The Portland daily press., 1895-04-08

tion to my family
1t was an easy matter to mako my
mothers last years comfortable, and, ahl
the pleasure, the selfish pride 1 took in
remembering small personal wishes and
gratifying them bit by bit, while never
suspected!
1t was an easy matter, too, through my
agent to buy the very paper on which
write, to slowly dismiss the men who were
disgrace to it, to promote and engage
men whose work made it great voice
soon, and through it slowly to win the
public confidence and work my will little
by little among the affairs of the city.
Such splendid game it was to arouse
public enthusiasm over some free baths or
children's playground scheme or other, to
start subscription lists and covertly head
them myself, to maohinate safely and
quietly through my great pages, and all
the while having my copy refused half the
time, and the other fellows wondering
how kept my place.
All this and much more was easy and
exciting, more of triumph and joy even
than l had ever imagined it would be, but
my pet scheme Of schemes hung fire lit
tie. Fred got his new position in per-
fectly natural manner. He was good fell
low and deserved it. Still there was no
sign of an engagement between him and
my Cousin Mary. Then thought, being
an independent girl, she might be waiting
to have something of her own, and after
as pretty bit of finesse as ever saw in
my life, if it was my own invention-and
small wonder, for had not schemed at
such pleasant miracles since was years
old?-I managed to provide her with a
neat little fortune of her own. Still no re-
suit. So one day, when I was at home-I
did not go often, for mother would always
lecture me on my habits, and somehow
never could entirely get over the hurt of it,
big as was-I ohanced to be alone with
my Cousin Mary for as much of an evening
as she would be willing to beal my COM
pany.
I felt very happy to see how beautifully
she was dressed in these days, how her
hands were white already and grown
smooth again where the delicate fingers
used to be rough with countless needle
pricks. The house was comfortable one
now, my mother was far easier in her
mind and therefore sweeter companion.
Everything looked pleasant around
Mary, and l told her how glad was to
see it.
did not tell her how glad was to see
her, how in all the rich and varied joy Of
my present position, as in all the unutter-
able weariness and dullness of my former
state, to see her was the keenest delight
ever felt or ever hoped to feel. Calm,
strong beautiful woman that she was;
perfect in loveliness of face and form and
character mine would be poor triumph,
after all, If could not contrive to make
her happy.
sat watching her, and she watched the
1eaping flames of the fire, and wondered
clumsily in what posi- BILE way could force
her into che happiness which should be
hers, when all at once she rose and came
to my side
s.Cousin Tom," she said in that deli
cious voice of hers. 'sWhy don't you
amount to more, why don't you do your
self justice in some way? Is it"-and here
she blushed beautifully, but the cousin
ship gave her courage and she went on
sis ID for lack of money to make a start
with? Because you know, I am quite
rich now, because want you to let me-
you'll forgive my awkwardness, won't
you?-to let me give you some OF it, Tom,
awhole pile of it,
That blessed, generous, self forgetting
creature! She looked SO lovely as she said
1t that my poor brain swan dizzily.
s'No," said at length. it is not lack
of money, my dear Cousin Mary, but
sheer personal incapacity that prevents
my amounting to anything. am an or
dinary, stupid fellow at best, and my fam
lily are too clear headed to give me that
blind loving faith which makes even
stupid fellows do very we'll sometimes. -
"You are not stupid, " she cried, ''nor
ordinary-I know you better than you
think. You could be something splendid
if you chose. Why don't you choosef"
And then she looked at me with such
an earnest, tender, believing glance as
fairly drove me to her feet.
sob, Mary, you blessed angelo cried
to her. "Could you-would you-is it pos
sible that you, after all, can find it in
your sweet heart to make place for such
useless good for nothing as I?'
And then my Cousin Mary just came
into my arms and comforted my sore
heart with a thousand tender words of
hope and faith. And she said the sweet
est joy of joys to her was that now she
was really able to help me with her prec-
ious little fortune. And since she values
it so much have let her help me with it
always. AS if any fortune, great or small,
were to be mentioned in the same breath
with her love!-Impress.