The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-08-26

The drunkard vas making futile Eff
forts to extinguish the flames with a
broom, and the blazing fragments of
muslin were dropping down on the
carpet.
Harold's first act was to lift the
poor girl from the floor and carry her
into the open air.
-uuf aql pun quo UBus 3 sRM sIE eqL
itor and several other men, besides a
stalwart policeman, had arrived and
the fire engines had been summoned.
He was not needed IN the premises,
and all his thoughts were for the pretty
creature in his. arms.
The streets were crowded; he could
not keep her there, and his first
thought was to carry her to his own
boarding house.
The landlady, a kind old soul, came
down stairs in a wrapper and night
cap and lit the light in her parlor.
A neighboring doctor was sum-
moned, and he found that, though the
girl was not burned, her right arm was
broken.
When at last she opened her eyes she
told a pitiful tale.
The drunkard was her step-father.
Since her mothers death the daughter
had worked to support him, by making
fancy articles for the shops. On these
she was busy when he entered the
house and began to abuse her.
"And now he has broken my arm
and I shall be able to do nothing for
a long WHILE" she said. Il shall starvo
and 80 will he"
"Oh, no, they'll take you to the hos
pital, dear" the landlady said. MIR.
Hastings will send for an ambulance"
Il will do no such thing" said Harold.
you have a spare room, Mrs. Fletcher.
We will have this young lady taken
there"
He whispered something in Mrs.
Fletcher's ear, which made her smile
and whisper back:
"Well, if you can afford it."
In fact he had engaged the ROOM.
The part of Good Samaritan was new
10 him, but he played it perfectly, Mrs.
Fletcher helping him.
That good lady went over to the lit
tie fat next day, to get the girls cloth
ing.
The step-father had gone off to fin
ish his spree, the janitor had locked
up his rooms, and the other tenants
were demanding the expulsion Of the
d~isorderly tenant of the agent, who
seemed very ready to comply with their
request when he heard of the girls acct
dent.
You see, she paid the rent" he said.
It'd never have let it to the ~step-father.
But Miss Holden is a nice, honest girl,
and a lady,"
So Mrs. Fletcher collected all that
seemed peculiarly womcn's property,
and had the trunk taken to Miss Hol-
denis ROOM, where for weeks she nursed
her faithfully.
The injury had been a bad one, and
the doctors prophecies were alarming.
But in time the patient began to re-
cover.
Meanwhile, Harold had found himself
compelled to practice. strict economy
in order to meet the expenses lie had
taken upon himself. He did not re-
greet it. And as the girl grew better,
and was able to read the books he
brought her, and take pleasure in the
flowers, for which he sacrificed his
cigars, a certain happiness came into
his life that he had never experienced
before.
His parents had departed this life so
early, that he could scarcely remember
having a home. And now it seemed
80 much like coming home when he
entered the room where the Invalid
now sat amongst cushions. And kind
Mrs. Fletcher smiled upon him with a
gentle approval Of his conduct.
One day she had news TO tell him.
The dissipatcd step-father was dead.
He had been found lying in the street
and arrestel-in the morning he was
dead.
"She has been crying over him, poor
| dear!" said Mrs. Fletcher. HE didn't
deserve a tear, out it's better to feel
soft than hard, any way"
A little after he went to her.
My mother was fond of him once"
was all she said. "He might have been
very different but for that terrible habit
of his. I anu quite alone now"
AT least you have q friend" he said,
taking her hand. As he did so, little
thrills ran through him. lie expert
enced unknown emotions. Then the
girl cried out:
"Oh, indeed, I have a good, kind
friend In you! How can I ever thank
you or dear Mrs. Fletcher? am under
obligations so great / can never hope
to repay them"
He did not Know how to answer her.
He took her little hand again. How
sweet she was, how gentle, he thought.
DO you know" he whispered, that
I should not ask any greater happiness
than to pet you always
IIe had simply intended to state a
fact, to utter the thought in his heart.
He had not known what that thought
meant. But as her face flushed GRIM
son and her eyes dropped beneath his
| own, he understood. .
Il love you, Helen," he cried, telling
himself, even as he told her; will you
be my wife?"
"Hullo, Harold" cried Mr.. Bellamy,
as they met in the street a month later,
IAN I to understand that you have ac-
tually forfeited your uncle's fortune
for the sake Of single blessedncss?
MY uncle's %fortune!" cried Harold,
stopping short. Hanged if I hadn't
forgotten how time was flying"
you've only Q week left" said the
lawyer. "Harold, what have sou been
doing all this timer"
Marrying a wife," said Harold. Il
have just returned from my wedding
trip"
Arab HOrsemansh1D.
The Arab, when he is a horseman,
So - n-..-A - 49,