The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-02-25

her reproachiuiiy
She laid it pensively down. A sense of
her own unworthiness clouded her joy.
She compared herself with her lover. He
had made sacrifice for parent who yet
may have been said to have no claims on
him. and even that parents degrading SIN
had not stood between him and his duty.
But she How had she acted After
voluntarily undertaking certain duties to
the poor helpless creature who was child
less. she had flung them all up because she
was disappointed in her protege.
II can't oven write to him, she said
aloud. '.till have made it up with Mrs.
Dowie. It'd seem as if was hypocritical.
not what he thought me. | must have
acted wrong, because | couldn't bear for him
to hear of it, She looked at the photo
graph. ayes, jess, she whispered, "lm
goin'.
She actually formed the bold resolve of
staying away from her work. She had
never done such thing before, and she
thought she might for once presume upon
her usual punctuality. She knew that she
was better workwoman than most in the
shop. and would not be turned off for the
first misdemeanor Accordingly, sheput the
letter in her pocket, and, getting ready
with her customary speed. hurried off to
to Mrs. Dowie's. One or two people go
ing to their work turned as she passed
them. The signs of suffering are never
totally eradicated from the human eoun-
,enance even by subsequent joy: but hap
pinegs had done wonders for Mary. She
was irradiated by sunshine. The woman
who opened the door started on seeing her.
why" she said, II wondered what
had become of yer y
.How's Mrs Dowie?" Mary asked with
out vouchsa6ng an explanation.
The woman shrugged her shoulders.
Il don't have time to see her, what
with the children and all; but Mrs. Bean,
she met the nurse comm down stairs, and
she told me she was goin'. / wonder
she've held out so long. Old people is
wonderful
is she-dyiug?" said Mary slowly.
That's about it. And the best thing
too, what's her life to her, should like to
know And cough she do at nights, that
Mrs. Bean can't sleep wink. 1t sounds
through them boards. wish she d go to
the Urinary. don't like it happenin
here. But nurse, she put it to her. No,
she said If can't last long. Let me die in.
my bed Still, think she'll have to go,
and that's the size of it.
Mary passed by her and hurried up the
narrow stairs. She was very much sub
dued by the womans account.
She entered so quietly that Mrs. Dowie
did not hear her She was upright in bed.
Her breathing admitted of no other atti-
tude, her head being dropped forward
Her eyes were closed Her cheeks were
hollow. She looked awful. Mary came
up to her and touched the skeleton hand.
Then Mrs. Dowic slowly opened the weary
eyes and raised her head feebly. She
thought it was the nurse come to attend to
her.
Not bit of sleep all night, she said
in dreary, complaining whisper. I'm
worse"
"Oh, | am sorry Mary said, stroking
the hand still.
Perhaps the unwonted sympathy with
which her daily announcement was received
affected the waning intelligence. At any
rate, Mrs Dowie's eyes, which had been
closed again. reopened and sought the girls
face, and momentary light illumined
them.
"It's-Mary,' she said wonderingly.
.Yes, dear" Mary answered. She could
scarcely restrain her tears. I've come
to read to you. Have you had your prayers
this morning."
The old woman shook her head. d
can't rightly-remembe she answered
almost inaudibly Cant breathe |
may have said--the Lord's-prayer-I
don't-know.' The old tremblidg hand
went up to her head.
''Shall say it. Mrs. Dowie?' Mary
asked
"If-you please, my dear.
Mary began to say the only prayer she
knew in her clear young voice, just now vi
brating with sympathy and earnestness.
Mrs. Dowie's lips moved almost as it
seemed, mechanically in unison. When
Mary came to Forgive us our trespasses,
she broke down and stopped making an
effort to calm herself She was overcome
by mingled emotions. Mrs. Dowie waited,
still with clasped hands and closed eyes.
When Mary did not go on she regarded
her wouderingly. The girls face was hid
den in her hands.
AS we forgive m-that-trespass
against-us, Mrs. Dowie prompted her.
Mary heard the tired, patient whisper.
She looked up with streaming eyes at the
old woman "0h. Mrs. Dowie, she sobbed
Il wish | hadn't-kep' away.
Mrs. Dowie looked at her almost inquir-
ingly. She was so exhausted, so near the
end of her struggle, that she no longer ap-
peared capable of strong emotion. Her
grief at Mary's absence had spent itself in
the last two days. She scarcely seemed to
realize why the girl was reproaching her
self
've-kep' away" she said. ''Yes
Il remember Is it long? It's all
She paused, her voice dying away. Then
she made an effort to speak louder. Sim
very weak, my dear. You was angry at
the money I-I-aint spent it Oh,
my poor bOnes--no-I ain't-spent it.
Then she made fresh start.
They said-the work us. But let me
die in my bed 1t can't be long now
it can't be long.
Then she began to cry But the feeble
wall was stopped by cough.
1t was indescribably painful to see the
poor worn form racked in this way, to hear
the efforts at breathing,
aOh,' she said; ''oh, oh r.
The sounds were like groans. She was
bent nearly double.
Mrs. Dowie," Mary said presently, when
there was silence again, 'you needn't fear
as they Il take you away. will stay with
you, and look after you, and you shall have
all you want
you're very-good, my dear.
Her lips framed the words. She was