Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-12-27
Mr.. West scarcely knowing what
ne did. uDclasped the Bible. and af-

came to the hundred pound note,
snugly ensconced between them
Maria stood by, with lips that trem-
bled, am face white AZ dea h; lit
re less did her Uncle's hands ,rem-
Bile when he took mp the note. For
yive uS, Lord" hr uttered; and Mis-
Wes', in her exritemen', fairly broke
into sobs. poor girl. poor girl"
soc said, we have been all az linst
her"
Y0a look too COMPOUNDED to ask
for az explanation, Joseph" exclaim-
I'd Mrs. Burlington. IL was To leave,
Won remember, on the Tuesday
morning; the previous night, Mon
day, | accidently overheard con
versation between Hester and Maria;
gathered that Maria had asked for
some money, which Hester bad re
fused, III now releDted, aud gave IT
TO her When Maria was gone |
spoke to Hester, and she told me
that George had fallen into trouble
through gambling, and the ten pound
note she had just given to Maria
was to help him out. A thought
came to mel deeply regret il now
that, with a gambling brother,
that huudred-pound note in Testers
desk might prove a temptation to
Ma,ia--she might take the use of it
under pressure, wa my thought
and | persuaded Hester to put ii in
side the old Bible where il never
would be looked for. never
thought, you see, but what Hester
would tell you, Joseph, where it was
Maria dear, would give ten hun
dred-pOund notes that this had not
happened"
Mr.. West reused himself from A
r9verie, strode across the room, and
called in his most stentorian voice TO
the maid-servants. They came run
ming up from the Kitchen, in doubt
whether the house might not be on
fire.
"MoIly--Ann," cried he, going
back to the table, while the two
girls stared at him in surpaise, you
know that Miss Maria has been sus-
pected of taking my sister Hester's
money from her desk; not only sus-
pected--every one, from myself
downward, persisted that she was
guilty. Well, my girls, she was
wrongfully accused, and all the while
has been innocent as the day. NV
sister changed the keeping place Of
the note from the desk to the bible;
Mrs. Darlington was privy to il, and
has jast told us; and here, between
the leaves of the bible, where have
never thought to look, have found
the note"
He held it up to their view The
two girls, soft-hearted and kind, and
both attached to Maria in spite Of
suspicious, burst into tears with
Mrs. West. How could they ever
make it up to Miss Maria?
81 take shame to myself" said the
farmer steadily, 81 hope she will for
give me for presisting in my obsti.
nate pigheadedness, and | hope God
will forgive me. Go down, girls,
that's all"
Maria felt as if she should choke,
her sobs were suffocating her. She
/ flew down stairs after the servants,
and darted ont to the shady walk to
the garden-anvwehre to be alone
almost running again Mr. Listen.
"What has happened?" he ex-
claimed.
She sat down on the bench, the very
bench on which she had sat with
George; she could not speak for her
sobs. Mr.. Lister grew alarmed a.
her emotion.
"The note is found-found!" she
lncoherently uttered; ''my aunt
Darlington knew where il was put,
and has showd us; il was between
the lie ives Of the large clasp Bible,
and they know now that spoke the
truth hat was innocent. Oh, Mr..
Lister, they have been asking me to
forgive them; my uncle had the SER
wants mp and said it before them"
"Why did you ever doubt" he
softly said bending toward her.
odd | not tell you God was rul-
lng all; that His time would surely
Gomez"
Maria sobed herself into tranquil
Iity, and then they went to the house.
Room was gladly made al the tea
able for the clergyman.
"Sir," said Mr. West, 81 am ash
AIMED to looked you in the face. Do
you recollect words you once used
10 me? | do; and they are burning
me like 6re-coal: that, did it ever
turn out Maria was innocent, how |
should reproach myself for every
unnecessary word of harshness cast
on her. We can never make her a
recompense."
"Uncle, am alread recompensed,"