The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-11-07
The Story Of a Bible.
From Cornhill Magazine. In Four Part.
pAPTJV

why, MRS. W,ckS, you We peen making
a savings bank of the Bible. had no idea
you were so rich. You had better take care
OF this while finish my reading"
And she handed her the note.
Mrs Wicks stretched out her hand me-
| Chemically. and her fingers closed over Il
| tightly. The reading went on. At least
| there was e buzZing sound. but whether
| IL vas inside her head or not she couldn't
| have told. Finally. having delivered DAN
| lei from the lions and made a few eppro-
| pirate and improving remarks, the distric;
visitor took her Ieave-a little huffed, to
tell the truth. at the idea that one who
had always professed TO find life e hard
| struggle should al, the while have been
the possessor Of boarded wealth.
A short time afterwards Emily. return
| ing from taking home some hanging
| found her mother sitting down doing alb
| soluiely nothing. while the kettle protest
| ed and boiled over unheeGed.
| "Lor', mother, wha;evers the matter"
| Not knowing what to make OF such I'M
| usual symptoms
| Mrs. Wicks regarded her for a moment
| without speaking. Then-"Weli. l amt
| jest feeling myself. an that's the TRUTH"
| she admitted.
| There was sort of dazed look about her
| that gave confirmation TO the words.
4 i. tidhc you a cup Oh SdlO ucl
daughter, ",harn brisk you up. Got any,
thing the matter with yer 'and?'
This casual inquiry appeared to excite
| almost panic.
why. no; there amt nothirk the matter
| with 1t. Whatever made you arsk SIGH q
| thing?"
~ thought, by the way you've got II dou-
| bled up, as you might ave 'urt Il"
No. no: 1t amt that It's somethink
| inrarder like.
May be the pickles you 'ad at dinner"
| After this. seeing that instead OF brisk
| ing up her mother continued TO feel like
| somebody else. Emily promptly ordered
| her off 10 bed
and the pixies
So Mrs. Wicks meekly obeyed the man.
| date and re1red to a state of unrest with
| her right hand still clenched. IF only
Emily knowed." she murmured to herself.
shed feel like disowning Of me. But
then she don't know what orful tempta-
ton the thought of that cottage with the
goodwill an fixters IS, 'TisD't as though
Mrs NUGGETS d miss the money, seeing
as she amt aware on 1t, an NOSE like
never would ave found It at all but for
me. Seems like l was meant to ave it.
an / might make it up to 'er some day"
So she turned and tossed and suffered
the fortunes of a guilty conscience through
the long oppressive hours of an endless
night. until disquieting thoughts. and the
greatest temptation she had ever known,
pursued her even In sleep.
How you was carrying on last night
mother" remarked Miss Wicks as they sat
at breakfast. 'gruIting an groaning an
calling out bout somebody o. the name o
Daniel, though who you could a-meant l
can't think. And this morning you look
1 dunno 'ow, and no more appetite than
nothing
Then. with the laudible intention Of
cheering her parent up by the admin;stra-
ton of a FLIP in the shape of a piece Of
news: What dye think card jest now
when I run out for the milk? Why. Mrs.
Priggin's 'Lisabeth Hams been and stole
tuppence from Mrs. Flinders's Bella She
was going to fetch the supper beer alonger
that young 'ussy. and puts down the jug
and the money for 'arf minnit while
she ties her boot-lace, and when she
comes TO turn round the tuppence wasn't
to be seen, no more was 'Lizabeth Ham,
and do ear Mrs. Flinders ave threaten
ed 'er with the perlice. Barker's Buildings
takes TO robbing each other-not but what
tuppence isn't much to turn thief on-my
gracious
You wouldn't have wondered at her ex-
clamation If you had seen the way in
which Mrs Wicks sat down her teacup
with such violence as would most likely
have cracked II then and there If il hadn't
been cracked already. upset her chair, and
scurried out of the room like" as her
daughter put 1t. shed been bit by some
thing"
Indeed. had she been favored with the
sight of her parent running---actually run
ming at the top speed down the passage
falling over Mrs. Flinders cat, picking
herself up again, and continuing her
headlonS career up couple of flights of
stairs and down the next passage, II is
more than probable that she would have
considered the exclamation just recorded
a wholly inadequate method of chroni-
cling her amaZement. Notwithstanding
this was the precise remark uttered by
Mrs. NUGGETS when burst In upon by Mrs
Weeks in a high state of furry and re-
n.crse.
MY gracious, Mrs. wicksl Why, what
ever's the matter?'
Il amt fit to live-that's what's the mat
ter. 1 bin an done thing as I'd never
ave believed I'd put my and to- You
know what ScTpter says bout robbing |
the wilder an orphan this many a yeari |
What dye think I've got 'ere?"
Dirty bit Of paper, should say by the |
locks"
Paper Il may be. and dirty 1t may be: |
but for all that it's a twenty-pun note"
MY stars" giving way to her very nat
ural sstonishment Why. you are in
luck. How dye come by it?''
'"Taint mine"
Then, who's 1t belong tor"
you"
Mel in sforzando Of amazement
IT'S the money yer Aunt Martha left !
you. / found IT in Daniel-in the den o. |
iions-and stead O. coming an giving IL |
TO you then an there, I kept II all night |
an were trying 70 make UP my mind 20 /
keep 1t altogether. Thought Ird Jest come /
in andy to buy that little business I were |
telling you bout and you'd never a-bin |
the wiser. But there I bin in den o.
lions myself ever since. an pretty well tore
10 bits by being pulled first one way an
then another an not minnii's pea-s
since first laid eyes on IL Ere" seeing
the other still hesitated. incredulous al her
good fortune. take Il. US yourn sure
'nough, and" bursting into tears. "caii ne
cal me all the names you've a mind to-
for there amt none 50 bad as l amt de-
served en-
This was too much for Mrs Midgetts.
who Immediately began TO give way her
self
Why-why-you dear. good. 'onest soul |
yes, / do mean Il, for / don't believe
there's 'onester going. The hidea O. you
making such a TODD. Talking 'bou; rob-
oing folks, an SIGH nonsense. As II Il
didn't know better. should Ike 20 know
who wouldn't be took a-back az coming
upon SIGH cap o money all unexpected.
And as for your keeping il all night, rs
jest as well you dc. fer know shoulda't
ave 'sd a wink o. sleep !. you'd took an
brought 1t 70 me straight of Now then.