Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1895-03-28
THURM0NT Frederick County, MARYLAND, Thursday March %, 1885,

and, taxing it all in all. poor little Mrs.
Morley, for the first time since his death
began to feel rising indignation to-
wards the man whose unfeeliug selfish
ness had left her so thoroughly helpless,
/ It was raining sharply, and the de-
mure mouthed young widow had drawn
her curtains close, ,extravaaantly heaped
her last coal on her toY-like fire, and
settled herself for her lonely tea, this
time not only lacking in the usual
swsetening accessory but aanked by on
ly half-share of wafers.
Suddenly there came most peremp'
tory knock on her outside door. Inetant'
ly all signs Of lonliness vanished in the
face Of this new calamity Of visitor
when she was so unprepared. While
she flew into her next room and made a
frantic toilet before the tiny mirror she
gave sigh of relief when she realized
that it couldn't be visitor on such a
stormy evening and just at 6 o'clock.
SO with brave front she threw open
the door, and the look of perplexity on
her dear little face gave way before a
gasp of alarm, as her visitor proved 20
be handsome, wealthy James Orr, the
man she had rejected years before for
the apparently superior charms Of the
then dszzling Mr.. Morley.
There was nothing to do but to ask
him in, and when he was seated before
her miserably meagre fire it was hard to
tell which face wore the more puzzled
look-hers, why he had come. and his.
how this dainty, lovely woman managed
to subsist in a rented parlor, where the
carpets didn't reach the north wall by
six inches and where the one pitiful
lamp was gruesomely pale.
ITS raining. isn't itT began she
desperately. as though she hadn't just
helped him to deposit bis dripping
macintosh and umbrella in the hall
without.
Yes, pretty hard he admitted. Then
it all at once struck him that call un.
der such circumstances and at this un-
usual time Of the evening might need
explanation, and he went on YOU see
I happened to be passing on my way to
the club aud-and I heard the other
day that you were here-and-and a
thought 1 d just stop few minutes to
see how you were
Thank you, was her only reply. 1t
was source Of deep shame to this wom-
an that she was at great loss for some
thing to say, as if abe had been a school.
girl. Finally his eyes lighted upon the
tiny table, which she in her haste had
forgotten to hide in some way. and he
said, with a great show Of ease:
oh, please, Mrs. Morley, make me
some tea-it's decidedly chilly out, you
know
Who would expect a man Of his
wealth to know ? asked poor Mrs. Nor
ley to herself, as she set about her task
with trembling fingers. Im afraid the
alcohol will give out before the water is
even warmed. and the sugar-and the
wafers-oh, dear T and two big tears
rose so Unexpectedly that the fine. blond
bearded face across from her became all
at once blurred.
Mr.. Orr saw the tears, noted with
quick terror how palely the little blue
fame burned,a "a hasty glance at the plate
before him revealed only three little
waters, and he was kind enough to turn
hls head away so that she could slip the
cover over the low sugar bowl to hide
its emptines.
The bachelor showed remarkable
grace for one Of his kind, for he smiling
ly declined her invitation TO one Of the
three thin waters with the remark:
Fm not hungry, you see. l dined
downtown (She knew he was preYari-
cating.) NIjust wanted to see y ou work
ing with your pretty things
Mrs. Morley nodded back at him
gratefully, and had half mind to con-
fess that these bits Of China were the
last relics of her old.home, and that she
had been wondering half hour before
he came how much they would go to-
wards paying the rent, which was now
two weeks overdue. But, some way she
couldn't just bring herself to ii, and he
heroically slipped at his weak, savorless
tea, and didn't blink an eyelash when
she looked him fairly in the face and
told him that she had finished her
evening meal before he had come in.
As. conversation tagged, MI. Orr
finally folded his hands over his knee
and fixing his eyes on the fast-dying
FIRE, said :.
,Do. von know that + do not like to