Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1896-05-11

he, 'that well-made shirt was the
criterion OF a woman's ability to make
good wife. These shirts are dis.
graces to the Portville girls-all ex-
cept three, and each one of the three
is marked with tiny blue cross on the
inside OF the neck binding"
And Major Trixon chuckled as he
packed the shirts into the big wooden
| box.
He met Miss Bruce on the favorite
promenade an hour cr so subsequent.
ly. She smiled sweetly into his face.
81 hope you were suited with the
shirt, major" she said.
"lt was beautifully made" he an
swered.
81 can assure you," she simpered,
"that worked most diligently upon
| it,"
His dark eyes seemed for minute
to read her very soul.
s She blushed, and turned her face
away.
"Can he know" she thought, "that
l sent it to Miss Fontaine to be made?"
The velvet-eyed Hedge twins wero
not far off; they advanced to meet
him, with cherry cheeks and plumed
hats to match.
"Oh, Major Trixon." said they,
"did you get tho shirts? And did
You find out that we didn't make 'em
at all? Mamma would be Mortified if
she knew that we told you. But we
n hA I
right, and we pricked our fingers and
lost our tempers.
"And so you sent them to Miss
Fontaine, eh?" laughingly questioned
the major.
"How did you know?" said Ida,
with wide-open eyes.
"But don't tell mamma" added
Bertha.
"oh, know good many things"
said the major, smiling. "And l as.
sure you that your secret is quite safo
with me-"
Agatha Fontaine was walking absent.
ly along, with her eyes fixed on tho
ground. She scarcely saw the major,
until he pausel in front OF her then
her cheek kludled into sudden fire.
"Major Trixon!" she cried. "rhe
very one [ wanted to see."
"Can be of any service, Miss
Fontaine?"
"The doctors BILL" she said, color
lug. "It is so much more than we
expected; and-and if you would lend
us little, Major Trixon, [ should bo
SO glad to repay it in sewing"
81 will lend you the money, Mi ss
Fontaine," he said; "but as for sew
ing"
"Your housakceper may find sono.
thing for me to de-" said she, wist.
fully.
He turned.
"Let me walk along by your side,"
said he. "Let mo tell you, Miss
Fontaine, how closely L have studied
your character since first Rideau took
me to your sick brothers bedside.
Let me confess TO you how dearly L
have learned to love you-how truly
to respect your noble nature. 1 am u
rough, brusquo oil fellow; L know,
but believe l could make you happy
if you would but allow me to hope for
your love-"
"But me?" cried she, breathlessly-
''me, who am but a poor sewing girl I"
81 love you," he said, simply. "I
could do no more than thai if you
were crowned queen"
So he married her, and the onco
poverty-stricken family live in tho
Brown House now, opposite the park,
where hothousa flowers scent the
rooms, and birds sing to amuse tho
crippled boy, while every luxury
smooths his early sadlened path.
And Miss Erminia Bruce never knew
that her deceit about the special unit
of the twelve shirts, which had fallen
to her lot, was the straw which turned
the current OF Major Trixon's fancy.
He liked and admired her before; Le
could never do SO again. And Agatha
Fontaine was SO good AMI innocent
and true
And, aboveall things, wife's nature
must be true. At least SO reasoned
the major, and he was no mem judge
OF human nature. saturday Night.