The Monitor-register., 1896-02-07
interest in him sent me and instructed

A~O 0AA PAOVA0OA ny dO1A NIL
replied the doctor. "The society has
attended to my fee, and sent money to
buy medicines and other necessaries. !
Here are fifty dollars that was instructed |
to hand You for present use. More will |
be sent later
''Sir," said Rafe, II don't understand |
this at all. belong to no secrect society,
and I don't see why all this interest
should be taken in me and mine"
Il am under the impression, sir" the
doctor answered. ''that it all comes of |
your family connection. Some near rels-
tion of yours belongs to this society, |
think-your wife's father, perhaps, or |
probably your own father. "But." with
a wave of the hand, ''that is not my
a fair. came professionally"
The sick man hesitated to accept the
assistance thus offered him, feeling that
he had no right to avail himself of the
b ,unty of strangers. But the physician
was go kind and persuasive in his assur'
ance to the contrary that he finally
succeeded in overruling every objection,
and had the satisfaction OF having his
services and the money accepted.
Shortly after the DOCTORS departure a
wagon drove up filled with groceries, and
Mrs. Andrews was too surprised to say
anything when the man brought the
articles in and informed her they were
hers. Finally. however, as the driver
was going, she managed to call after him
and ask who sent them.
Il don't know. ma'am," he replied.
"The grocer told nae to bring them, and /
supposed you had ordered them"
"But we didn't order them, and you
must have made a mistake in the place
they were to be delivered at"
mo, ma'am; was to bring them to
Rafe Andrews"
The man jumped into his team and
drove off = without waiting for more
words Mrs. Andrews was gazing after
him in astoDishmeut when another wagon
drove up and stopped, and the driver of
it startled her by saying
"Where would you like to have me put
your coal, ma'am ?"
"Coalw she echoed.
Eyes. This ia where Rafe Andrews
lives, amt itP"
"Yes, but we ordered no COAL"
THAT is all right, ma'am. Somebody
else has ordered it for you-a secret
society, think they call It,"
Without more ado the man. dumped the
coal and drove off.
There never was an organization more
constant and generous In its attentions to
the poor than was this secret society in its
attentions to Rafe Andrews and his
family. There never was day but it
sent delivery wagon with goods, and it
seemed to make it its business to scour
the town in quest of everything the
market afforded Time and again 1t sent
money by DR.. Fay. until the family not
only had all they required, bat some
money laid up.
'Tt is truly a wonderful society,"
remarked Mrs. Andrews, "and never
believed such generous people lived"
"Nor l." agreed Rafe. ut doesn't
seem possible that strangers should take
such AN interest in our welfare, when my
own father takes no interest at all. /
don't understand how 1t comes about, but
if all benevolent societies are like this, I
say God bless them.''
'This is society l never heard of
BEFORE" continued Mary. doctor Fay
said it was called the p. B. a. which he
thought meant Parental Benevolent
Association"
"Yes, it is something new to me, too,"
Rafe replied. "but its name fits 1t to per-
fectiop."
just then Doctor Fay came in. and
after he had congratulated Rafs on his
rapid recovery. and they all talked
awhile, Mrs. Andrews ssid,-
doctor. we are very much interested
in this society of yours, and we wish to
know more about it-who it's members
are and when and where it originated"
The doctor eyed bis questioner
curiously aud half suspiciously for a
moment, then laughingly saId.-
"My dear madam, l can reveal no
secrets that l am pledged to preserve.
The membership and workings of this
society are as secret as its passwords and
signs. l can positively tell you nothing"
SO the mystery of the secret society
remained unsolved. and 80 far as Rafe
and Mary were concerned, it promised to
continue so. Nobody but the doctor
could enlighten them. and it was
perfectly plain that he would say nothing.
A week or 80 passed. and then one day
George Andrews, passing through town.
saw his grandfather walking down the
street in the opposite direction. The old
mans eyes were fixed on the pavement
and he did not see the lad, though they
were quite close together.
A few steps further on George stopped
at store window, and while he was
looking in his grandfather came I'D. At
the same moment Doctor Fay walked o NJ
of the shop. and the two old men met.
Neither of them noticed the boy, but
George was an interested listener from
the moment they shook hands.
"Well, how is Rafe ?" he heard hi.
grandfather ask almost the first thing h.
said
"He is almost well, sir" the doctor
answered. "He couldn't possibly do any
better than he is doing"
"Good." the old man Dried, rubbing
his hand. "And how are Mary and the
children getting on f''
"They are quite wsll,p replied the
doctor, with a bsaming smile.
"Good againl You're sure she's we'll.
arelyou, doctor ?"
"Mrs. Andrewss Oh, yes, indeed"
That's right. And they have plenty
of everything, eh ?"
"Yes, they cannot want for anything /
now, l am sure."
"Yon don't happen to think of an,
little thing they might need now, do youp
1t seems as if there might be something
that they ought to have"
can't think of anything now, Mr
Andrews. 1t seems that the P. B. A. |
keeps them well supplied with everything
that they can possibly need"