Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-09-08

as Jen was hurry ing Oh lie dCUeu.
| Mind you tell your uncle not to forget
| the 20tll-it's my latest date
Jen did not so much as turn her head
| to show the old man she had heard his
| last words, and few moments later
she was mounting the old staircase
leading to Nine. Dupre's room.
Poor as the old lady really was, bare
as were her surroundings, there was
something about her which had al
ways appealed to something in little
Jen's nature of which she had not be-
fore been conscious. 1t was the re-
fnement of the sufferer, her delicate
courtesy, which showed itself in the
way she accepted kindness or tried to
extend hospitality. the latter being
at present only the bright smile and
outstretched hand with which Jen was
welcomed.
You are like sunshine to me,
cherIe," the old lady said, as Jen, &C.
cording to custom, Invested herself OF
hat and gloves and sat down by the in
valid'S bedside. She saw at once
change in the clear dark face. DR..
Byrnes had told her only that morning
the poor lady's hours were numbered,
yet Jenny. strong in youth and health,
felt keen shock from what she saw as
proof OF his words. Only for moment,
however. The wan face of the invalid
had such a peaceful, holy calm about it
1T was SO content
There are many things 1 have
wanted to say to-day, dear little girl
Nine. Duprc half whispered Il have
thought SO much OF what brought me
-1 I,,I - Tal
sons brother. As you know, l only
heard OF his death. And now, Jenny. l
am going to leave you what l would
have given him, the one wedding pres
ent prepared for my darling Angelique.
Alas, II was too late. She was ten
miles away from our plantation. l had
but one person to trust with it. an old
negro VINO was faithful to US through
all l gave it to him 10 carry to my
darling with my blessing. Well, her
betrothed had been killed that day and
n week later she yielded to the dread
fui fever raging in New Orleans Al the
ti,:cs. Caspar brought back the cush-
ioa-onlv little cushion, child. but it
shall be yours. It has been my one
meDcnto OF that time
Dear madame" said Jennie. very
gently, ''dO not think of what will sad
den YOU"
But it does not" exclaimed the old
lady. softly. "Oh. no: il is my happi-
ness. Go. my dear, to the chest OF
drawers: open the small one: there you
viii End it. We had strange ways in
those hard war times" the old lady
continued, as Jen, firmly convinced
madame was wandering, quietly did
her bidding. 1T is only an old pin
cushion, but it could tell its story"
Jen opened the sma IL drawer. and
saw, pinned in a yellowish piece of
linen, the cushion. Fashioned OF faded
blue and white brocade. edged with
old lace. there was something about it
which appeared to Jen strangely. The
old 'war days" We're only history to
eirhteen-year-o Jen. and this cushion.
made OF what had once been Il splendid
fa bric, might have represented revolu-
tiona-y times as well as those of the
early sixties. Then it had been meant
for the wedding gift of AngeEque. who
was, from madame's stories. an ideal
creature to the young girl. Jen carried
the old cushion with reyerent fingers
to madame's bed.
Yours. dearest" mu-nured the old
lady. ''All l have to leave you-and
for that l have made my will
Only Jen and Teddy Barry, and the
people with whom Mime. Dupre
had lodged. followed the old lady to
her grave on the 10Th. An hour later
Hiram Dali was at the farmhouse,
with. if possible, a more disagreeable
expression than usual on h is face.
II wish you JOY. Jenny" he said.
with sncer. "You are the old mad
arne's sole heir. He. he. She sent for
me TO draw up the will! All for pin
cushion,
He tossed it across the table con
tenptuously. Jenny could scarcely
control herself. She felt as though her
old friends legacy was desecrated.
"Got running string in it, too" con-
tinued the old man, like bag"
Jenny was looking at the cushion
with wet eyes. She had really loved
the old Creole lady. Now, as Dali
spoke. she looked under the lace at
one side of Angelique's ''one wedding
gift" and saw. sure enough, the thin
silken ribbon run in and tied at the
end. Her loosening of the knot so
long ago fastened was almost mechani-
cal, and then-how no one present ever
could exactly say, but as the brocade
drew back out from the sawdust
rolled upon Jenny's lap heap of shin
ing Jewels, rubies and opals. and bank
notes in what seemed to the girl an
Aladdin like profusion. After all, it
was easily explained. Situated as she
had been. Nine. Dupre's one means of
sending money and the jewels to her
only child had been in this fashion.
No one would suspect old Caspar of
CARRYING such a treasure in a pin
cushion of faded brocade, and since
Angelique's death the sentiment in the
French woman's nature-perhaps
touch of superstition-had led her &c
keeping it intact. Who can say?
This is n true story. chapter out OF
the life of one of my friends. who now,
happy mistress OF the bonniest farm
in Connecticut. tells her children the
cushion story" and in a corner cabi-
net in her parlor the blue and white
brocade and old lace have their es-
pecial niche. Jenny INDUCED in no
mean triumph over old Dali when with
madame's queer Legacy she bought
back the farm. but she and Teddy had
their own hour of rejoicing, and when
ever he does any specially fine piece
of work IN his profession Jen likes to
say: That's bit of our cushion
Harper's Young People
Respectfully Joined.