Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-04-08
aey a, tn, sight of Druid's Moss. ana Vim

that touch of superstition always linger-
ing In north-country minds, she half
feared II had bewitched him, COR he
worked there through long days. until he
came home too weary to speak to her or
even notice the children; while every
pound he could get was hopelessly sunk
in its treacherous depths
1t was pitifu!, too, to see the bare up
lands of the farm that were once white
with mountain-sheep; and the great
barns and byres nearly empty. that had
once been full of Normandy farm horses
and dewy-lippod Attorneys. But things
got worse and worse, ard in the middle
of dreary winter, Just before the birth
of her third child. Uncle Joseph died.
Fifty pounds to defray his funeral ex-
penses was nearly all the money found !;
but he left Maggie his house and furni-
ture, and with his last breath reminded
her of the old Bible.
you'll be needing it soon, Maggie
dear, | know dor't forget me when you
come TO that day"
These were his last words, and Maggie
pondered them that evening as she sat,
silent, beside her sleeping children.
1t was hard to sell the dear old home,
but Stephen would hear of nothing else !;
so the doctors house went into the mar
ket; the quaint furniture was scattered
all over the Dale and the money went
into Druid's Moss.
1t only put off the evil day, Squire
| Thwaites abandoned his improvements /;
he would throw no more good money
after bad he said but Stephen, with a
determination that many thought kind
of madness, worked away.
And really, in the fourth year. it
looked as il he would succeed. A por
ton that had been finished produced
such crop as made the farmers round
the craggy hills doubt their own eyes.
Stephen was jublant what could be
done for two acres could be done for two
hundred. He had proved his position,
and 5'as more enthusiastic than ever over
his idea.
But Maggie was almost hopeless. She
was beginning to suffer for very necessi-
ties; strange, hard men came with aU
thority about her home, and Stephea
looked so i'll and haggard and was so ir-
ritable that her cup was full of sorrow.
One gloomy afternoon, when it rained so
heavily that work was impossible, she
ventured to try to reason with and COM
fort the gloomy man, looking dolefully
across the empty farm-yard toward the
great, fiat, dreary Moss.
1T will soon be over, my dear Mag
gle, - he said Tomorrow | am going
into Kendall, to get another five hundred
pounds, if can, upon the farm plenish-
ing and the remnant of the stock. am
sure, if get it, to put the whole Moss
under wheat this year, and that will
practically save US If don't, | have
lost my estate and all these years labor,
and we shall leave this place, beggars,
within month. You know the worst
now, Maggie"
The next day, amid the driving storm,
she watched her husband make his last
desperate effort. She turned and looked
upon the pleasant room, with her three
children playing unconsciously about it;
then she fed upstairs, and, falling down
upon her knees, poured out all her heart
in passionate, pleading prayer. AS she
rose, with streaming eyes, Uncle Joseph's
last words flashed across her mind.
Somehow, they held new meaning for
her. She unlocked her drawer, and lifted
-: cld brass bound book carefully and
tendcrIy out
1T has comforted my fathers and
mothers for many a generation she said
softly. II will see what it will do for
me And she unclasped it with a
prayer: :" / was brought low, and He
helped me- :"
/ They were good words, and she read
the whole psalm through and turned the
leaf A Bank of England bill tor one
hundred pounds fell at her feet. She
/ lifted it as though it had fallen from
! heaven. and commenced to turn, with
eager, trembling fingers, the well-worn
pages One after another, bills tluttered
into her lap uatil, from between the
boards Of Uncle Joseph's wedding gift,
she had taken eight thousand eight hun
dred pounds.
Can any one guess how she prayed
again, and with what a radiant face she
met the cross, wretched man that half
drowned with the storm, walked, about
shutdown, up to the hearthstone9
stephen! Stephen u she cried joy
ously. Never look sad again! Uncle
Joseph's wedding gift has saved us %
And she spread the money before him.
Maggie was right; the money saved
Stephen every way. He bought Thwaites
out: he paid off all claims on his home
he rcstocked his farm, and triumphantly
finished the draining of Druid's Moss.
Maggies fortune was oddly given, but
the eccentric old man did not Judge far
amis. His wedding gift was blessed as
he intended it should be-in two ways
for Maggie aud Stephen learned to love
il, not only for the material help it had
brought them in their extremity, but also
for the promise Of the far more exceed,
ing and abundant riches which it prom
ises aud provides for -. The Ledger.
The Cat in 1hibet.
Tie cat is treated bv Thibetaag with