The Monitor-register., 1896-01-10

So I-ITEs
she doesn't. 1t makes her
unhappy to talk about him. / used to
ask her questions and questions, just like
you are asking me. Miss Cover. never
knew before why it made her feel bad to
be asked questions; now 1 know" said
Bessie.
"Hum," muttered the spinister, the
consonant held a long while behind her
thin lips.
Bessie thought it would sound almost
like pussy's purr, only 1t was disagree.
able-a purr with 9 claw in it.
"These poor folks must be in awful
straits to take your ma out SIGH a day ez
this"
"And yon must have wanted sugar very
much, Miss Cover, to have come out in
such weather." ventured Bessie; "and I
am sorry we cannot oblige you about fine
sugar. We use the light brown; II that
will do you're welcome to it.
"You hain't alters lived in Thomaston,
hev you ?" asked Miss Cover, when
Bessie went into the pantry to fill the
cup.
No answer.
Seems ez though I'd heerd tibet you
used to live in Bangor. Whatever made
ma leave a lovely city like that to come
to this little town?o
For some unknown reason Tabby ele.
waited her yellow back and gave a vicious
little spit.
81 told you the last time you were here
that I was born in Bangor. I guess that
is how you heard 1t, Miss Cover, and
how mamma moved here because she
could not live In our old home, where she
and papa had been SO happy, without him,
and how she thought she could live
cheaper in a small place and maybe get
more work, Mamma said when you
wanted to know more come and ask her"
Bessie came out of the pantry.
"Hum," said Miss Cover, and as her
young hostess stood with the door open
suggestively she could but take the hint
and the offered cup of sugar and go, but
not without a parting shaft.
"Ef you followed your nj some Friday
when she went to visit them poor folks, ]
guess you'd be surprised"
Pussy" said Bessie, when she was
alone with her ~confidante, "we'l have to
go without sugar in our tea tonight, fol
I've given the last grain to that hateful
woman; but, dear, you do not need
sweetening as much as she does"
Several weeks went by. Bessie could
not help thinking of the last words Miss
Cover had said to her that rainy Friday
afternoon. "Ef you followed your ma
Friday when she went to visit them pool
folks, / guess you'd be surprised"
The venacular of the ignorant woman
came back to her again and again. What
could she have meant What could the
surprise be, for judging from Mist
Covers tone it would not be a pleasant
one. Bessie was possessed of the old sin
curiosity. She had realized for a long
while that her mother was keeping som
sad secret, but until now It had beer
enough for her to know that her mother
| did not wish to tell her. Everything
that mamma did was right, but now
She was angry with herself for letting
any insinuation that odious old maid had
| dared to make aft. ct her.
One evening her mother did a very
strange thing; she left Bessie all alone
and went to see her friends. The mex
night she went again.
"Forgive me, dear, for leaving you
and l may be gone until very late, as one
of the family is dangerously i'll. Shall ]
not get some n to stay with your ]
cannot bear to leave you alone" she
said, when she kissed her good bye.
mo, no, mamma, I'm not afraid, and
Tabby is company for me-" said Bessie,
and then burst out im%petuously: But O,
mamma, do let me go with you, do, do,
l i know should not be in the way, and
perhaps I'd be a help"
Another kiss and tender embrace wal
the answer and the mother FASTENED
away.
The third evening Bessie's curiosity
n astered her. As soon as her mother
left the cottage, she threw on a wrap ant
followed her.
II shall die if | do not find out what
this secret is that is weighing on my poo
mothers miad and worrying away hel
life," she cried and hurried on block afte
block until the destination was reached
aud Bessie saw where the poor family
lived.
The surprise was complete, and turn
ing she fed home sobbing aloud.
The only information she had gained
was that her trusted and honored mother
had deceived her. What mystery lay
beyond the gate which her mothei
entered she knew not. She had no
dared to pass in after her.
When the mother returned the littl,
clock on the kitchen shelf was striking
twelve, but Bessie did not hear 1t and tn,
mother did not heed it. The former laiG
prone upon the bed, deep 10 a troubled
sleep; dressed, ever to the dusty shoel
which had carried her on her errand, the
latter knelt by the bedside and pressed
her cold face to her daughters fevered
cheek. Iu Bessie's hand was clutcheG
al old fashioned case containing a photo
graph.
"Her fathers likeness. Poor lrttl.
girl" exclain ed the mother.
Neither Bessie nor her mother read the
newspaper much; 10 fact they seldom
bought one. Miss Cover must have
known this, too, for one morning she
came running across the garden, waving
the morning paper In her hand. Burst.
ing into the kitchen like a whirlwind,
she painted: 40, Bessie, where's your ma I
Hev you read the paper?
"What do you mean, Miss Cover, what
paper ?' questioned Bessie's mother.
"Here, look," cried Miss Cover, point.
ing to an item at the head of one Of the
columns.
Bessie glanced over her mothers
| shoulder, and this is what she read:
AFTER MANY YEARS.
HERBERT NORTON, eENTEoED FOR FORGERY,
PRovED INNOCENT.