Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1898-05-05

/ other on the SLaLlOn pldlIOIAu,l q uSSttSS
more uneasy than was the worthy trav-
eler herself. T. y
AS the train pulled out, with the
trembling Miss Marg'ret holding her
breath in the seat where the solicitous
porter had deposited her beneath her
bundles, the poor lady's eyes caught
last f1eeting glimpse Of the old house
on the hill, up the slope from the sta
ton; there was an indistinct blur OF
the messy old stone walls through the
lace-lilze trees and the purple clouds of
lilac blooms and in the very foreground
rose a view of poor Toms rough, red
face, drawn in a tangle of knots and
wrinkles which reminded Miss Marg'ret
of the day that her father, the old doc
tor, was carried out to the hillside
graveyard, to sleep among the friends
whom he had known since TowertoWn
had first welcomed him go years be-
fore. Miss Marg'ret craned her arch
ing throat for a glimpse of the ceme-
tery-when it all at once dawned upon
her that she had left that place miles
behind by this time. and that her train
was already speeding through scenes
she had not seen since her ather had
taken her to the city on that one mem
orable visit to the great outside world,
lust after her mother had died. But
the most unreasonable thing that had
come over poor Miss Marg'ret's fond
old heart was the memory of boy who
| had, 20 years before, set out from this
same Towertown on just such a spring
morning, over, this self-same road. He,
| too, was going to the city. But he never
came back and perhaps that was why
there never was much springtime in
Miss Marg'ret's heart after that, no
matter how bravely the trees budded
and the lilacs waved their fragrant
plumes.
When she was finally tucked safely
in Edwards home, only three hours
later, with the big Edward smiling in
diligently, the little Edward munching
the seed cakes she had brought him,
Lollie's pretty white hands making the
most tempting: tea, and, best of all,
the rosy little namesake doubling her
fists: right il the very face of her ador
ing old auntie, poor}Miss Margret won
dered why she had dreaded it all. But
that night, when Lollie had finally
tucked her gleefully in bed, almost as
early as the jewellers of the nursery.
Miss Marg'ret could remember only:
one thing distinctly ofsall the doings: Of
the Wonderful day: And that one thing
was a5mere name: which had stood out
before her surprised eyes as they had
passed the mouth of the river on the
way home from the station. She had
not had time to do more than be GER
tain that she was not mistaken in the
long, black letters across the spotless
white of the vessels hull, for the cab
was lodging in the most reckless way
among the wagons and other cabs
about the: railway depot. Besides, Ed
ward was talking away in terrific
fashion about the wife and babies wait
ing at home to welcome her. So, she
hadn't said word about it to anyone,
but as she folded her thin white hands
in restful gratitude after so much wor-
riment and confusion she could think
of nothing but those long, black let
ters, spelling out her own name: "The
Margaret L. Bradshaw"
Lo1lie took Marg'ret to see the city's
long drives next day; excursions to
art galleries, long hours in the COR
geous shops and the wonderful offices
left the visitor little time to think much
of the strangely-named boat. But some
way, when the second night came and
Lollie again tucked her into bed, tired
but happy, her thoughts flew again to
the long, black letters on the snowy
boat.
At the end of the first week Miss
Marg'ret was more and more convinced
that it was matter that needed inves-
tigation, but one which she herself must
puzzle out, without aid from anyone
else. The first day Of the second week
daWned rainy and damp, so much colder
and more dreary than a soft summer
rain in the country that Miss Marg'ret
refused to venture out on the shopping
tour which Lollie insisted on. So the
young wife went alone, with prom
Use to go back for lunch, and Miss
Marg'ret set her thin lips with de-
termination that mi ght have been
dreadful If there had not been tremu-
lous fear in her dear, gentle chin. Still,
the maid was amazed to see her ap-
pear in the lower hall a few minutes
later, with an order that cab be called.
The maid hesitated, but hers it was to
obey, and in little while Miss Marg'ret,
with her skirts carefully tucked up and
her best gray shawl crossed over her
knees, was being jolted down the river
where the x. Y. & z. trains come in"
The driver had in his lifetime received
much less definite directions than these
and in an incredibly short time, be-
fore the timid passenger had begun