The Winslow mail., 1897-01-09

Poor boy said Allan, as thougn
not he but David were the one upon
whom misfortune h9d fallen. He
stroked his brother's>arm gently for a
moment. and then whispered: You
need not tell meDavid. L know all. I
listened when ?ou and the doctor talk
ed about me-"
David spoke also in a whisper: Il
could not bear to think of it-and so |
could not speak to you"
Poor, dear brother" said Allan, but
with perfect calmness. They sat in
silence for few moments, and then
Allan said: 'Now, David, we have
looked the worst of it in the face; let
us examine some of the smaller trou-
bles. What about money mattersE
"Oh. Allan," cried the other, don
ask about that yet"
YES" said the elder brother firmly;
''you must tell me ALL Be frank and
fair, as | would be with you"
So David told The money IN the
bank was all gone, of course, and there
were debts-to the doctor, the chem
ist, and the landlady Having explained
thus far, David hung back, and it took
determined questioning on the part of
Allan to bring out the rest Of the story.
Their friends at the club, knowing the
trouble Of the brothers, had raised
some mOney-a considera BILE amount
for their benefit.
1T just paid the nurse" said David.
The proud lines il the others face
deepened TO harshness. After a mo-
mentary struggle he managed to say
aloud: ''It was very kind of them
But to himself into his pillow he NUT
tered: MY God This is the beginningr'
II am afraid" said David, ''that 1t
will be some time before we can pay
up these debts. Everyone seems to be
good about it. The doctor says he will
wait years if need be-"
''Yes," replied Allan absently.
"Of course, you know what my pay
is," continued the younger brother,
''and you also know what our expenses
are. Well, they don't fit I've been
thinking about 1t. We must move into
OlAC IOOlh anu hlhoI NNOAAcAAAN@N 49,
GUS other ways"
YES" said Allan.
''The worst of it is,' David went on,
without looking at his brother, ''that
we cannot get the things you ought to
have. 1t is so hard for you to be all
alone here"
"Never mind about that Davy," said
Allan quickly; what we must think
about is how to clear up those debts
and how to live on your pay"
After this the old confidence seemed to
be restored between the brothers. What
small part of the day David was not at
work he spent with Allan, and they
talked of their affairs just as they had
done before the misfortune came. Yet
there was one thing David failed to
understand, although he studied over 1t
a great deal. Why was Allan so calm
and undistressed? 1t was not like him.
"Can it be that he does not really ap-
preciate what it means to be blind and
helpless" thought the younger broth
err; che was always so proud, ambitious
and full of hope. And lie is sensitive.
1 thought he would suffer"
The sick mans strength gradually re
turned Presently he was able to move
about the room, and then, accompanied
by the landlady's little daughter, he
managed to make short excursions into
the street. He wore dark shade over
his eyes and walked on crutches.
The various economies which the
brothers had talked over were prac-
ticed, and yet every day they ran more
into debt. David's pay was very small;
it was not enough to keep two people
in comfort-one Of them an invalid
needing medicines and q physician's
care. Yet Allan remained apparently
unconcerned. At last David found
work to do in the evening. He now
earned enough to cover their necessi-
ties, but Allan was left alone most of
the time.
One evening David had an unexpect-
ed vacation. An accident caused the
establishment where he worked to close
early, and he hurried to the room, eager
1OI l1c Dlcdo ulC VI Lew hOulo Will
his brother When he came to the street
door he said to himself: II will go UP
quietly and surprise him."
He ascended the stairs with a quiet
tread. The door to the room was open
and he saw Allan seated at the table
moving a pencil slowly over large
sheet Of paper. ''The poor fellow is
trying to write" said David. Then he
noticed that the edges of the sheet
were notched at intervals, and that il
had not been folded In creases. AS the
blind man wrote, he felt for these notch
es, and then ran his finger along the
crease in advance of the pencil.
Full of tender sorrow and pity David
crept up behind. that he might put his
hand on Allans shoulder and thus
make his presence known, but happen
ing to glance down upon the paper he
saw the words, "My dear brother" and
he knew that the writing was for him
to read He did not give himself time
to wonder that Allan should be writing
to him, bur began instantly to deciphel
the misshapen characters on the paper
In a few moments he had oyertaken
the pencil.
This is what he read:
"My Dear Brother-Ycu will find this
note fastened on the outside of the door
Please read it through to the end be
fore you enter. Perhaps you will ther
think it best not to enter alone.
David, my brother, these words
come to you from the dead. / have de
Strnyad the nitiful fra aUmRnt OF life