The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1896-08-28
swell, the fact is, Mary, I''-with con.

"Well, the fact is, Mary, I'-with con-
siderable emphasis on the pronoun-
''ind difficulty in starting. I think
1 could go on, If the subject were only
begun"
"Let me help you out" said Mary.
with an air of resignation. ''There Is
girl in it, suppose?"
"Oh, yes," returned John, very de-
cidedly. "There is girl in it; and an
uncommonly nice girl, too"
. Good gracious!" said Mary. "It is
all easy enough. Describe to me her
appearance, character and surround
ings. Tell me what she did, and how
she did It, Then explain where the
man comes in-for there is man in it,
I suppose?"
"Oh, yes" said John, as decidedly as
before. '"There is u man in it."
"Well, what about him." asked Mary,
"Dear me, John! might as well in
vent thing myself, and have done with
it, if you can't tell me straight off"
"I'll tell you!" said John, with the
air of man determined to make the
plunge. "Only-Mary-pro me one
bOll U AiJ
Cant laugh if it is funny?" re-
joised Mary.
at isn't" said John. 'Well, not ex-
actly. Erin fact, don't know how
1t will strike you. meant, don't laugh
at my clumsy way of telling it."
"Of course not" replied Mary, kindly.
Sand I'm sure Tn much obliged to
you, John, for taking all this trouble" !"
"Well," began John, "this girl-the
girl I am thinking of, you know
lived at home with her mother and SIS
ters. The father had died some years
before, leaving just enough money to
supply their bare wants, and no more. P"
'I quite understand" said Mary, in
a tone which had good deal of "fellow
feeling" in it.
$50, of course" went on John, "life
was more or less of a struggle with
them. But, happily ,one of the girls
this special girl I began to talk about
developed quite talent for-for-"
"For what?" said Mary, rather sharp
ly.
"For painting" returned John, quick
ly. "She used to paint quite lovely
little things, and sell them to the
shops"
"Yes," said Mary. "But when does
the romance begin, John?"
81 am coming to that" replied John.
"Give me time, Mary"
"Oh, Of course" said Mary, amiably.
So after a brief pause, John went on
again:
..'Years before, when these girls were
quite little, their father had shown a
great kindness to an almost friendless
boy"
Mary started, and a faint color crept
into her cheeks; but John took no heed
and his voice became firmer and clearer.
''To the action of that good man the
boy owed whatever success came to
him in after life. He never forgot this,
and he often wondered how he could
best repay the debt he owed.
John paused, but Mary did not speak.
"And as the time went on he found
the debt increased rather than dimin-
| ished. For though his first benefactor
had passed away, he had left kindly
hearts behind him. And as the boy
grew into manhood he priced more and
more the welcome he ever received from
| those good women, and felt that in the
whole world there was no spot so dear
| to him as the one they called home."
Again John paused, but Mary made no
| effort to break the silence.
"He loved them all" said John, "but"
here new tenderness crept into his
voice-"he learned at last that for one
| of them he had the love which man
| only gives to one woman in the world.
| She was not, think, quite understood
| by her mother and sisters, much as
| they cared for her, She had talent
| which she was glad to turn to useful
account, but the others hardly realized
| that the task which was generally a
| pleasure, might at times become very
| hard and wearisome. They thought it
was play for her to sit down and paint,
| 80 sometimes her heart failed her q
! little"
Mary's face was very white now,
| but the color rushed suddenly back into
1t as John gently took her hand into
| his own.
loved her more dearly than can quite
tell you. But he waited long time
before he dared to speak to her. He
knew how much depended upon her in
| the home, and he felt he had no right
TO take her away until his position
would enable him to offer comfort to
her and to those dear to her. 1t often
| seemed weary while, and his heart
often ached. But the time came at last.
| The time when he felt he was free to
speak"
He paused, and for a few minutes
| there was between them deep silence.
| Then his hand clasped hers more fer=
yently, and he said; "Maryl"
AS II irresistibly compelled, she looked
into his eyes. And in that moment a
full knowledge of what she had never
before even guessed swept over her.
She knew the sweetest of all earthly
things-that she loved, and was be-
| loved.
"You were quite right, dearest" said
John awhile later. "The difficulty lies
in making q start. Everything comes
quite easily afterward."
"The story is very hacllneyed," whis-
pered Mary. But oh, Johnl"-with
! half-mischieveus, wholly tender look
--sisn't it wonderful how anything so
old can be so interesting%"-Household
Words,