The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-02-25
VOL. XXVIII.-NO. II.

IN bed, watched her with some anxiety il
her narrowed eyes. Mary removed tn
empty bottles and odds and ends that pre-
vented her getting at the tin. Then sh,
reached it down, and blew of the dus
dainty. She had wholesome horror o.
dirt in any shape.
Bring it here said Mrs. Dowie in ,
voice that was shrill and somewhat peremp
tory. The sight of the old tin had, foi
some reason, excited her
"You'd better let me find something 10
rub it over with first, said Mary you've
got a clean sheet to your bed, and it'll dirty
| It."
Mrs. Dowie trembled with suppressed
eagerness. "Don't worrit to open it, said
she. st amt likely to ha' gotdirty inside.
There" with sigh Of content, as Mary
placed it in her outstretched hands, "that's
it Thank you, my dear. Tn afraid I've
been troublin' you. But had fancy to
see this ere tin. Now, don't you stay here
any longer, but git off for your walk"
Mary wondered little as she went away
at the old woman's "fancy." She attribut-
ed it to the unreasonable eccentricities of
age, and thought perhaps Mrs. Dowie had
been fonder of the tinker than of the hus-
band she had married, and so cherished the
souvenir she had retained. 1t suddenly
occurred to her to give Mrs. Dowie little
surprise. She remembered the tone in
which the old creature had said at amt
got no tea in now, and she determined to
buy half pound and put it in the canister.
Her purse was slender one, but she had
no one to consider but herself; so when she
came to general shop that was not closed,
she went in aud made her purchase
Except for the pleasure afforded to her
by this unselfsh action, the walk was not
a very successful one The streets were
full of holiday people. All the girls who
were fortunate enough to possess this es-
sential to a gala costume had their long
feathers in their hats-feathers which went
round the crown and hung down behind.
Their satisfaction in their appearance was
patent on their faces. They knew they
would be irresistible in the eyes of their
lovers,
The crowded streets troubled and dis
mayed her. There is no loneliness COM
parable to the loneliness of being in a crowd
with which one has nothing in common,
while yet one has no ties independent of it.
The sense of isolation is little less than
crushing Mary suddenly turned round
A great, unconquerable longing to get back
to the one person who made her world, the
one person who needed her, and watched
for her coming. took possession of her.
The feeling she had for the ualy. ignorant
old woman was almost passion. She long
ed to feel the clingins touch of those yellow
wrinkled fingers, to see the smile in the
dim bleared eyes, TO hear the muttered
thanks for some little Office rendered. She
felt that neither the sunshine nor the keen
bracing wind was congenial to her any
longer; the one Knocked, the other chilled
her. The atmosphere OF the close, dali
bedchamber in the attic from which her
healthy nature had often shrank seemed to
her now more desirable than that Of this
bleak outer world. She hurried back in
the direction from which she had come;
finally she broke into run.
Mrs. Dowies door was aiar, She pushed
it open softly and peeped in. The old
woman, who had not expected her back
yet awhile, was dozing, propped up as
usual, and with her head dropped upon her
breast. She could not breathe properly
lying down. Mary stood for a minute
watching her, almost tenderly. How pa
theticaliy helpless she looked, this poor soul,
who had outlived all her interests, and
whose child and glandchild had died before
her
On the bed, close to her elbow, was the
tin, the puerile object of her affectionste in.
terest, After all, she was in her second
childhood, and all children must have their
playthings. Mary, smiling as might an
indulgent mother who PREPARES a surprise
for sick little one, drew the canister to-
wards her, and lifted off the lid preparatory
to pouring in the tea.
To her surprise, however, she saw that
the tin was not empty 1t was filled with
rather dirty Jumps of cottonwood She
began to pull them out, still smiling. The
layer of wool was not deep, She then
came upon what appeared to be small
bundle of rag, As she lifted this out,
pulling it with someslight difficulty through
the narrow opening at the top Of the tin,
something fell with a little clink upon the
chair. She stopped and looked at it, then
gave an involuntary exclamation of sur
prise. 1t was a niece of gold; a sovereign!
She united the knot Of the bundle hur-
riedly. Scarcely was it undone when. to
her astonishment, there fell to the ground
piece after piece of money, and rolled to
the various corners of the room, while she
stood openmouthed in wonder. There
must have been six pounds at least-so
much she reflected even in her bewilder-
ment as she watched the rolling coins.
But. she had little time for thought.
The noise made Mrs Dowie wake with a
start. She looked about her for minute
vaguely; then, as her eyes fell on Mary.
l. .:ll LII Il -: ~ L.