The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1898-03-18
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| ing through the room. Then the grocer
followed Mrs. Donovan to the home of
Margaret Gregory.
1t was bare place, but clean and
neat. Mark sighed as he noted the
signs of abject poverty. While the de-
livery man was bringing up the par
GELS, Mrs. Donovan volubly explained
that Mrs. Gregory had gone to try to
get some money due her. The warm
hearted Irish woman had surmised
that fortune was at low ebb with her
neighbor, partly because Of little
Royce's unusual fretfulness, which
had been quieted by huge slice of
bread and butter.
"Shes worked her precious fingers
most to the bone," she concluded, 'but
works scarce, an don't know what
ever's goin' to become Of her and her
babies"
The wood soon came. Florence's half
| cord had been REINFORCED by whole
cord, perhaps because she had written
her cousin that the needy widow was
a protege Of Miss SHELLS.
AS to Lillian's orders for groceries,
Mr.. Davis had added to it a sack of
flour, ham, coffee, tea, sugar, apples,
cookies, cheese, canned fruits and
meats. and a big bag Of candy.
Mrs. Donovan went back to her own
room and the wagons rolled away.
Mark hastily built fire, then sat down
TO think how best to explain the liberty
he had taken.
I,r po Iol III tot ar,
as he sat there. In Its place came an
| old country garden overgrown with
roses and clematis. 1t was June and
the air was heavy with the scent Of
many blossoms. BY his side was a
beautiful girl in whose curls the sum
! shine seemed entangled. He bent low
er and the rose-red lips of his compan-
| ion murmured, II love you, Mark" !"
| Still lower his head sank until his lips
touched the ones that had uttered the
sweet words
| A start, and he sat upright, glancing
around him. That was ten years ago.
He was poor then, and Margaret, bea u
! tiful Margaret Henson, had been the
| only daughter of wealthy home. So
their engagement had been forbidden.
| They parted, vowing eternal constancy.
A year later Margaret became the wife
of Vance Gregory, but it was not until
months after that Mark learned of the
treachery and deceit that had been en-
ployed to urge her to that step.
It was too late then. There was
nothing to do but endure.
He had known for some time that
Margaret was a widow and lived in the
city. He knew nothing Of her poverty.
supposing that her means were ample.
To 60 to her now with a story of love
had never occurred to him. She knew
| nothing of what had parted them. He
could not blacken the memory of the
man who had been her husband, the
| father of her children
He sprang to his feet. There was no
need Of an explanation. He passed out,
pausing for a final word with Mrs.
| Donovan.
'Tell Mrs Gregory the things came
from the teachers at No. s."
ITO be sure, Mr.. Davis" responded
the woman, who had recognized Mark.
'I'll tell her all bout it. And may the
blissin's of all the saints rest on your
| dear headv'
Mark hurried away, leaving a shin
ing silver dollar in Royce's hand.
| 1t was only a few minutes after his
| departure that thinly clad woman
came toiling wearily up the stairs. 1t
was Margaret Gregory. The woman
who owed her was out of town. The
needy mother had applied at several
| places for work, only to meet with re-
fusal Then she had gone to a store
and begged for credit, but In vain.
| She had reached the end. There was
but one way open. She would ask Mrs.
| Donovan to give her children their din
ner. When she had rested and con-
| quered the bitter rebellion in her heart
| she would go out again and apply to
the city for charity.
| Margaret Gregory was proud. She
was already faint for the want of food,
yet she turned in loathing from the
thought of a meal obtained in that
way. 1t would be worse than death,
but death doesn't come at ones call,
and there were her babies.
| A dry sob burst from her lips. She
| passed Mrs. Donovan's door In silence.
She must have moment to herself be-
fore she could ask charity of one so
poor as her kind neighbor. Hurrying
ON she pushed open her own door.
A bright fire was blazing in the
| cracked stove. Mrs. Donovan had pre-