River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1898-11-17

! they might like? I'd be no end
obliged and grateful to you-and you
/ don't think they'd be offended, do you?
/ I'm such a dutfer, and I've made such
/ bad impression TO start with, that /
must depend on you to nelp me out"
The doctor had looked at him IN ut
| ter amazement; but, as their eyes met,
! he nodded and smiled; and, muttering
| his thanks, Blackwell thrust -oll
/ CT bank notes into his hand.
He's not a bad fellow, after all"
1 the doctor said, triumphantly, to him
/ self; and presently the matter was all
arranged and the good doctor went re-
/ joicing on his way.
But as soon as Blackwell was clone
4 again, strange and discomforting fan
cies swarmed through his mind. Would
not this seem to his hostess merely a
selfish man of the worlds discourte-
| Gus protest against the frugal fare
/ which was all that they had been
/ able to set before him? And he seemed
! to hear Susan's shrewd interpreta'io ion
I of his action, and her scornful ep'thet
/ of pig"
! I'VE dinhE anu Sh BiJSi Oh ma ven -
/ full day had certainly been meagcr
/ enough, though they were daintily
/ served by Mary herself; and his break
fast. next morning, was frugal, too
but not so the Thanksgiving dinner
I That was a beautiful and bountiful re-
I past deliciously cooked, ard set out
by Susan and Mary. And Mrs. North
was brought to the table in her roll
/ ing chair; and Willard Blackwell left
/ his room, for the first time, to take his
I place at the table with the family.
He looked so solderly and handsome
with his head bandaged and his arm
in a sling, that even Mary was sur
prised, and Susan certainly would
never have recognized him as the
grumpy. horrid, cross old man"
whom she had expected to see,
That Mrs. North had guessed his err
rand, he knew at once, by the way her
voice trembled and broke as she tried
to speak to him.
/ Susan was regarding him sternly-
I she could rot for a moment forget
/ that be was their "bitterest enemy
/ But Mary's eyes met his. and their pa
I thetic usefulness went suddenly to
] his heart.
I He took Mrs. North's frail white
! hand and bent overit Excuse soe for
4 speaking of il now" he said. "b1t you
I don understand my intentions IA the
/ least (He had not understood uem
! himself until that very momeAt-
when he seemed TO read them IN
Mary's eyes) ] beg you not to tear
! thai | will ever do anything TO take
I from you the home which opened its
! hospiiable doors TO the wounded
stranger | assure you, everything
can &c ged-without embarrass-
+ ing you in the least"
ICED bless you. sirl" was all the
fral little woman could find words TO
say. But Blackwell looking up. met
/ Mary's eyes again, and now they were
luminous like stars And be thought
/ he heard her murmur: AN angel IN
/ awartsl'
! They took their places in silence.
and reverently bent their heads:
"For the assurance we have just re-
1 ceived o Lord. we are truly thankful"
4 bresfhed Susan. and though il was not
I at al what she had meant TO say. it
/ was good and sufficient grace.
Fos eight DAYS Blackwell was a pris
oner in that small white home. And
1 wheu tie doctor gave him leave TO go
hack to his own world. he left there
with regret.
4 On the last day. be suddenly asked