The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1897-06-09

floor upon which Mrs Gregory's roomi
were situated. His knock at the FIRST
door was answered by red'iaced
woman.
"AIis' Gregory it is you air want
in ?" she asked sharply. "And it's no
bad news you air after bringin' her, |
hope
al wanted to deliver some groceries
a friend has sent her."
The clouded face cleared as If by
magic "Heaven's bissin' be on your
head then 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 n
| great golden orange, and little Roy CO
I spang for it, his childish laugh echoing
through the room. Then the grocer
Followed Mrs Donavan to the home OF
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. Donayan voubly explained that
| Mrs. Gregory had gone to try to get
money due her. The warm hearted
Irish woman had surmised that for
tune was Mt low ebb with her neighbor,
partly because of little Royce's unu-
sual fretfuIness, which had been
quoted by huge slice of bread and
butter
"She's worked her precious fingers
most to the bone" she concluded,
"but works scarce, and / don't know
what's ever goln to become Of her and
/ her babies.
The wood soon came. Florence's
half cord had been reinforced by a
whole cord, perhaps because she had
written her cousin that the needy |
widow was protege of Miss SHELLS.
As to Lilian's order for groceries,
Mr.. Davis had added to it a sack of
-four, ham, coffee, tea, sugar, apples,
cookies, cheese, canned fruits and
meats, and big bag of candy
Mrs. Donavan went back to her own
room, and the wagons rolled way.
Mark hastily built fire, then sat down
to think how best to explain the liber-
ty he had taken.
The bare room faded from his vision
as he sat there. In its place came an
old country garden overgrown with
roses and cIematIs 1t was June, and
the air was heavy with the scent of
many blossoms. By his side was a
no Fv7l ~ ri ,t7I Il, bn !
shine seemed entangled. He bent
lower, and the rose-red lips of his
companion murmured, ~ love you,
Mark" Still lower his head sank I'M {
til his lips touched the ones that had
uttered the sweet words.
A start, and he sat upright, glancing
around him. That was ten years ago.
He was poor then, and Margaret, beau l
tiful Margaret Henson, had been the I
only daughter of wealthy home. SO
their engagement had been forbidden.
They parted, vowing eternal constancy, :
A year later Margaret became the wife
Of Vance Gregory, but it was not until
months after that Mark learned of the I
and deceit that had been
employed to urge her to that step.
II Was too late then. There was c
nothing to do but to endure. t.
He had known for some time that
Margaret was q widow and lived in the y
,ity. He knew nothing of her poverty, II
that her means were ample. II
To go to her Low with story of love
lad never occurred to him She knew =,
nothing of what had parted them. He II
ould not blacken the memory of the 6;
nan who had been her husband, the f.
ather of her children.
He sprang to his feet There was no :,
iced ola explanation. He passed out, VI y.
'ausing for final word with Mrs. ~
)onavan. ~
"Iell Mrs. Gregory the things came =.
rom the teachers at No. g." p'
"Io be sure, Mr.. Davis" responded "
be woman, who had recognized LII
lark. "I'll tell her all bout it. And
lay the blissin's of all the saints rest pr
Il your dear hend /" m
Mark hurried away, leaving a shin Id
lg silver dollar in Royce's hand. We
1t was only few minutes after his tn
eparture that thinly clad woman ca
anne toiling YEARLY up the stairs. 1t lei
as Margaret Gregory. The woman a
no owed her was out of town. The
eedy mother had applied at several co
Iaces for work, only to meet with Th
'fusal. Then she had gone to a store tn,
Id begged for credit, but in vain. we
She had reached the end. There veI
as but one way open. She would otl
* Mrs. Donovan to give her children me
eir dinner. When she had rested sid
ID conquered the bitter rebellion in cas-
II heart she would go out again and
,ply to the city for charity. a.,
Margaret Gregory was proud. She as
As already faint for the want of food, Of
It she turned in loathing from the nv,
ought OF meal obained in that way. srl
would be worse than death, but VIII
ath does not come at ones call, and oae
ere were her babies. LoC
4 dry sob burst from her lips. She Gov
ssed Mrs. Donavan's door in silence. Ioa
e must have a moment to herself
fore she could ask charity of one so e
or as her kind neighbor. Hurrying !..
she pushed open her own door. -
A bright fire was blazing in the ~
scked stove. Mrs. Donavan had me
epared potatoes for the oven and ora
slices ready for frying from the sue
N. The open door of the wood Iwo
set showed huge pile, while the are
lie was heaped high with food. Pra
n
dlY around her. Then she dropped eerl
her knees, and a shower of tears re- Use
we'd her overweight nerves.