Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-05-10

house, while his mother, a rosy, pleas
ant, elderly woman, sat opposite him.
They had been talking of Elvlna.
Certainly, my boy" she said. "bring
the poor little girl home, and I'll look
after her. She has had hard life,
poor child, and III do my best to make
her happy for the time she has to live;
but all this will cause dreadful lot of
talk, Abe. wish you could have got
her from that brute in some other
way"
II wish I could have, mother" said
Abe, as he kissed her. "God bless you,
dear, for standing by me in this. Even
If there is talk, you and know we are
doing the right thing, don't we?"
1t was late in the raw, chilly after
noon when Abe drove up to Won Rit-
ter's cottage with the stove and fuel in
his wagon. Garry came slouching out
and proceeded TO unload the wagon. 1t
did not take him very long, and at last
he walked into the cottage. Abe fol-
lowed him. In the wretched, iireless
room girl was sitting, her lap full of
crimson bitterswect berries. Abe re-
mcmbered, as he looked at them, how
they used to search for them together
IN the glen when they were children.
She had twined some in her hair, and
the ruddiness of the berries made her
pale face look CHASTITY by contrast.
Abe walked over to her side. "Viney,"
he whispered, will you come with
Abc?' She looked at him gravely,
then slipped her thin hand into his,
just us she used to years ago, and rose
obediently. Willie he wrapped his moth
cr's warm shawl about her.
Garry grinned us he watched them
walking to the wagon, the little cripple
and his slim, white.faccd girl wife.
'"rhere'll be scandal sure" he said,
with laugh. and turned and went into
the house, and then added: I'm glad
ter be rid of those starin' eyes O.
hers"
AS they drove along the darkening
road and the air got colder and damp
er Elvina coughed and then sank back
exhausted. There was little stain Of
blood on her blue lips. Abe dropped
his head to hide the tears in his eyes.
Cod" he prayed, "'let her live q
little while, just long enough to know
that we aren't all brutcs in this world;
jus long enough, Lord, to KNOW n little
happiness! Her life has been SO sadw
Nv.
Garry and Mrs. Hawkins were right
there was u scandal-and Mrs. Haw-
kinss and Abe's motives were mis-
construed, and they were much CEN
sured by the people in the village.
"The idea," they said, "of buyin' u
mans wife for stove!"
1t was the fifth day after Abe had
taken Elvina from her cheerless home
that the people of the village reached
such u state of Indignation ut 1.-The
Hawkins's goin's-on" that they decided
to speak to Mrs. Hawkins and express
their disapproval. Accordingly that
evening dcputation of five citizens
knocked ut the Hawkinses kitchen
door. Receiving no response, they
walked in. Mrs. Hawkins sat crying
and the doctor stood beside her.
II did all could, Mrs. Hawkins" he
was saying. .She was too worn out
and too starved to last any longer. If
she had been attended to in time her
life might have been prolonged, but
she was consumptive, poor child"
The five citizens stood abashed. Abe
entered the room with white, set face
and trembling limbs.
Il suppose you people have come to
make me send Elvina back to that
bruteY he said, CHANGING at them.
"She won't be starved or frozen or
beaten any more. She is dead.sss. Per-
haps you would like to see.her?.s
They followed him silently into n
little bedroom, and there on the bed,
with few bitterswcet berries ON her
breast, her vacant blue eyes closed
and happy, child-ilke smile on her
white face, lay all that remained of
poor Elvina Won Ritter.
She looked very, very young and
happy, too, happier than those who
gazed at her so pityingly now had ever
seen her look during the nineteen years
!
of her young life-yeurs so full of mis-
cry, pain and sorrow. They looked at
her gravely for u moment, and then
softly left the room.
Mrs. Hawkins followed them. "She
died ramblin' along about old school
times, and at last she said, Abe, help
me up the rock There is Il lot of bitter
sweet CROWN there and she put her
poor hanu INTO Abes and closed her
blue staring eyes and died. She thought
she was child again. cor dear, she
wasn't much morethan one. Only nine
teen. It's better that she should die,
but Abe will feel it terribly.
In the little room the cripple was
kneeling beside the bed holding Elvi-
mas hand in his. "Oh, God,' he
sobbed, 81 thank thee that her suffer
ing is over and that Thou didst let her
die with friendly faces round her."
Then he kissed her pale forehead and
whispered, you'll never know how
much loved you, little sweethcart"-
New York Mail and Express.