The aegis & intelligencer., 1899-11-10

apparently unconscious of the cheap
white satin soil ON which they were
bedded. A pot of beliotrope that
stood in the window sill was her favor
lite study.
learned bit by bit-for they never
talked of their atfairs-that Mrs.
Frees was the business manager of
the small establishment. She ordered
the food that was cooked on gas
stove in an alcove in the room-never
in my presence, you may be sure and
carried her work to the shop by which
she was regularly employed, bringing
back the plain piece to be decorated.
Occasionally calendar or a lot of
Easter cards varied the monotony of
piDcushions and cravat cases.
She also concluded the business end
of the colonel's story writing, mailing
the manuscripts and receiving them
back or deiight hting the old mans heart
now and then by returning with a few
dollars for one of his contributions,
having cashed his remittance in what
ever form it came. l was permitted
to read a single story that looked as
though it had been printed some time
before. 1t was signed elizabeth
Shippen," his wife's maiden name.
1t was plain enough that their oc-
cupations were mere makeshifts; the
colonel was not trained writer. and
his wife's work was based, imagined,
on a skill attained long ago. when en-
broidery and painting were fashion
able accomplishments.
They told me that they rented a
letter box in q shop It the corner.
The mail at the house was deposited
on the hatrack in the hall and examin
ed by each ledger as he went out or
came in and the colonel preferred the
greater privacy of pigeon-hole Cat a
rental of 30 cents month) in the
stationery and toy shop he passed
every day. This mail box and the
colopel's pipe were the only extrava-
gances. The pipe he never lighted
without first obtaining nod of per-
mission from his wife.
| | used to spend some time in the
fourth story room, reading books and
stories to Mrs. Frees, preparatory to
translating them-my means of live
lihood. The old lady fell i'll after l
had known her about six months.
Very gradually she grew weaker;
doctor came a few times, his treat
|
called upon him a day or two later
his verdict was simply general
dHtbns fsr of yI5sy ssi She cam msb dG
| live several years, though, with more
suitable food amt surroundings"
| noticed now, as Mrs. Frees grew
more helpless, moving about the room,
but never going out of doors and doing
| but little work on the folds of white
and pink satin, that when the colonel
was absent she talked always OF him
| and his work.
Little by little she told me a part of
+ their story. They had been we'll to do,
az supposed, not wealthy, but in
comfortable circumstances. A son
had ruined his father by an escapade
which drew upon his finances at time
when the use of his capital meant the
loss of all. 1 was never told what the
son had done, but he escaped exposure
and punishment. In 2 vague way l
had supposed that the son was dead
or had gone away, but later was
told that he "had position in a pub
lishiug house, "Gregory's salary is
very SMALL" his mother said, convey
ing an apology for his obvious neglect.
ct the impression that the old lady
told me these things with a definite
purpose in view. Probably she
thought l would look after the colonel
little when she had gone.
Palmer every day came the fact that
my friends money supply was very
low. The colonel's contributions, as
he called them, were never accepted
now. a fact which he attributed with
pathetic lightness to the absence of
i, f,-e
kept away from their room at meal
times and now and then | took some
delicacy to Mrs. Frees. The food that
she needed would have never been
accepted.
saw, too, that the old lady could
not live long. and one day 1 yentured
to ask if she would not allow me to
call upon her son. No; it was impos-
sible.
The colonel would never permit it.
He had not seen Gregory or mention
ed his name for years. Aud then the
mother defended her son from my un-
spoken Judgment.
He has been a good boy" she said
and would have helped us, only the
coloneln-And then she looked away.
Il have seen him every month"; she
told me.
But l could not accept his help.
The coIoner'-And here she stopped
again.
1t was easy to understand. She
would not accuse her husband of
harshness by a word or look. l urged
her again to permit me to see her son,
though l thought that the repression
of years would not break forth. 1t was
too late to mend, the end of her trial
must come soon and think she well
coined it if for a moment the colonel
left her mind.
l knew intuitively there was some
thing that weighed upon the invalid's
mind. She would look at IEe steadily
when she thought 1 was absorbed and
often l caught an expression that led
me to think that she was on the point
OF telling me something. l waited
patiently for her mind to be made up,
never doubling that she would finally
take me further into her confidence.
This came about one evening when
the colonel had gone out to the letter
box. Mrs. Frees listened for the faint
sound of the closing door below and
then called me to her chair.
There were minutes of hesitation
and then she turned her head away
and extended her hand to me. l saw
that she wanted me to take the key
she held.
''There are some-papers in the
locked drawer of my dresser, Arthur"
l heard her saying, "that want you
to carry to your room. The colonel
must not see them. And I think I
will sleep little now."
Quietly collected the letters from
the drawer and carried them to my
room. had asked no questions, be-
cause none seemed to be expected. In
a few minutes lighted the gas and
turned to place the bundle in my
trunk. In an instant as my eyes rest
ed on the packages | held, learned
the old lady's last secret. The pay
for the fancy articles could not have
been SO small as had thought. Here
were the coloners accepted contri-
buttons" Each envelope was ad-
dressed elizabeth Shippep, Box IA,
Fourth Ave, City. She had accept
ed" every one:
A few weeks 'terward 1 stood in
the cemetery and watched the
colonel's unsteady steps as he passed :
through the gates, his hand resting
heavily on his sons arm.
PAID HIS WAGER.
An Irishman, blessed with only
single copper, went into dramshop
in Belfast wondering how he could best