Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1897-04-15

"Sh'S coming afr it, plid Thank
ful. I'm set on an iron so l can press
IL right after dinner
The simple meal was soon prepared
and the two women sat down TO their
dinner. They did not linger over ii, but
ate as matter of duty. Thankful fin
ished first. and rose without ceremony,
brought ont the pressbOard and began
pressing the seams of the coat. Her
back was towards Ruth Allen. Sud
denly she turned round and looked at
her
You are telling fortunes. Ruth Al
len. Don't deny it; there's the tea
grounds i'm the saucer. 4 body would
think YOU were Il instead of nigh 40
I'm only SO. come August, said poor
Ruth Allen. II wasn't telling fortunes,
either. / was seeing if l would get my
wish.
IF wishes were fishes we'd have some
fried was ThankfuIs reply, in what
was intended 70 be q whitening tone.
Now I'll bring down that old lilac mus
lin of yours and YOU can rip it up.
wan. TO make new tick and that'l
do for ,hc cover.
ooh, dear" cried Ruth Allen, you
aren't going 10 cut that up. l want to
keep it,
What for, I'd like 10 know? You're
TOO Old 20 wear such dress and it might
be doing some good if twas made into
tick"
81 wanted to keep it because it was
the last dress mother bought me"
Now if Thankful had a soft spot in
her heart il was for the memory of her
mother, and with a short Keep il,
them she turned to her work. The
two seWed diligently and talked little.
Ihankfuls thoughts were on her work,
but Ruth Aliens were straving back
into her girlho0d days. lured there by
the sight OF the stranger who had been
the last she saw enter Widow Filkin's
cate. He had somehow reminded her
or her one lover. Jasper Chadwick; in
deed IN every gathering of men she was
sure TO see someone who reminded her
or him-and she was living over again
the days which had ended so suddenly.
When Jasper Chadwick had won her
promise t. be his wife she had added
TO her softly whispered Yes" If Prov
ideDCe is willing" If Providence was
willing Thankful was not, and while
Ruth Allen Wavered between her love
for Jasper and her fear of diso0eying
Thankful Jasper grew angry and left
Castor abbey. He mad never returned,
a-d Thankful was sure that the fire
of love that had burned so fiercely in
RUlL Aliens heart had long ago turned
10 ashes She was mistaken. The
Goals were there and the slightest
breath from the Olden days was sufIi-
cieut TO kiudle them into flame. but
Thankful never saw their glow
When Thankful was watering her
garden after supper Mrs. Burden came
through The gate.
Have YOU heard what's happened
down i'm the village?' were the first
words she said.
NO. said Ruth Allen. coming to
the door; lis anybody dead2'
Worse tuan that, said Mrs. Burden.
Folks has got TO die. but they amt
got TO be robbed. Somebody broke into
Widow Filkins' house last night. and
stole her silver spoons and her mothers
Old silver Candlesticks and two pounds
in money.
Goodness me- cried Thankful. set
ting down her watering pot You
don't mean to say that robbers have
been in CASTOR Abbey, There won't
be any safety sleeping of nights after
this. Have they caught the rObbers?"
No, they got clean away. You'll
have TO keep everything locked up pref
~ tight living up here alone as you do.
And what Dc YOU think. Jasper Chad
O.. d 1.n.1- ~
Ruth Allen, said Thankful quickly,
'you go down into the cellar and fetch
up q bottle of that cuuant wine for
Mrs. Burden.
"DOn'tSay anything about him before
Ruth Allen, said Thankful as soon as
her sister was out of hearing
you don't mean to say she thinks
ANYTHING about him after all this timer
"I don't mean anything said Thank
ful with dignity. but l don't want Ruth
Allen 10 go thinking of those old times.
7 didn't mean her to know he was here.
Yes" she said. as Ruth Allen came in
with the currant wine 81 must confess
that if there's one thing I'm afraid Of
more than fire it's burglars. When I've
read of folks being robbed and muir
Gered I'm their beds in the city I've al
vavs been thankful that l lived Wnere
there was nothing TO modest or make
mo afraid. but now / shan't rest until
that robbers caught ana shut up.
..I'm not afraid of their coming here,
said Ruth Allen. We have nothing
worth stealing.
-HImph. Ruth Allen-they're Just
ID, r;1,sI,- to come here as anywhere, and
moro roo. seeing that we're alone. II
thev didn't find anything 10 steal they
murder us in our beds, and then now
.wou1d Won feel. I'd like to know?
Not having had any experience IN
thar line Ruth Allen was not aDie 10
describe her possible sensations
As soon as Mrs. Burden went away
Tbonkful closed the windows ana drew
the curtains. -
..,,-ba+ makes you shut up so early?'
-,.+ Pv+b Allen. And l never knew
,or IN draw the curtains till we went 10
bed - bo,.o orr
bloOd-thirsty villains peepihg III 1ue
windows at us. and I'm gong 70 lO0N
the doors now toe.
I'D lust as soon sleep Win tue uOoiS
and windows both open. ..b
Them that know nothing fear noJh,
i7g. I've always hear say, returne s
thankful. pushing the bolt OF the hi'cA-
en- door into its socket. 80
The kitchen was hot and close ana
Rr+b Allen was glad when the clock
str,,clz nine. Thankful took the candle
and went upstairs. IL,
Il declare. Ruth Alien she cried
-.,,,D;7,c short Ut the top. If | didn't