The Athena press. [volume] (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942, 1893-11-17


them for the nonce on the kitchen man
tel No, the vases would not do, The
ingram carpet was tackled down tight,
the-surely there was step in the
passage! The CRATE! There, under the
fringed paper, it might lie safely all
night.
He drew his pocket-book from his
bosom and stuffed it between two loose
bricks at the back of the crate. The
pink fringes of the papep concealed it.
AL was safe. He creaked across the
passage into the Kitchen with q con-
sciousness of great meanness in his
heart. Mrs VranlSlin, having executed
her terrible intention, had taken fight
to her bedroom, where she sat III the
cold with a 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.. Vranlxlin.
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
ing it she saw upon the porch her c.
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.
.4'll light fire." said the good wom-
an. st 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 scuttte
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.. Vranlxlin 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 it's
high nose and close-cut mouth. betrayed
no emotion.
'She don't know what she has done!'
he said to himself; but he did.
- AL
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
Tin the midst of life we are in death, y
and seemed to prophesy his funeral. 1t
was not gay dinner, but then it was
Sunday.
That night Mrs. Vranlklin missed her
| spouse from his bed. She went to look
for him, and found him pol1ing in the
| ashes of the dead fire with the tongs.
He looked up with very red face.
II don't think these here Goals kin be
| good" he said, confusedly.
Ibid you get up in the night to look
at them?' she asked
I1o Hlduc uO duSWCE duSi IOtuFHCu 10
bed.
Next morning his wife again attacked
| him.
Have you thought that matterover7"
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-s she who had served
him so we'll for SO many years.
''I've 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, ''and get it nice Fill the check
up just as you please"
He had not called her my dear" fol
years. She smiled up at him very gen.
tly; tears were 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 at the depot
loaded with parcels, tired but smiling
He had not seen her so bright for many
day.
After tea that night they sat together
beside the stove as before, and she
looked at him in a peculiar way.
/ ''You didn't seem to feel cheerful
Sunday afternoon, Jeremiah" she re
marked. "What allied your
II don't want to tell you" he an
swered
''But I'll tell you," she said. "Yor
thought burned the poclsetbook you
hid in the CRATE didn't.
She put her hand into her work-bas
ket and drew it out, intact, with the
money in it.
II was just in time," she said "Bu
understood at once when l saw /
sticking between the bricks. If yol
hadn't given me the check, l shoult
have spent the money. There's con
fession for you, jeremiah
He looked at her, half angry, half as
tonished. She arose and came Il him
and put her hands on his shoulders
''But | should never have enjoye,
wearing them.' she said. ~ shoul'
have hated them, think. These tha
bought to-day. with your free gift,
shall love while there's a rag of then
| left"
The man looked at her with feeling
that strange revelation of feminin,
hurnanaiature had been made to him
but all he said was:
why, Ira Maria, want to knowi
and he drew her down upon his kne
and kissed her.-N. Y. Ledger.
Customer lin book storel-"I woult
like to get some good book on faith