The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-11-07
pink friures OF the paper concealed it.

sciousness Of great neanness in his
heart. Mrs. Vrankiin, having executed
her terrible intention, had taken fight
to her bedroom, where she sat in the
cold with little shawl over her
shoulders, trembling. He said some
thing aloud about seeing Jones about
those pigs, and fed the house, and the
two held no more conversation until
breakfast time. Then Mr.. Vranklin,
with unusual piety. went to church,
while his wife stayed at home to cook
dinner, no one else being at hand to do
it.
Just as the beef was so far done that
she could open the oven doors there
came knock upon the door, and open
ing it she saw upon the porch her Cous-
in Brown and the minister. Church
was out. and Cousin Brown had brought
the reverend gentleman to his friends
to dine. Mrs. Vranklin received both
hospitality, and hastened to usher them
into the parlor. The yellow artemis-
las shone bravely in the big blue vases
Mr.. Vranklin had been wise not to hide
his money. there; but it was cold-very
cold. -
"I'll light fire." said the good wom-
an. ut won't take minute It's the
| first fire of the season, or I'd have the
CRATE fixed"
She tucked the paper down into the
| CRATE, the easiest way to be rid of it,
piled on wood and placed the scutt.e
ready. AS she struck the match she
! gave little cry, but repressed it in
stantly. The flames blazed up merrily
and roared behind the blower.
When Mr.. Vrankiin returned the
blower was down and the two men
were warming their feet at compact
mass of red coal.
He looked at his Eva Maria. Her cold,
composed New England face, with its
high nose and close-cut mouth, BETRAYED
no emotion.
''She don't know what she has done!"
he said to himself; but he did.
The ghost of that hundred dollars
stared at him from the embers. He
could not talk, he could not compose
himself. Cousin Brown opined he was
not well. The minister remarked that
sin the midst of life we are in death,
and seemed to prophesy his funeral 1t
was not gay dinner, but then it was
Sunday.
That night Mrs. Vranlxlin missed her
spouse from his bed. Sne went to look
for him, and found him polSing in the
ashes of the dead fire with the tongs.
He looked up with very red face.
81 don't think these here Goals kin be
good,' he said, confusedly.
Did you get up in the nigh: to look
at them?" she asked.
He made no answer and returned to
bed.
Next morning his wife again attacked
him.
Have you thought that matter over?"
she asked.
Indeed he had. and it had occurred to
him that Providence had prepared a
special judgment for him IN DESTROY
ing that money. He felt that his wife
had spoken the truth. She had right
to decent clothes-she who had served
him SO well for SO many years.
''rve thought it over, Eva Maria" he
said, and arose and went to his desk, a
queer, old-fashioned one built in the
house wall When he returned, he
brought with him blank check
Get what you like, my DEAR" he
said, land get it nice. Fill the check
up just as you please"
lie had not called her "my dear" for
years. She smiled up at him very gem
tly; tears We're near his eyes.
However, she used the check TO dress /!
herself comfortably. 1t was the first
time for many years that she had in
dulged in the luxury of shopping freely
At night he met her ct the depot,
loaded with parcels tired but smiling. +
He had aot seen her so bright tor many
a day.
After tea that night they sat together
beside the stove Us before. and she
looked at him IN 2 peculiar way.
You didn't seem to ,feel cheerful
Sunday afternoon, Jeremiah" she re-
marked. "What ailed rou?'
Il don't want +; tell you," he an
ewered.
But TIL tell you" she said. "You
thought burned siae pocketbook you
hid in the CRATE. ] didn't"
She put her hand into ser work-bas-
ket and drew i. CT, intact. with the
money in It.
Il was jus. in time" she said "Rut
understood at once when | saw il
sticking between the bricks II you
hadn't given me the check, | should
have spent the money. There's con-
tession for you, jeremiah
He looked al her, half angry. half as
tonished She arose and came to him,
and put her hands on his shoulders
But ! should never have enjoyed
wearing them she said Il should
nave hated them think. These tha.
bought to-day. with your free gift, |
,hall love while there's a rag OF then
eft
The man looked at her with feeling
hat strange revelation Of feminine
human nature had been made TO him,
put all re said was:
Why, Eva Maria, wan. "a KNOW
md he drew her down upon ms knee
md kissed ber-S. Y. Ledger.
Customer lin book zto-e1-'sI would .
Ike 70 ge, soma good book on faith
lerk-' Sorry. sir. bIt cur rule is 10 sell
Stni-1y q, s.--~ua-S event for ~@uA