The Monitor-register., 1897-12-10
MISS ELIZABETH.
CHARLOTTE

oh"1 Sue . KEEP OUT Oh IL 80 long.
eyes" said portly, pompous Mrs.
Barker, wifs of the chairman of the Sc
lection, ''my husband told me this noon
that she had applied to the town for help
and Of course they can't support hsrin
her own house."
II said twas flying in the face of fate
when she took those two children to
bring up; one died and tother ran away,
and now she's all alone"
The vinegar-faced dame who had thus
delivered herself settled TO her work
with a self congratulatory look, as if she
thanked the Lord that she was not as
others were.
Mrs. Barker crossed her hands in
stately ~idleness; it did not become the
wife of the richest man in Bayville to
sew at the fortnightly circle; her presence
was all Insufficient.
Miss Berry, who sat beside her, looked
up from her seam. Her sallow face was
a trife pale.
"You don't mean to say that the VIII
lowdale people are really going to let
elizabeth Pyser go on the town. after all
the good she'sTdone ?"
why not ?" returned Mrs. Barker.
SIT amt their fault that she's wasted her
money. She's shiftless-always givin'.
something to somebody; and meek
meek as Moses; you'd think she dasp't
say her souls her own; . skss dsets
And with a sighsSof com missefation at
the unworthiness Of poor little Mis- 8
Pyser, she closed her mouth with a snap.
She had never forgiven her for being Mr..
Bakers first love. and she half sus-
pect5d that* hs w01id Be- quite willing to
exchange his energetic aid ssbogt,tem-
pered wife for the sweetheart of bis
youth. but you mustn't whisper that l
told you this, for Mr.. Barker says
women never know enough to keep any.
thing to themselves"
Ppm sure we never gossip here" said
MRS. Green.
"Where are you goin', Miss Berry I?
Amt you goin' to stop to tea ?"
mo, l guess I'd better be gettin'
home early tonight; Bessie'll be waitin'
~ - 81;
NOV TIT bet Clarindy BerIy's gone
straight over to the milin'ry store to
spread the news; SO afraid she won't be
the first to tell it. Thahk Heaven,I
know enough to keep things to my
Self.
But Miss Berry was not going to the
store nor to spread tbs hsNs; she knew it
was1fnprcoeaented for Kelrsasaease,the
sewing meeting before tea time; but as
she listened to the talk the days of her
girihood rose before her when she and
Elizabeth Pyser were t'chums," and told
each other all their secrets; then came a
foolish littl, quarrel, and they had not
exchanged words for twenty years.
She walked straight down the street,
turned the corner, and without giving
herself time to change her mind, entered
Miss Pyser's garden aid went up the
walk bordered with bouncing bets, or
'old maids pinks." When, in answer
to her knock, Miss Pyser opened the
door, neither knew what to say, but
straighway fell into zach others arms
land began to cry.
The door closed on them. An hour
after when Miss Berry left the house to
go to her home, there was a springi-
ness in her step. and a smile played
about the corners of her thin lips, that
betokened unusual excitement.
Her pretty niece, Bessie. was about to
sit down to her lonely tea when Miss
Befrysznadsher appearance.
eWhy, auntfsI What brings you home
so early ?" she asRedNpleassntly.
"Oh, | couldn't stand the clatter of
those old women. Now you needn't
laugh, Bessie Berry; l know I'm no
chicken myself; but if I'm as heartless
as them I left behind, 1 hope I'll die
before mornin'."
"Well, what's the mai ter? You seem
to be excited"
"No, | amt ! l am just as calm as
you are. But I've been maxim calls this
afternoon. | went to see Betty Pyser.
l KEEP questionin' Der till she told me all
about how she lost her money in the
bank that failed over to Coveton; the
man that owned the house, he let her
sfay in it out of pity; first she earned a
-" by sewin', but lately folks didn't
TO- want any work done, and she
zEtt shut herself up there to starve. But
hueaaR nature got the best of her, and
Eshshad to go to the town. She's always
been hopin' that the good-for, nothin'
Johnnie would come home, but she's
about Civ him up now. l asked her how
much of the furniture was hers, and KEEP
a hintin' and a hintin' till l found out
everythingsshe could tell me; and l en-
joyed every minute"
She paused, out of breath with excite
ment, and remained for some time in
deep thought. Bessie, too, was silent.
She OWNED what was passing in her
aunt's mind.
"Say, Bessie" said Miss Berry at last,
edo you think we could contrive to keep
another? can't bear the thought of
having Elizabeth go to the poor farm
There's that back chamber with nothing
in it, and she's got her own furniture"
She looked appea lingly at the girl, who
did not Immediately answer. To under
take the care of another meant add.
tiouai sacrifices, more rigid economy
She sighed a little; life was hard enough
for her already. Should she add to her
burden? Would she be just to herself in
doing SO? Then she thought of the days
when she aud John Pyser we're boy and
what they would do when they grew up.
She had never lost faith in John; some
day, If he lived, she knew be would
come back to her. A light sprang into
her pretty blue eyes, and she met her
aunt's look with a smile.
"Miss Elizabeth mustn't go on the
town, suntie. There's plenty of room
for her here, and we'll drive over this
very evening and bring her home"
After her guest had departed, Miss
Elizabeth sat on the old lounge that
had witnessed SO many condolences, and
the tears flowed down her thin cheeks.
She thought she had hardened herself for