Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1897-06-23

floor upon which Mrs. GreSOry's roems
were situated. His knock at the drs,
,oor WAS answered by red-facet
woman.
Mis- Gregory. Ia It you afr want
Ing" she asked sharply. And rs nc
bad news you air after br!ngin' her.
hope"
II wanted to deliver some grocsa:>>
q friend has sent her,"
The ciouded face cleared as II By
magic Heavens blessin' be ON your
head. then! Mis- Gregory, she's gone
out, but I've her key here, and VIII un-
lock the door. That's her By, and Q
swate child he Is"
Mark eagerly looked At ths pink and
white face Of the boy. He held out q
great golden orange. and little Royce
sprang for II, his childish laugh echohs
through the room Then ths- grocer
followed HIN. Donovan 70 tie hoGno o5
Margaret Gregory.
1t was q bare place. bot cleaa and
neat Mark sighed - hs neeed the
signs Of AFFECT povsrV. While the DE-
liveTyman was bringing up the parcels,
Arl Donavan volublg explained that
Mrs Gregory had gone - try to get
money due her. ThS warn-hearted
Irish woman had surznissd tbGf fortune
was II low ebb with her nsiShbor,
partly because of little Royce's unusual
fretfu!ness. which had been qu.eted by
a 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 goin' to become Of her and heI
ba Uies."
The wood soon came. Florence's half
cord had been re-enforcod by q whole
cord. perhaps because she had written
her cousin that the needy widow was 9
ygotege Of Miss SHELLS.
AS to LiIian's order for groceries.
Mr. Davis had added to 1t q sack OF
-four. ham, coffee, tea, sugar, apples,
cookies. cheese, canned fruits and
meats, ard n big bsS of candy.
Mrs. Donovan went back to her OWL
room, and the wagons rolled away.
Mark hastily built a fire, then sat down
10 think how best to explain the liberty
lie had taken.
The bare room faded from his vision
rs he sat there. In Its place came an
old country garden Overgrown with
roses and clematis. 1t was June, and
the air Was heavy with the scent of
many blossoms. BY his side was a
beautiful girl in whose curls the sun
SHINE seemed ernangied. He bent low
er. and the rose-red lips of his COM
panion murmured, II love you. Mark"
Still lower his head sank until his lips
touched the ones that had uttered the
sweet words.
\ start, and he sat upright, glancine
around him. That was ten years ago.
He WAS poor then. and Margaret, beau
tiful Margaret Henson, had been the
only daughter o. a wealthy home. Sc
their engagement had been forbidden.
They Iarted, vowinsy eternal constan@y.
4 year later Margaret became the wife
Of Vance Gregory. but It WAS not until
months after that Mark learned of tie
treachery and deceit that had beer
employed TO urge her to that step.
Ii WAS too late then There was
hptuslS 10 40 but 10 ea1uie-
lie had known for some time that
Margaret was Il widow and lived in the
city He knew nothing OF her poverty,
sapposing that her means were ample.
TO 20 to her now with a story of love
had never occurred to him. She knew
nothing OF what had parted them. He
could not b!acken the memory OF the
man who had been her husband. the
father cf her children.
ns s2rang to rs feet t--.-Gs,p- :EG
need of an expianation. He PASSED out.
pausius for a final word with Mrs
Uonavan.
Tell Mrs. Gregory the things came
from the teachers at No. g."
TO be sure, Mr.. Davis" responded
the woman, who had recognized Mark,
III tell her all bout 1t. And many
the blissin's Of all the saints rest or
your dear headI"
Mark hurried away, leaving a shin.
ing silver dollar in Royce's hand.
1t was only few minutes after hia
departure that a thinly clad woman
came toiling wearily up the stairs. l.
uas Margaret Gregory. The woman
who owed her was out OF town. The
needy mother had applied at several
places for work, only to meet with re-
fusal Then she had gone to a store
md begged for credit, but in vain.
She had reached the end There was
but one way open. She would eSk Mrs
Donavan to give her children their din
ner When she had rested and con-
quered the bitter rebellion in he2 heart
she would go out again and apply to
the city for charity
Margaret Gregory was proud She
was already faint for the want Of food
yet she turned In loathing from the
thought Of q meal obtained In that way
1t would be worse than death, but
death docs not come at ones call, and
there were her babies.
A dry sob burst from her lips. Ehs
passed Mrs. Donavan's door in silence
She must have a moment to herself
before she could ask charity Of one so
poor as her kind neighbor. Hurryins
on. she pushed open her own door.
A bright hre was blazing IN the crack
ed stove. Mrs. Donavan had prepared
potatoes for the oven and cut slices
ready for frying from the ham. The
open door of the wood closet showed a
huge pile, while the table was heaped
high with food.
For moment she stood gazing wild.
ly around her. Then she dropped On
her knees, and with a shower Of tear
relieved her Overwrought nerves.
The next days mail brought a lettea
from Margaret to Mr. DavL The
writer had gone to Miss Smell to thank
her. From the young teacher she had
learned Of Marks connection with the
affair
1t was an earnest, grateful letter.
dotted hsre and there with tear stains
She accepted his generosity; for her