Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-12-27
If it would be happier for you

listen /" 1t. If poor !aborer --"ne
of those in the field" she added,
.,oinling To meadow where several
men were al work, were To come aud
ask me 10 be his wife, | would say
NJ, OUT of respect to him. So long
as this cloud shall hang over mn, Mr..
Lister ] may never become o,her
than ] am"
He urged no more: he saw how
earnest she was.
"Lpt us both pray and hope" he
whispered. IL for better means, y0u
for daylight. God is over all"
CHAPTER IX.
SUNSHINE.
The Glebe Farm was in a bus le
Frances Letsom, the unhappy Frances
Letsom, had departed with the sum.
mer, 10 seek the snelter,of her fathers
home; autumn was come in with its
busy harvest, and they were now
hourly expecting Mrs. Darlington,
who had landed at Southampton.
Maria was far more cheerful than
of old, for she had acquired the trust
spoken OF 10y Mr.. Lister; and, though
time seemed long, the trial of her
patients very hard, she never lost
sight Of ii; il cheered her heart, IT
illuml mated her cOuntenance. "Who
am |, that should pul myself IN OPP
position TO God?" she would reason.
wv men He pleases then know all
will he made right for me-"
A Wyndham fly and innumerable
packages of luggage announced the
ARRIVAL of Mrs. Darlington. Mr..
and Mrs. West received her, ard
Maria gave directions about the
trunks. Bye and by they wereSll
assembled at an early tea. Mourn
ing topics wore discussed-he ..hus-
bands death, Aunt Testers death
and now they began upon general
news-Mrs. Darlington questioning,
they answering. She asked after
Mr.. Lister.
eve ara to lose him." said the
farmer, worse luck for the parish.
Our Vicar is dead, and it is scarcely
likely the next appointed, vino ever
ne may be, will require a curate. "
"Why don't they give the living
TO Mr.. LISTER" said Mrs. Darlington.
"He has no interest, they say; and
young curates without il don't often
drop into living of three or four
hundred a year. We thought we
should have known by today VINO
was the lucky man.
"Maria, you are certainly much
paler and thinner than you used to be, "
exclaimed Mrs. Darlington; III quite
strikes upon me, now | have time TO
look at you. Have you been ill.,"
"Maria has only herself to thank
for it," interposed Mr. West. "She
has misbehaved herself"
Maria's breath quickened; she
knew that the moment was come
when her aunt must be told of her
disgrace; but for the fact of both
Mr.. and Mrs. West being averse to
writing, the news would probably
have been sent to her in India. The
farmer proceeded to explain, without
circumlocution, that she had "stolen
money"
Mrs. harrington looked from her
brother TO her niece, and from her
niece to her brother; at the ones Sc
we're, the others downcast face. Mrs.
West sat behind the steaming tea
urn, saying nothing. "stolen mon
ey" said Mrs. Darlington. "Much
money"
GA hundred pounds. Aud if she
would only confess, I'd let it drop
INTO oblivion; but she won't. You
know that Hester kept hundred
pound note in her desk while she lay
ILL., Well, Susan, when we came to
look for it, after the funeral, it was
gone. The pocket-book and desk
were rummaged over and over again
10 find it, and we never traced but
ten pounds out of it, that Maria sent
10 her brother, and which she per.
sisted in saying Hester had given
her. As lame tale as she could
have made ny. She had taken it,"
"And Maria has lain under the
ban ever. since" hastily exclaimed
Mrs. Darlington. Child" she add
ed, turning to Maria, why did you
not deny this?"
81 did, aunt" Maria answered,
with burst of tears; 81 denied il
till | was tired and nobody believed
me--nobody but my brother and Mr.
Lister"
"Maris is Innocent" said Mrs
Darlington. 81 know that Hester
gave her the ten pounds. | heard il
given"
The farmers mouth dropped con
siderably, and Mrs. Vests opened
"but the hundred-pound note?" he
- aeu nj p6 after a nausa