Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-12-22
quest. Someone had overheard part o,

We fairly struggled him away.
I'VE received one letter from hint
| which told us that he was about to
| set sail for Sydney; and the next thing
We heard was that the ship he had
mentioned had been wrecked. and his
name was not in the list of the
| saved.
His letter had contained mes
sage for Miss Winifred, and that led
to her becoming acquainted with the
whole story.
"She did not know how to be
grateful enough to us for the litth
kindness We had performed.
Heaven bless her! She has re-
paid it thousand times.
He is innocent of the crime CT
which he is accused she said, again
and again. 4 know Hugh would
not lift up his hand against the poor
old dad. l shall always love him as
long as he lives. and pray for him
| night and morning Those are hei
very words.
Then, when the news of the ship
wreck came, her heart was nigh to
breaking. She used to watch the
papers to see if there were any after
tidings of the missing ones, and she
went into mourning as if she had fol-
lowed him to the grave.
Things went on like that up to last
Christmas eve, and then IL she didn't
knock at our door, just as you knocked
now. and asked us to take her in.
"She said she could not stand her
cousins behavior any longer. He treat
ed her as if she were servant, instead
of being his cousin, and mistress OF the
house; and yet ne was continually
pressing her to marry him; and spoke
so sneering-like of her constancy to her
dead lover. that she made up her mind
to leave him in full possession.
"He couldn't touch her money, that
was one blessing.
so, all through the past year she
has been living here, and has been
like another daughter to us-my wife
and me- We are thankful to think she
ever came, although nobody could be
more sorry for the cause which drove
her to it,
There are many others, too, who
are almost ready to worship her, for
she has been like ministering angel
amongst the poor. She says, IL she
has been deprived of her chief happi-
ness, that is no reason why she should
not try and make life better for other
people.
And in one way she met with
reward which perhaps she would not
have had if she had remained at the
old place; for only month ago
young fellow, to whom Miss Wlnifred
had been very kind all through Sc
rious illness, sent for her to come and
see him, because he felt he was dying,
and he had something on his mind
which concerned her.
And what do you think it was!
WHY. he confessed that it was he,
and not Mr.. Hugh who was the cause
of her fathers death.
1T appeared that some time before,
the Young man had been had up be-
fore the squire on charge OF steallng.
Squire Martin was always dead nuts
AGAINST stealing. and sent him to pris-
on for three months. After he came
ont Will Ransley--that was his name
determined to get even, as he said.
He had been logging the squire's foot
steps for some time, and happening TO
meet him that night just after he mad
left Mr.. Hugh, he attacked him and
had his revenge. He did not mean
10 kill him. and was dreadfully fright
ened when he found what he had done.
Then the next day he heard that Hugh
Danyers was suspected, and so he held
his peace.
"He said he could not die without
asking Miss Winifreds forgiveness,
and she-well, / said she was an an
gel-she actually forgave him.
But she had it all taken down in
writing and got it signed. She said
il would clear her lovers character II
ever he does return.
And. really. right down at the bot
tom of her heart | think there is
faint belief that he will come back
again some day.
where is she now? Well, you
might almost guess; for she has gone
cut to take something to sick child
down the lane. II is only half miles
walk certainly, but no one else would
have ventured on such an evening as
this.
I'VE are expecting her back every
minute. for she promised not to stay
long. Was not that the latch OF the
gate? That is her, then. Yes, here
she comes. bless her!
Miss Winifred, dear, you must
he almost frozen. This Is gentle
man who has been caught in the
Why. bless me! Ii she isn't kissing
him. You don't mean to say 1t is Mr..
Hugh himself?
Here; wife, wife! Dash my but
tons! And | have been sitting here
and Just telling him all about him.
self.
What do you say? 1t is real
romance! Well, if this is what you
call a romance, then all ] can say Is.
| wish you many happy returns.
Dash my! Where is my hand