The record-union., 1898-12-04

/
| He must get back to the office He
should see her soon again. But she
was going into hospital, she told him.
to have an operation on her leg lie
| wished her weli-then; he hoped it
might prove successful. He. begged
her on departing, with humorous
twinkle in his eye, not to, srleer at his
| foot when they had made her whole
| again. ss-s
He left her hurt and troubled, poor,
| sensitive little soul! Then he forgot
| the Child for weeks-things We're STIR
| ring in the city.
| One evening, going homeward, he was
| passing near the Green. when wo-
| man ran toward him with a letter in
| her hand
The Child was dead he'd used to
| talk wild In the park. Had died at
peace that morning. talkin' affable wild
| the saints''
| He was genuinely shocked Then she
| gave him the crumpled letter.
| Her own name was Ryley; she lived
on the floor above. He recognized her
as the woman whose husband was a
| 'Divil,' too.'
He put some leading questions about
the mother of the Child. She was a
| wildly, in bad circumstances, but a
| lady sure for all. mo; there seemed
| small prospect of a dacent buryin,' 2
| she said
| Now the Devils thumb and finger,
which had strayed to his waistcoat
| pocket, stayed toying very lovingly
with the golden coins within.
| A moment later he was hurrying
down the street, pursued by shrill- toned
blessings and loud callings on the
saints.
| When he reached home he opened the
| chlld's letter. 1t began, Dear Devil
in round, uncertain hand. "It is
cumming off tomorrow. (The crooked
! one, I meen.) But I am not prowd,
dear devel. I wish it was yure foot
1t was signed, 'Yure loving tickle friend
! you speak to on the grean.''
| There was a. "P. S.:
Mothers ankshus. She says you will
not mind"
There was another:
Mothers very sadly. Trowsers are
| Wurse than shurts.'
| As he turned the letter over there was
a note in the nurses hand.
"The Child-who is fast failing-begs
me to write these words: She is sorry
to go without you, but will be waiting
near the door,"
A week after the funeral the Devil
paid call. 1t was visit of condo
leEce. The Child's mother had been i'll.
He found the door ajar; it creaked
on its hinges as he entered. The sound
brought the woman by the fire to her
! feet. She came toward him.
II think, SIR she said, hurriedly and
smoothing her roughened hair, you
must be the gentleman who's been so
kind to me and"-
| Maggie!' cried the man, and took a
step toward her; and then they stood
still and stared in each others eyes.
She was weak and underfed, worn
with grief and worry She dropped into
| a chair presently, and began to cry
behind her hands. That distressed him
Hard, worldly, selfish. as folks called
him, he set his teeth and began walk
ing up and down.
He recalled the Child's disclosures, in
nocent hints dropped in chatter by the
way. Father was dead-she thought
that she was glad. He wasn't fond of
children, and used to knock her mother
down.
Why, he had shrugged careless
shoulders at the. commonplace skeleton
laid bare. But now?
| He turned hot-eyes and looked at her.
Maggie! His Maggie, as he had been
used to call her; the pretty, gentle
creature who had flushed under his
! first kiss! Something in his throat
swelled big and seemed to choke him.
'Maggie"-going near and laying a
hand upon her arm.
| She conquered her tears, and began
some broken thanks. Then he brought
chair and placed it at her side.s
| h"It's years since we met said the
| man, breaking. long silence.
! Eleven" said the woman, who strug-
| gled to seem calm. Its a long time .
she added, "and time brings many
changes ~
s'Does it? L don't see them. To me
you're just the same"
! He was studying her attentiyely. She
bent to stir the fire.
! Maggie, you treated me very badly
! eleven years ago."
| II was eleven years younger, JOHN
| she urged, as lightly as she could.
/ ELEVEN years younger; yes, slip
| of seventeen"-his eyes left her face
and wandered to the fire-"and things
| have not gone well with you? Life's
been harder than you thought?"
Jim wasn't lucky''-evasively but
he always did his best"
/ She jumped up and began to make
the tea, and they drank it together, sit
ting soberly by the hearth.
/ They found much to talk about-the
child, and many things. Detecting a
morbid craving to dwell on her recent
loss, he led her thoughts backward, till
they were busy with the past.
| Did she remember the little school
house? 1t was a brand new, board
school now. The farm was pulled down;
there was a red-brick villa on it's site.
Then he recalled her girlish conquests,
and rallied her for a f1irt. What a
dance she used to lead them, Bob and
Andrew, and the rest! And there was a
certain lame old bachelor who must
needs go wooing too He laughed quite
heartily, and she WINGED little at the
| sound.
And, after ALL" he went on jovially,
s'it was Jim who won the prize. Well,
Jim was born to be lucky-a fine,
sturdy chap
He waxed enthusiastic and she joined
in the hymn OF praise.
Jim was sc. handsome and so clever!
Yes, and the best Of husbands, too =
/ (But pride, which engenders lying,
l.