Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1896-01-16
FINDING A HEART.

1t was not the sort of day ono
would look for in New England tho
last week in December. The thermom-
eter stood at 80 degrees and the sun fell
warmly on the bare, wet earth, draw
inc up little breaths of vapor on the
sunny slopes. There was look of
WEAKNESS on the face Of nature as If
the quiet were the coma of exhaustion.
Ii certainly was reaction. For "a
hours the rain had fallen in torrents,
breaking up the ice and choking the
streams The wind had been almost a
gale. and field and highway were strewn
with evidences Of the storms power.
AT the gate Of handsome house stood
its owner, Mr. Ambrose Winchester, ac-
counted one Of the wealthiest men in
the town. He seemed to be taking in
the magnitude of the storm as his eye
swept over his well kept domain from
the thrifty orchards in the rear and the
woodland beyond to the smooth mead
ows in front, where a miniature river
seemed to have sprung into existence.
A young man in a buggy drove mp
and stopped.
Good morning, Mr. Winchester -
said he.
Good morning. Huttonr' said the
other gruffiy.
1--WE driven over this morning, Mr..
Winchester, TO ask you to extend the
time ON that payment. I've done my
best to raise the money
lit doesn t matter, Hutton. I've made
up my mind to foreclose that property
Hutton grew pale.
Surely, you wouldn't do that y
There was entreaty in his voice and
eyes. "You know the factory shut down
to half time all summer. Even at that
was saving toward the payment when
my wife's long illness began Doctor
and nurse bills ate up what I'd saved
for you.
''Same old story A man has no right
to get married until he can support a
family, doctors bills and all. I've 10
sympathy with such nonsense. People
marry on nothing and then expect other
people to support their families. Sooner
they find out it can't be done the bet
ter. Now, take good care of my fam
lily without anybody else's help, and /
always expect TO- If you can't do as
much, then it's your fault, not mine.
See? l shall foreclose, and now let us
have no more words about il. F"
With this the farmer strobe into the
house, the young man driving on slowly
with bowed head.
The farmers little girls, Ruth and
Mabel, came dancing out, and their
mother followed them on to the porch.
Nov, be sure and leave grandma's at
A O'Clock, so as to get here before dark. "
Eyes, mamma, we will, - they prom
Iised glibly and started off on run.
Grandma Winchester lived about a
mile away, on an unfrequented road,
but the children had made the trip Of
ten since they were quite small So
now they chatted happily along the
familiar path, possessed with a child
ish interest in everything around them,
even to the washouts the rain had made
in the road and cutters. But when they
neared Blue creek they stood in sheer
surprise.
The little summer brook they had
sometimes waded across had grown to
an angry torrent and overfiowed its
steep banks and was rushing madiy
along, bearing ice, foam and branches
of trees. In fact, a tree had lodged
against the bridge. and its limbs SO
nearly covered it that it was difficult
for our little travellers to get across.
"Oh, how the bridge trembles - cried
little Mabel
''It's all this ice pushing against it, =
said Ruth
The wind began to rise, and the blue
gray clouds settled down, darkly obscur-
ing the sun, which had made the day
seem so fair. The children shivered III
unison with the change and quickened
their pace.
AT o'clock that afternoon the two
little girls stood appalled, at the Blue
creek crossing. The brook had swollen
more and was now raging torrent.
The place SPAWNED by the bridge was
the narrowest, and the narrow planks,
with the frail side ratings, held to each
bank as if 10y a thread.
See, Mabel, we must hurry" said
Ruth, cor our bridge will be gone.
Take my hand, and We'll run across
quick.
"I'm awful 'fraid, said the child,
with quivering lips.
''Well. IN go first, (" said her sister
encouragingly. ''and you'll see how
EASY it'll he Now then 0ne--tWo-
three ~ and clasping hands the two lit
tie girls started to run across the reel
ing bridge. Perhaps it was their weight,
perhaps it was at that very moment the
fastenings were ready 70 give way, but
certain il was that when they reached
the middle Of the bridge it snapped its
connections at each side, and with light
nlng velocity shot down the stream, the
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