did not steal it, she found it in
the road" said Marion kindly, as she
saw large tears rolling one after the
other down the wasted cheeks.
my 'icklc tart" with q plaintivc
moan.
''Shc thought it was one OF the stars,
and she was goin' to take it back"
'Oh, Lottic dear, the stars never
come down to us; we may 90 to them.
but they will never come 70 us" said
Marion sadly. This is nothing but a
bit Of gold and n jewel. nothing to do
with heaven. dropped it out of the
window one day. and | wanted so
much to get it back. Will you let me
have il, and Iii SEMI you something SO
nice instead"
Yes; nae thought it was a 'tar-no
care now" tho dark eyes glistening
through their tcars-tho tears of q lost
illusion.
Day after day Marion brought SUM-
shine and happiness to that miserable
home. Mrs. Smith was supplied with
constant needlcwork, and dainties of
every description found their way to
the sick child. The falling star had
brought q blessing with it. and neglect
ell health revived under tender care.
Softly tinted roses came back TO Lot
ties cheeks, but Marion grew whittier
AS the summer advanced. 1t was
against her pride TO write TO Harold
B~atiiscombe, and tell him that the ring
was found, but how would he cyer find
ii out unless she did?
Laura Dickson came to call, and said
that Mr.. Battiscombe was one of the
incest fellows she had ever seen. Now
fancy what he did last winter. | met
him with some lovely roses in his hand,
and without thinking, l said how l
wished had some like them 10 wear
that night, as l was in slight mourning
and could not wear \ color. guessed
where they came from. for he said he
could o give them away-not that |
should have taken them, my dear. But
just after dinner | received q lovely
bunch from Covcnt Garden. Now
wasn't that nice of him?"
.'Vcry nice" murmurcd Marion,
feeling that her heart would break,
for it was on account OF the story Sir
rcAAN Hau tolu ACE aDCut luOSc IOscs
that she had flung her ring out Of the
window in a sudden passion. Oh, what
a fool she had been!
Sir Felix came the next day ana
made her IN offer. which she declined
with thanks. and the baronet went
away in the worst Of tcmpers.
That evening Mr.. and Mrs. Macken-
zic took Marion TO the opera. BY her
side there was n stall which remained
empty till the end of the first act, when
a gentleman made his way TO it, and
sat down without looking round. Her
heart stood still. for one glance out of
the corner Of her eye told her that it
was Harold. They exchanged bows rs
IL they had been distant acquaintances
and formal remarks on the weather
were stopped by the rising of the cur
tain. The opera was nearly over, and
the coveted opportunity was slipping
away. II she let him 60, perhaps they
might never meet again.
Suddenly she began to unbutton her
long glove. and she felt that Harold's
eyes were Immediately fixed upon her.
''Why are you taking of your glove?"
asked Mrs. Mackenzie in surprise; we
orn s,et ,,nipnu