The Worthington advance., 1899-11-17
printed questions. And then Mr.. Pill.
ling was asked To most 4 letter

OAC evenings 0Week subsequent, on
his return from town. Mr.. Pilling
brought her an answer to the all-im.
portant missive.
AS soon as the letter was in her hands,
Kate made a sign to her mother to fol.
low her, and then ran into the parlor
to read her epistle undisturbed. ~
Mother, mother, isn't this splen-
did?' she cried, when Mrs. Hawley
came into the parlor few minutes
later. "The agency writes me that a
teacher of music is wanted in a school
at Camden, Mo. The salary is $500 a
year and a home. Isn't it good?"
"But perhaps you won't be able to
get it, Kate. Don't be too sanguine."
"Oh, I feel sure I'll get it; something
seems to tell me I will,'' cried happy
Kate. "My diploma makes me as COM
petent an applicant as they'll be likely
to have. Won't dear Jack be surprised
when tell him to get ready for col
lege? I can let him have at least $4O0
of my salary. shall need to spend so
little, you know"
"But are you willing to go so far from
home, daughter?"
eyes; since will be working in such
good cause. And I will be better in
every way for having some regular, sys-
tematic employment, mother
my dear, brave girl" and Mrs. Haw-
ley folded her daughter in warm en-
brace. II am proud of you, Kate"
Don't be proud yet. Wait until I get
to teaching" said honest Kate. II will
write my application at once, for every
day is precious, now that September
is so close at hand.'
Her anxiety to get the mail was re-
doubled during the next week; but she
tried not to show it, for fear Jack would
suspect the cause, and she wanted to
give him genuine surprise.
But as day after day passed without
bringing the reply to her application,
she began to look pale and worried.
II can't understand why don't get a
letter." she said, over and over again,
to her mother. 1T seems so strange
"Probably the place was filled before
your application arrived" said Mrs.
Hawley.
'Then they ought to apprise 1ne OF
the fact" said Kate. "It is so late now
that it would be useless for me to ap-
ply to the agency again. The schools
all over the country will begin in less
than two weeks. Poor Jack! am glad
we didn't tell him aboutsit. If it is such
terrible disappointment to me, what
would it have been to him?''
And at that very moment ''poor Jack
was carrying about with him in the
cornfield the letter his sister wanted SC
much. 1t had been given to him by Mr.
Pilling several days before, and he had
thrust it carelessly into his coat pocket
and straightaway forgotten all about il
IN the excitement of hearing his neigh
bor tell of lucky haul of black bass
which had been made in the river that
morning.
Kate wrote again to Camden, and on
the day when an answer was due she
walked all the way to the village, dis.
tance OF two miles, to get her mail her.
self, feeling that in the present state
of her mind she could not trust thai
duty to even Mr.. Pilling.
She returned at dusk, looking so pale
languid and distressed that her mother
was really frightened.
"What is the matter, Kate? Are VOL
ill?" she cried.
Kate made no answer, but silently
drew from her pocket a crushed and
tear-stained letter, and threw it on the
table; then, throwing herself on the
sofa, she covered her face with he1
hands and began to cry silently.
Mrs. Hawley opened the letter and
read it aloud. It ran as follows:
Miss Kate Hawley:
Your note of inquiry is at hand, and. ir
reply, l would state that I returned g
favorable answer to your application three
weeks ago, and requested you to inform
me II you would be ready to enter upor
your duties September 4. After waiting g
reasonable time to hear from you, and re.
celv1ng neither letter nor telegram, 1 sup.
posed you did not desire the position. 81
offered it to another lady, who is now with
us. Regretting that my letter failed t.
reach you, remain,
Yours respectfully,
CHARLES HARTLAND."
Don't cry; please don't cry, Kate
said Fan, down whose own cheeks the
tears were streaming. 1T wasn't YOU,
fault, DEAR
whats all this fuss about? % asked
Jack, coming in with a milk pail in
each hand. 'What's gone wrong
Kate?"
Kate felt too wretched to care to kee1
the secret any longer, and so sobbed out
the whole story from beginning to end
I'VE can't understand how the letter
was lost" she said, in conclusion. "Mr
Pilling is the only one outside the fam
lily who ever brings our mail, and he is
always very careful of it,
Jacks face turned suddenly white
He put his hand in his pocket, hesitatec
moment, then drew it out again with
something in it.
us that the letter." he asked. hold
ing out the one Mr.. Pilling had giver
him in the cornfeld, three weeks ago.
There was no need to ask questions
Jacks face told them all they wanted te
know, and they let him leave the room
without word, and when he did no
appear at supper time they did not re
mark upon his absence.
But when supper was over, and tn,
lamps had been lighted in the sitting
| room, and still he did not come in. Kat,
crept upstairs to his room, and, enter
ing softly, found him lying on the sof:
in the dark, his face hidden on hi
arms.
Jack, dear Jack!" she whispered
never mind. Early next summer will
apply to the agency again, and an
sure to get place then.''
For a moment Jack did not answer