Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1894-04-02

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-$;HitM NM But he dIdn I,
CSNEA w said Helen. "And
'MSISSSYS the lecture tour
eTsh3 kW ended in disaster;
EEIA.e and he has returned
N with empty pock
cts, and cold which
threatens pneumonia
ooh dear! and we were so we'll of
before little Mother married again."
Margaret murmured, dolefully.
"rreasonw cried Helen, stoutly |
''not one word against Pa Pendergast
the dearest old visionary thing that
! ever lived !"
'He certainly tries to make for
tune for us, smiled Anne.
'And has only succeeded in reduc-
| ing MS to the verge of-beggary |"
supplemented Margaret.
"Ihe eXpressman is stopping at the
gate, y said Helen; "but, of course,
it's n mistake.
"Aes; nothing comes to us now
but trouble, ended Margaret.
But moment later and Helen called
back, ecstatically, "Oh, girls, it is for
MS, sure as you hve" Then, less joy
fully, "But-there's seventy five cents
to pay ~
At last the necessary amount was
made up, the expressman departed,
and the girls and their mother, in a
state of unusual excitement, gathered
around the huge, irregular bundle
which, by their united efforts, they
had dragged into the middle of the
sittng-room.
"Who could have sent it?" won
Tered Anne.
"What do you suppose it is?" ques-
toned Helen.
"It's-old Clothes" Margaret said,
| gloomily,
"Modge" in a general chorus of
dismay.
But even as Helen cut the strings
the lopsided bundle burst asunder and
shed its contents of crumbled ball
gowns and all kinds of forlorn and
dreggled tinery upon the floor.
Anne bit her lip, Margaret's eyes
famed wrathfully and Helen laughed.
But the mother S face worked piteously,
and ii was all that she could do to keep
back the tears.
All her life till now, Mrs. Pender-
/ gast had been used to comfort, and
even luxury; and she had always
I shown SO much tact and delicacy in
sending their own left-off but useful
garmentsto those who were poorer than
themselves, And it was bitter hui
initiation to her now, when, for the
first time, It mass of dingy and inap-
/ propriate fnory had been literally
dumped upon her doorstep, without
any accompanying message from the
rich. city cousin, from whom it un-
doubtedly had been sent.
There isn't Il practical thing among
them ~ laughed Helen, who was
adorning herself with whatever came
first to hand. And even Margaret
could not help smiling at the comical
picture her pretty young sister made
with Il crushed French bonnet perched
coquettishly on her fair curls, faded
and altogether too-ample olive red
ingote enveloping her pretty form, and
above her head the bony skeleton of
n once splendid parasol-its melan-
choly Iibs uplifted now, as if imploring
pity.
Anne laughed Historically; but Just
| then Pas querulous voice was heard
in the room above, and the mother
was glad of an excuse to hasten away
Night came. The debris had dis
appeared, and the letter of thanks tc
| Cousin Frances, which Helen hat
] volunteered to write, was finished.
"L1sten. girls, while j read it, :" sh'
said; "but don't interrupt. If yor
think of anything more to say just wal
and III add 1T ON at the end.
, My generous rich relative" sh'
began, and, regardless of the rising
3 mar"W of Cdsmay, she hastily wen
on II was so thoughtful of you tc
: senal us such lot of old clothes (whicl
, we cant possibly make use off, and
not to prepay the express which is un
commonly high in this part of the
world. We now understand why il
is more blessed to give than receive !
But, unfortunately, we don't know
any one who would take such stuff as
gilt, unless it's the ragman"- -
''delen !"
"Iou shan't send such a letter =
q mud Margaret snatched the perfect,
, proper little note she had writer
, from Helen's hand, while the younJ
girl laughed merrily over the success
OF her impromptu nonsense. She lovet
Is TO tease her sober elder sisters, and witt
u her happy disposition she found wa,
Is ,t tting fun ont of everything.
4 Bat anXious and busy days cam
tfJer this Pa Pcndereast was serioul