The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1893-07-11

she walked there and back, and without
an umbrella"
"Walkedp
Eyes. You may understand why;
don't"
Just then a smothered sob reached
Mr.. Atwood, and he discerned pair of
chubby legs In darned old stockings,
sticking out from q mass of bed clothes
at the foot Of the bed.
Its Johnny. He was so wild with
grief l had not the heart to send him
away, and he won't do her any hurt
See his feetl and they are soaking wet,
and must be attended to-
Mr. Atwood flushed holly at the
sight of those toeless shoes.
''She went to get him pair this
morning But why don't you send for
doctor?"
He has been here and gone, every
thing has been done that can be. This
Is the bundle your wife brought home
with her. These are her winter shoes,
! suppose, and you can see how suitable
they are; the price marked on them is
one dollar and ten cents"
MARY" began Mr.. Atwood, plain
lively.
you asked me what had happened.
You see l am trying to find out, and /
think l shall before get through.
want you to see something else in this
bundle. This roll of coarse red flannel
no doubt is for petticoats for the little
girls; but what do you suppose this Is
for9" sternly.
Mr.. Atwood gazed down upon small
quantity Of soft white flannel. "Idon't
know" he said helplessly.
THANK God never marriedl' cried
his sister earnestly. II might not have
known myself, If the doctor hadn't in
timated that that was what made the
case SO critical"
Mr.. Atwood understood now, and
went to the bed and kneeled down.
Mabel" he said. brokenly. "Oh, my
wife"
THAT is all" said his sister, grimly
''You were always selfish. Your moth
or (who am glad wasn't mine) helped
to make you so. But never supposed
you could be quite so cruel, and to your
own. Your income of fifteen hundred
dollars year will admit of com
Portable living for all-had it been
shared. Johnnie, dear, must get off
these wet old shoes, or we shall have
another sick member of the family"
''Oh, mammal mamma" moaned the
child.
1--WE will do everything we can" said
Aunt Mary, kissing the tear-wet cheek.
"She looks better, think
She lived-at the sacrifice of the little
life that was to be. Lived. and began
to grow stronger, and to smile upon her
children once more.
Aunt Mary was at the head OF the
household, and new reign had been in
augurated. As for Mr.. Atwood, his wife
wondered what had come over him. He
had sat by her bedside night and day,
doing all he could for her, in his awk-
ward fashion, but with tenderness
that surprised her. He had won the
timid little girls to sit upon his knee
and romp with him as they had never
dared to do before.
Mamma" said Johnnie one day,
''how pretty you are, your cheeks are
so red and your hair crinkles all around
your head"
Then Johnnie's father laid his hand
upon that head, and said:
Mabel, If you can forget my heart
less thoughtlessness, my cruel selfish
ness, will see that from this time out
my wife and home are my first thought.
never knew how loved you until
was afraid / was going to have 70 give
you up forever Can you still love me
little?"
The happy mother smiled fondly on
him. and answered:
II have always loved you, and sup
posed 1t was only mans way"
Aunt Mary, who had CHANGED in al
this instant, shifted audibly.
II was thankful before that had
never married, and now I'm thankful
I'm not man. / call such ways as
you attribute to the common man or
husband, Sin"
''Never mind" said her brother,
you've had sphere, and you've filled
it nobly; and the contest room in my
home cvermore is set aside for brave
Aunt Mary, who shook the family
skeleton before my eyes until /
trembled and burnt 1t up."-Yankee
Blade.