The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1898-06-16

forth. She had feeling of satisfac.
ton in seeing them there. They had not
gone to adorn Lucinda's fine house.
For moment she had been tempted
Heaven and herself alone knew how
much the $50 offered meant to her
but it was only an instant that
she had wavered, and Lucinda should
never know it. The latter had spoken
truly; there was not another pair to
equal them. Well, Lucinda must have
some disappointments. Life had gone
very smoothly with her.
No: she would not sell those candle
sticks, poor as she was. Her mind
went back to the long-past youth;
to the family gatherings, the merry
makings, and how always the candle
sticks had been one of the important
features. They had been her grand
mothers. who had received them from
her mother, and she had had them in
the old colonial days.
The room grew dim as the flame died
down. Miss Maria arose with a sigh,
and went out into the kitchen to pre-
pare her supper.
Meanwhile, at her tea table, Mrs.
| Antrim was giving her husband an &C.
count of her call. "It's so provoking
Those candlesticks are just lost in her
mean little house. And they would
make that room perfect. have never
seen any candlesticks to compare with
them. They used to say that old Mrs.
Henshaw's grandmother brought them
over in the Maytlower.
| "Well, her grandmother did live in
Plymouth. The family was always
very proud of them. I should think
Maria would be glad to sell them now
that she is so poor. But she always
was queer"
II wonder if that nephew of hers is
out of the penitentiary, yet," said Mr.
Antrim.
'He was sentenced to three years
| Poor Maria, she has had a hard life;
that boy that she had brought up from
a baby turned out so badly, and then
losing nearly all of her property! She
can't have more than a couple of hun
dred dollars year left. I don't see
how she lives! wonder how she man.
ages!"
Frequently that winter did Miss
Maria wonder about the same thing
Times were hard, and she found it
difficult to procure the sewing with
which for several years she had eked
out her slender income. Often, as her
glance fell on the candlesticks, did the
temptation to accept Mrs. Antrim's
offer assail her. But she would set
her lips firmly, and think, mo, never
One evening in March she had JUS:
cleared away her supper table and was
resting before her sitting-room fire. II
was later than her usual hour for that
meal, for she had been finishing some
sewing, the first she had had in several
weeks.
A faint and esitating knock came to
the door. Miss Maria arose and opened
it. 1t was dark and rainy. She could
see no one.
"Who is there?" she asked, sharply.
A figure moved into the light stream
| ing from the door. Miss Maria repeat
ed her question.
cts me-Aunt Maria," said a husky
voice, and the figure came nearer. Miss
Maria retreated step.
you, Martin! What do you want?''
she demanded, sternly.
1--WE no place to go. just got out
last week, and I've been tramping ever
since"
"And you dare come here?"
"I'm tired out-I'm hungry"
"And you come to me! You have the
assurance to come to mel" Miss
Maria's voice grew harder with each
word that she uttered.
Just let me stay tonight, Aunt
Maria, T."
Don't call me that she interrupted,
fiercely.
you are nothing to me, go!"
LET me stay tonight, just tonight!
I'm hungry, and it's so wet!"
''Go!" repeated Miss Maria, roughly,
closing the door. A sudden and violent
gust of wind dashed up against it. She
opened it again. The figure was movin g
away.
''Martin!" she called. "You may stay
tonight. Come in," moving back from
the door that he might enter.
He was youth of some 20 years, thin,
haggard, his hair unkept, and his
clothes disordered and weather worn.
He took off his battered old hat, and
stood trembling before Miss Maria s
awful gaze.
"You're fine sight!" she said, slow
ly and contemptuously, as her eyes
scanned him from head to foot.
The water was dripping off from his
wet clothes and formed little pools on
her spotlcss floor. She stood a few
moments regarding the wretched fig
ure, then moved quickly over to the
fire.
''Sit down and dry yourself" she
commanded, pushing chair in front
of the flame.
The young fellow obeyed, shivering
He bent over the blazing logs while
Miss Maria went out into the kitchen.
She stirred up the fire in the stove
1t was almost out, but revived suff
GENTLY to heat some tea left from sup
per. She poured out a cup and carried
it to her unexpected and most unwel
come guest.
''Drink it'll" she said, CURLY. HI
drank it eagerly, and second cuI
which Miss Maria brought him will
some slices of bread and butter.
"Now," she said, when he could ca
no more, "you can stay here tonight
Then what?' She was sitting opposite
him, stern and unbending.
| The food and warmth lad piven hin