, 1899-01-05
A HAPPY MISTAKE.

Day by day 1 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 Maude 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.
Ny 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 o be unable ever to
pay the interest.
Then Maude and l 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 amysteri-
GUS letter to the old schoolteacher and
waiting and watching days for a reply,
which came at last to tell us she had
succeeded in finding a 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 must
go and one must stay.
At last Maude said it must be she
who must go. She was older than /, and
she thought she would be happier away
working than at home sitting with fold
ed hands. She was go pretty, SO loving
and lovable that it seemed MS though we
could not let her go among strangers.
AT first father and mother would not
listen to it, hut we overruled all objec-
tion, 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 l did not wonder
the eyes Of u stranger in the church
wandered persistently to our pew.
He was u tall, handsome man, sitting
with the Leonards-a name which in
our village represented its aristocraoy
and wealth.
There were gentlemen from London
visiting there constantly, but their gaze
did not often wander from the stylish,
elegant Misses Leonard to seek any 9TH
er attractions.
I saw them glance round once or
twice, az il to discover what else in the
church could possibly distract attention
from themselves, and l fear / felt more
pride in Msude's 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 I felt that she had chosen the
better part-that 1t was easier even to
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
~ worse instead of better, and it vas
hard work so to to word my letters to
Maude that she should not know of the
skeleton in our home-the shadow Of
coming death. =
Her letters were bright and CHEEKY,
and when at last l told her that our ia
ther grew no better, she answered she
had met DR.. Melrose, who was q 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.
] almost gasped when / read the
name-Dr. Melrose. His fame had
reached even our ears. l wondered how
she could have approached E;ln with
suoh . request, but l said nothing to
father of her desire, and one morning,
about a week later, his card was put
into my hands.
With quick, trembling limbs, l 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.
Ny face grew red and pale as / recog.
mixed him, but he came forward very
quietly, aud, taking my hands, said:
"Come, we will have q little talk
first. and then you shall take me to see
your father"
/ quickly obeyed him and sat down
beside him, as he directed, while he,
not seeming to observe my agitation,
told me Of my sister-of her happiness
in her new home, how already she had
won her way into their hearts and how
glad he was that business ut this time
called him to this spot and enabled him
to perhaps be of some assistance.
Then l found words, and when he
left NE to visit my father / found my
self awaiting his return with q calm
asurance that could mortal aid avail
him he would find it in DR.. Melrose's
healing touch.
A half hour passed before his return,
and when be entered the room l knew
! might hope.
at il not 10 bad as l feared, he
said. thine and careful nursing will
o restore him. The latter shall in
trust to you"
Then he gave me his directions so
clearly that / could not misunderstood
them, and when he babe ma goodby,
holding both my hands for a momen.
IN his own, and said. "You must take
. q. ,.s. CATARRh