The Press. (Stafford Springs, Conn.) 1883-1935, 1899-04-20
A HAPPY MISTAKE.

Day by day l had seen the lines OF
care deepen round my fathers mouth
and forehead and watched my mothers
pale and anxious gaze rest upon him.
Night after night did Mande and lie
side by side and spend the hours when
sleep, they tell us. lends us beauty in
wondering what trouble was lowering
over US.
But the knowledge came all too soon.
NV father had lent money which he
supposed he could call in at any time.
The time arrived. but the money was
not forthcoming His health was rapid
ly failing him, a fact his business anxi.
cites in no way helped, and we soon
knew he must mortgage heavily the
farm, and that if his health continued
to fail he might soon be unable even to
pay the interest.
Then Maude and | began to hold our
whispered conversations to better pur-
pose-to decide that we were strong and
young and healthy, and that such gifts
were given to us to be made use of, and
so it ended in our sending off a mysteri
Gus letter to the old schoolteacher and
waiting and watching days for reply,
which came at last to tell us she had
succeeded in finding situation as gov
erness at a competency which to us
seemed wealth.
The lady was willing to take any one
| on her recommendation, and either OF
us, she felt assured, would fill the role.
| So she left it for US to decide-one mus;
go and one must stay -:
At last Maude said it must be shit
who must go. She was older than l, anG
she thought she would be happier away
working than at home sitting with fold
| ed hands. She was so pretty, so loving
and lovable that it seemed as though we
could not let her go among strangers.
At first father and mother would not
listen to it, hut we overruled all objec-
ton, and Maude wrote and appointed a
day for her coming,
The intervening time passed rapidly
away in busy preparation, and at last
the one Sunday left us rose bright and
clear Maude looked SO lovely that
morning in her pretty hat. with its long
dropping feather, that did not wonder
| the eyes of stranger i'll the church
wandered persistently to our pew
He was a tall handsome man. sitting
| with the LeOnards--a name which i'll
our village represented its aristocracy
and wealth
e There were gentlemen from London
visiting there constantly, but their gaze
did not often wander from the sty lish,
elegant Misses Leonard to seek any 9th
er attractions.
saw them glance round once Or
twice, as if to discover what else in the
church could possibly distract attention
from themselves, and | fear felt more
pride in Maude beauty than was quite
consistent with the sacred place in
which we were.
But after she had gone and at night
| went for the first time to my room
alone l felt that she had chosen the
better part-that it was easier even tC
90 forth among strangers, with her hand
at the pillow. than to sit down quietly
on the vacant hearthstone.
However. | soon found plenty for
heart and hands. My father grew rapid
ly worse instead of better, and it was
hard work so to to word my letters to
Maude that she should not know of the
skeleton in our home-the shadow OF
COIL ing death
Her letters were bright and CHEEKY,
and when at last told her that our ia.
ther grew no better, she answered she
had met DR. Melrose, who was rela
tive of the lady whose children she
taught. and asked him to go down and
see father and that she would defray
the necessary expenses
ain o:t easped when read the
name DR. Melrose His fame had
reached even Our ears | wondered how
she could have approached him with
such Il reGnest, but ! said nothing tc
father Ct Efr desire, and enc morning,
about week later, his card was put
into n hands
With quick, trembling limbs, has
tened down to meet him and opened the
parlor door to find myself face to face
with the stranger who, weeks before,
had sat in the Leonards' pew
My face grew red and pale as recog.
nized him, but he came forward very
quietly, and. taking my hands, said:
Come, we will have a little talk
first, and then you shall take me to see
your father.
quickly obeyed him and sat down
beside him. as be directed, while he,
not seeming to observe my agitation,
told me of my sister-of her happiness
in her new home, how already she haG
won her way into their hearts and how
glad he was that business at this time
called him to this spot and enabled him
, to perhaps be of some assistance.
Then L found words, and when he
left me to visit my father | found my
self awaiting his return with calm
assurance that could mortal aid avail
him he would find it in DIR. Melrose'!
healing touch.
A half hour passed before his return
and when he entered the room I knew
/ might hope.
at is not so bad as feared" hs
said. Time and careful nursing will
soon restore him. The latter shall in
trust to you.
Then he gave me his directions se
clearly that could not misunderstood
them, and when he babe me goodby
holding both ny hands for a moment
in his own. ed said. lyon must take
care OF yourself as well and not give me
two patients instead of one, he smiled
so kindly that felt my heart leap as
thought
Its for Maude's sake he has done
this thing. He loves her,
1t did not see n strange that she
should have won tine heart of man a!
nigh in the worlds favor az Ernest
Melrose stood. 1t would not have seemed
strange to me had she won royalty j.
my eyes she might have graced any
throne.
So wrote her of his visit and It'll
wonderful results. How father improved