The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-05-26

"
is poor widow who lives on the third floor
OF Hampton street. Please sond the things
ordered at once. will come in after school
and pay for them. And, Mr.. Davis, please
give good weight. Truly yours.
GILLIAN SMELL"
Mr.. Davis had been a friend of the
Smell family for years, and IL was not
the first time that Lillian had appealed
to him for help in her charitable work.
So that was not the reason that so
strange look came into his honest
brown eyes.
"Agnes Gregory and lives on Hamp-
ton street." he murmured. at surely
must be Margaret's child. Good God !
Margaret and her child wanting
bread /"
A half hour later Mark Davis was
making his way up the stairs to the
floor upon which Mrs. Gregory rooms
we're situated. His knock at the first
door was answered 10y a red-faced
woman.
"Mis' Gregory it is you air want
in'2" she asked sharply. "And it's no
bad news you dir after bringin' her, 1
hope.
''I wanted to deliver some groceries
friend has sent her."
The clouded face cleared as il by
magic. "Heaven's blissin' be on your
head thenl Mis- Gregory, she's gone
out, but I've her key here, and will
unlock the door. That's her by, and
a swate child he is"
Mark looked eagerly at the pink and
white face of the boy. He held out q
great golden orange, and little Roy &C
spang for it, his childish laugh echoing
through the room. Then the grocer
followed Mrs. Donavan to the home oI
Margaret Gregory.
1t was bare place, but clean and
neat. Mark sighed as he noted the
signs of abiect poverty. While the
deliveryman was bring up the parcels,
Mrs. Donavan volubly explained that
Mrs. Gregory had gone to try to get
money due her. The warm hearted
Irish woman had surmised that for
tune was at low ebb with her neighbor,
partly because of little Royce's unu.
sual fretfulness, which had beer
quoted by huge slice of bread ant
butter.
"She's worked her precious fingers
, most to the bone," she concluded
"but works scarce, and l don't know
what's ever goin' to become Of her ant
her babies"
/ The wood soon came. Florence'l
half cord had been reinforced by
whole cord, perhaps because she had
, written her cousin that the need,
widow was protege of Miss SHELLS
AS to Lilian's order for groceries
Mr.. Davis had added to it q sack O.
flour, ham, coffee, tea, sugar, apples
cookies, cheese, canned fruits anC
, meats, and a big bag of candy.
! Mrs. Donavan went back to her owl
: room, and the wagons rolled way
| Mark hastily built fire, then sat dowI
! to think how best TO explain the liber
, ty he had taken.
/ The bare room faded from his visiol
as he sat there. In its place came al
old country garden overgrown witt
I roses and clematis. 1t was June, ON,
| the air was heavy with the scent o
| many blossoms. By his side was
: beautiful girl in whose curls the sun
shine seemed entangled. He ben
2 lower, and the rosered lips OF hi
, companion murmurel, 81 love you
Mark" Still lower his head sank un
til his lips touched the ones that ha,
} uttered the sweet words.
A start, and he sat upright, glancini
around him. That was ten years ago
+ He was poor then, and Margaret, beau
tiful Margaret Henson, had been tn
only daughter of wealthy home. S,
their engagement had been forbidden
They parted, vowing eternal constancy
} A year later Margaret became the wifi
OF Vance Gregory, but it was not unit
months after that Mark learned OF tia
, treachery and deceit that had beel
employed to urge her to that step.
! 1t was too late then. There wa
= nothing to do but to endure.
, He had known for some time tina
> Margaret was q widow and lived in tn
city. He knew nothing of her poverty
3 supposing that her means were ample
, To go to her Low with story of Low
t had never occurred to him. She kneV
nothing OF what had parted them. H
| could not blacken the memory of til
) man who had been her husband, th
, father of her children.
| He sprang to his feet. There was II
. need of an explanation. He passed out
| pausing for final word with Mr.:
Q Donavan.
"Tell Mrs. Gregory the things cam
from the teachers at No. g."
l "To be sure, Mr.. Davis" responde
= the woman, who had recognize
Q Mark. "I'll tell her all bout it. An
may the blissin's of all the saints res
F, on your dear head!"
4 Mark hurried away, leaving a shin
/ ing silver dollar in Royce's hand.
1t was only q few minutes after hi
+ departure that thinly clad woma
] camo toiling wearily up the stairs.
was Margaret Gregory. The woma
s who owed her was out Of town. Th
r needy mother had applied at severG
(. places for work, only to meet wit
refusal. Then she had gone to a stor
d and begged for credit, but in vain.
5 She had reached the end. TheI
s was but one way open. She woul
T ask Mrs. Donovan to give her childre
g their dinner. When she had reste
h and conquered the bitter rebellion j
II her heart she would go out again an
q apply to the city for charity.
Margaret Gregory was proud. Sh
II tvau olraodV faint for thp Vnnt of fOOf