The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1895-05-15
MARYS MISSION.
BY W. ]. HENDERSON.

"hi'h hS iEssu just ltsts WI Aiit SiNtii
time. He rose with nervous energy
and went 20 the window.
He gazed into the street and saw
children, children, children-every-
where children-laughing, running,
skipping and generally disporting
themselves with the amiable idiocy of
youth.
"What on earth shall | do with il ~
muttered the professor, drumming on
the window with his eyeglasses. "What
put it into my sisters head that |
would he the best person in the world
to take care of her child? Why didn't
her husband outlive her: Why did she
die? The whole thing has been simply
a plan to break up my-hem don't
mean that, | suppose poor Jane would
have lived if she could.
''But what am to do with a year
old child i'm my bachelor quarters?
dent know, I'm sure. If MOttsboro
were a big city perhaps it wouldn't he
so bad. But in miserable little viii
lage like this where everyone's bust
ness is known 10 everyone else, shall
be driven mad, | know I shall"
As he stood gazing out of the win
dow across the green stretch of level
lawn and over the snowy pickets OF the
well kept fence he became aware of n
face at the window of the next house.
ooh, mercy - exclaimed the profes-
sor, half aloud, "what will she think =?
| never spoke to her but once, and that
was at Mrs. Barbey's lawn party, where
| was introduced Ia her. Then she
said it was pretty sight, and | an
swered Yes, it looks like rain
IL couldn't hold ii. She was - beau
tiful, and | was so-so-so modest-or
idiotic-or something" !"
II j. quite true. Ever since Prof.
Arthur Brewster, instructor in math-
enatics and astronomy at the Mo;tS-
boro high academy, had been present.
ell To Miss Mabel Rikcr he had never
dared to speak to her again.
She had passed him on the street
often and had always greeted him with
a pleasant smile and a bow, but he
never dared to do more than lift his
hat awkwarlly and hasten on.
He would have given a months sal
airy to find courage to say something,
and years for the audacity To join
her in her walk. But he realized that
courage was not purchasahle COM
modify.
She saw him at the window and
smiled, whereupon he retired into the
room with great celcrity.
Her smile always frightened him.
1t always made him feel a. il his heart
had jumped out of place.
lie had nearly recovered from his
alarm when the aged woman who act
ed as housekeeper, cook and general
servant in his small cottage knocked at
the door and on entering said:
There's man here wild a child"
ooh, Lord, its come" said the pro-
fessor, the perspiration starting out on
his brow.
He went down into the sitting room
and there he found the express mes
senger. The professor did not dare to
take his eyes Off the man lest they
should fall on the queer bundled up OBJ
ject on the sofa.
professor" said the messenger,
"here's the kid, safe and sound.
Brought Ter all the way myself. She's
Jim dandy, she is. Her trunk is in
the wagon. Wot'll do with it?'
Bring il in and put il in the small
room upstairs"
While the man was out of the room
the professor walked 10 the empty fire
place and stood gazing into it, painful
ly aware that his every movement was
solemnIy observed by two coal black
eyes.
He could not have told how he knew
they were black, but he was morally
certain of it.
The man returned with the trunk
ard deposited il in the small room he,
side brand new iron bedstead.
"That's all o. X, professor" said
the man, pocketing certain bills. 81
hope you'll like the kid, for she's jim
dandy"
\ strange intonation in the mans
voice caused the professor TO trembie
There was "A dismal silence for several
minutes and then high pitched trebl,
voice said:
ais YOU my Uncle Art'ur?"
The professor started, turned and
found the eyes looking upat him.
There was no mistake they were n
black rs IA crows wing. SO was the
hair that hung i'm tangles around tho
olive brow.
The lips were red enough and tn,
teeth white enough, but those eye'
were dreadful.
al am your uncle, Mary he said
feebly.
mamma said you'd be dood to me
Mammals dead"
There was queer monotonous pa
thos in the speech. The professor fell
a new emotion. He did not know whal
il was, but il made him bend down and
Law his hand gently on the child's head
as he said:
'rll be good to you Mary"
"Den take off my fings-"
This was more than the professor
had bargained for, so he called the Ole
woman. But the child refused to b'
touched by her.
"Do way" she said, with a mos
malignant expression; do way
Wants Uncle Art'ur to be dood TO me
Don't want ole womans, | scratch on
womansr