The Indianapolis journal., 1893-12-10

ble-dyed plotter. but her only hope now
was in plunging ahead without time 10 think
and she was dressed and in the street car
before she allowed herself TO realize that
IL was really she that was doing TINS
strange thing; then she trembled SO 1t
seemed as if the whole carful must notice
her, and ask who she was and what the
matter. But no-everyone was more inter-
ested In his own business than hers, ana
she reached her journeys end unquestfoned
and stood again before the house at which
she had called the day before.
Once there she knocked so precipitately
in her fear that she shouldn't knock at all
that she brought the woman 10 the door
with a startled look upon her face. This
Were some tools left here yesterday to
be called for%' she asked. in another voice.
and quite as if she We're another person
from the one making the request of the
day before.
The woman said Yes and. stepping
They were very heavy, but excitement
felped her. and she took them with nat
ural manner as she could assume, and,
thanking the woman, turned away.
She had but n few steps to go, and
turn in the road around the inclosure she
was leaving brought her suddenly upon the
with such dread There they stood-blue
shirts red shirts, overalls, picks, shovels
and all; and with them, giving directions.
but with an honest, kindly face, that
strengthened her failing courage. Leaning
her tools against the fence and taking the
Dravely UP to him.
May 1 speak to you a minute?" she
At the sound Of her voice he turned from
the men. did you speak, muDl?
Mrs. Marvel gathered her courage again
Tor the fnal plunge Yes; would you mind
she spoke. toward the tools.
-he man followed, and she began: THAT
handing him the notice ''and l have come,
as 1t said, and brought these, pointing to
the tools, because l was afraid they would
take my land from me If din't; but
never dug bit in all my life. and thought
when i saw you that may be, If you was
to tell the people that sent this cruel paper
that there had been some mistake, and
that never had known anything about the
tax before they sent it, perhaps they would
thirty-five dollars is a great deal of money
for me TO get but If they will wait five
days more it will give me chance to con-
suit someone, and shall know better what
to do"
This little speech had been carefully
thought out, and was considered quite
masterpiece by its composer, for 1t at once
gave no clew to her being other than the
widow she seemed, and was still literally
by much mental repetition that she felt
else.
The man listened with a puzzled face.
and for second after she ceased stood
Nsilent.
We'll" he said at length, 'Tve often heard
than the run Haven't you any men folks
belongm' to you that could straighten
things nn out out for you? It's just shame and
things way out here-where in thunder
did you lug ,em from anyway"
Mrs. Marvel rehearsed her ingenious way
Of getting them there.
Bought 'em a-purpose?' he burst out
Ito be sure-I might have seen they
much as the tax-but." continuing his
monologue by jerks, L recollect now; you
read the figures wrong, and thought you
had a hundred and thirty-1ive to pay-I beg
your pardon, num- but as you don't seem
to have any folks of your own, I'll make
things plain to you myself. This notice is
body for not payin their taxes; it's just
way (and blamed bad way it is. now
their road tax is due, and if they'd rather
work ii out than pay IL (dS Small farmers
d9Sty m9stiy do they're t welcome You said you
tax was due-nobOdy does, mum; this is
the first notice. Then, mum. you was
wrong on the figures, which was partly
along of their being written careless-but
all that's owing from you is a dollar and
thirty-five cents. and if you've got it by
you I'll give you the receipt for it now, and
tnat will end the matter"
Mrs. Marvel had listened intently-won-
der, relief and delight succeeding each other
in her face. At last she could restrain
herself no longer, but burst into laughter,
tears and exclamations at once.
% you are so goodi . L thank you so
much-I knew my husband must be right
somehow because he always pays every
thing so promptly"
He! Your husband" interrupted the man.
Then you amt widow after all. Well,
mum, all I've got to say is that a
who would let his wife fetch such things
out here, like you We done, just because he
hadn't taught her enough business to
derstand that notice, was playing mighty
mean trick. and L wouldn't mind telling
1t had flashed upon Mrs. Marvel with his
first word that she had needlessly betrayed
care much. There was nothing left for it
now but to explain the whole matter; which,
as soon as her would-be champion took
breath, she proceeded to do, feeling very
silly the while but determined to right
Dave, even in the eyes of stranger. When
her recital was ended, her kind hearted
listener took the tools back for her to the
house. where she asked if they could again
find shelter till called for. Then bidding
ward, entered with her latchkey, changed
her dress. kissed her baby, and sent Maggie
to the hardware store with a note stating
that there had been mistake about the
tools purchased the day before, that the
party for whom they had been ordered
would not need them, and asking that they
be sent for and the money refunded This
somewhat audacious request, being accom-
panied with a pretty little expression of
kindly met, and Maggie soon returned with
a note saying that if she would call the
next day she should have the money.
AS Mrs. Marvel sat that evening with
her baby in her arms she inwardly vowed
that Dave should never, never, never know
, what a goose she had been. But in MAX
account the extent TO which she had, un-
consciously to herself, been buoyed up by
the prospect OF .the petting ana plying she
would get from Dave. when he should have
learned how much his 'brave little woman
(aS he would be sure to call herr mad borne
for him; and somehow as the days went by
she felt less and less able to get along
without il. So it came to pass that he had
not been home twenty-four hours before
Sho fOl iCh
you could have seen her while she was tell
ing it. She lived it all over as she spoke,
and was at once so womanly and childish,
so nobly self-devoted and so delightfully."-
absurd, that as her husband watched the
tears and smiles cOntendmg for her pretty
lace. he felt her to be the most entirely
blissful little bundle of charming contradic-
tiOnS that any man ever had committed 10
him to love and care for
He has, up TO date, SteadfaSt1y resisted
the oft-recurring temptation to tell the story
himself-"down at the store"