The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1898-02-12
Mees Mary.

told us her story. Her mother haC
died one year ago, leaving hel
sisters and self at the mercy ot
their cruel grandmother who liv-
cd in the house with them. "We
stayed there" said she, .tuntil
Grandmother was too cruel. Their
| told my sisters / must go fal
away across the water and sell
things to make money; then / am
to send for them because Grand
mother is cruel to them"
asked her name. She ans
wered, "Mees Mary" Il4odded.
"Mary?" said |. "No; Mees Ma
ry," she insisted.
"What are the names of your
sisters?' said /. She counted
them off on her chubby fingers /:
"Mees Emile, Mees Rosa. Mees
Melicay," and looking archly at
me, said, "and Mess Mary" She
counted that she had four sisters,
she being the fourth. We did not
attempt to explain away her de
lusion; in fact | do not think that
time or circumstances could ever
have convinced Mess Mary that
she was not her own sister.
She displayed her ware neck
laces, earrings, strings Of coral,
combs, and away down in the bot
tom of her tray, was bunch of
silver bracelets tied with a white
cotton cord. "Oh! how lovely 2
we cried in a breath. "Iss," said
Mess Mary, set was my dead mud
der's bracelets-she wear all the
time. My sisters they cry when
dey see me take them to sell. |
cry, too, but it have to be; / have
mo hope to get money if / do not
sell my goods"
The tears rolled up in her pref
ty brown eyes. Indeed we were
all much affected BY her sad story
and would gladly have bought the
bracelets, but like Mees Mary, we
were bankrupt. After we had seen
the contents of her pack we
bought few yards of lace, and
gave her something to eat. She
could not understand that tho
food was free, but Insisted on Civ
ing the baby of the house a rattle.
Mees Mary finally departed, nod
ding brightly as she passed down
the walk and out Of sight.
She came every week after that,
on Tuesdays, she said, but twas
really Thursday. Finally she ceas-
ed to come at all. i.
"Mees Mary is probably dis
couraged," said my mother, as we
sat on the porch one warm even
ing in May. 81 am sorry, but she
said times are hard and tight"
When the daily paper came next
day there was an awful accident.
We children gathered around
mother, while she read of many
being injured, and killed. Sud
denly she read of a familiar name.
The name "Mees Maiy" stood out
in bold relief against the white pa
per. Her name was among the
injured. We wiped our fast-faIl-
ing tears. Poor little peddler, far
from sisters and home; perhaps
she would never see her native
land again. That evening a spe-
cial letter came, evidently written
by some kind hand for Mees Mary.
1t read: "Dear Madam-Piease
come quick to Miss Mary SO
mother, being ever ready to COM
fort and help those in trouble.
made hasty preparations, and de-
parted late that evening.
On reaching her destination, a
man stationed at the door, direct
ed her way up stairs. Mother de-
clared on reaching .shome that
never in her life had she been so
frightened. The building had once
been a large hotel; it was now
crowded with the wounded and
dying. Said mother:
81 picked my way carefully a
mong them, but could not see
Wees Mary, and was turning dis
appointedly away when / espied
her little brown face over in the
corner. / hastily passed to the
other side of the room and found
myself standing by the little ped
dler. Poor Mees Mary, her eyes
were closed and she was breathing
heavily as if each breath would
be her last. One of her little
brown hands was lying helpIessly
bandaged, the other with its heavy
ring of beaten silver lay nearest
me. | took it gently in my own,
as dii so she opened her eyes,
and looked straight into mine
You Gomez she asked, L so glad.
She seemed to be trying TO collect
her thoughts which she tried tc
expressed in English, but l coulc
not hear what she said. FINAL,
she put her uninjured hand in The
bosom of her dress and drew fortt
a little bag made of blue checks
She seemed to be sinking rapidly;
her breath came in gasps. Mon,
ey,' said she, then fixing her beau
tiful eyes on me, she lifted he
hand, and separating her fingers
one at a time, murmured each TIM
with fainter intonation: Nice
Enilie. Noes Rosa Mans MnIinnr,