The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-06-14

or it IL or a spot Wnere the sun snone
more brightly than elsewhere. The
mingled scents Of the flowers and the
salt sea are as fresh and sweet as tha
story that was enacted here years ago.
Matte was maid to Miss Priscilla
and her sister, Miss Miriam, who dwelt
| i'm the cottage then. When little more
than a child she was taken home" by
the two elderly spinsters. who dealt
| most kindly by the orphan from that
day.
The Misses Lorimer were spoken of
| as very genteel ladies'" although their
antecedents We're unknown. They had
settled i'm the fishing hamlet when both
were still comparatively young. but
they had always maintained a marked
reserve, and had mixed little with the
inhabitants.
ON the day Matte learned something
Of the past and realized fully the pre-
carious future OF her old ladies. life
became an astounding, but above all.
stern reality TO her. A letter came that
morning addressed I'm a strange= hand
IN Miss Lorimer. The postmark was
"London"-that far-of place associat-
ed In Mattie's mind with pavements OF
gold and the palatial homes OF wealthy
bankers-it was there the banker lived
who was own brother 10 the Misses
Lorimer.
Matte handed the letter TO Miss
Priscilla where she sat at the head OF
the frugal but dainty breakfast table.
and left the room. The door was all
but closed when she heard her mistress
cry.
He is dead, Miriam. oh, Mirar>
George is dead,'
held Matte
What" cried Miss Miriam. mo.
no. IL is not possible. The debt! God
would not call him home before his
work was done"
His work is done. The last Of the
debt was cleared a week ago" Miss
Priscilla answered with forced calm
that hurt the listener more than her
poignant cry. The letter rustled In the
old lady's trembling fingers with the
sound OF autumn leaves i'm the wintry
wind, and Miss Miriam's low moaning
intensified the effect OF sudden storm
and disaster.
George gone. George gone-and he
the youngest We have nobody now.
What will become OF us?" Fear made
the last words faint.
I'VE have God" said Priscilla.
You do not say, our Father" Mi
RAMS voice had hardened strangely.
Don't sister. don't" cried the elder,
quickly. Your bitterness gives him
another wrong to answer for at the
Last iudgment-and he has surely
enough"
Poor father! You are right. sis
ter"
A sorrowful silence fell on the sunny
room. the windows OF which faced the
south and the sea.
The thoughts OF the sisters were in
communicable even 10 each other.
hax
years" Mi.lam remarked after a tifne.
"Ay, he grudged the expense OF the
long journey--dear laddie!" Priscilla's
voice broke in dry sob. but neither of
the sisters had shed tear. They
would not mourn too grevously the
brother whose life had been so noble in
their eyes in its stern devotion to a
high ideal of rectitude. Besides. they
had known a worse sorrow than such
a death as George Lorimer's can
bring.
What does the lawyer say about
about his circumstances" II was Nil
riam who put the anxious question She
was one OF those timid women who live
i'm constant fear OF destitution-they
who are instinctively conscious, poor
things, of their incapacity
"He had a decent burial, and-and
there seems to be a little over-enough
TO do our turn"
Thank God,
1t was at this moment the little maid
outside the door burst into uncontrol-
liable weeping and the elder Of the sis
ters rose from her place and followed
her TO the kitchen.
Through her tears the girl saw how
Miss Priscillas expression altered
when alone with her--it had turned To
one of blank despair
Matte" she whispered. Il must tell
l. ta.al. fsaR
me. | had to spare poor Miriam, but
that was a falsehood told her"
You may call it that. mann don't
and Matte set her lips In "A determined
way she had. while a look OF loving
admiration shone through her tears.
I'm fra, "a you don't understand, Mat
tie" continued Miss Priscilla speaking
with painful effort. 'Hy sister and l
viii be hard put TO ii noM not 10 starYe
NV brother is dead. We have nothing
10 depend on for a living-nothing and
nobody"
you've me-" quoth Matte 'brusque-
"we'H not be able 10 afford a servant
now. Matte" said the old lady yer.
sorrowfully.
you'll have a servant. Miss Priscilla
as long as I've a par of hands TO do
your work
And for no reasoning OF Miss Pris.
elias would Matte bulge an inch from
her decision.
Miss Lorimer had a feeble constitM
tlon. and the shock OF her brothers
sudden death made chronic invalid
OF her Miss Miriam was almost as
helpless in her way. and II is hard 10
tell what would have become OF the
sisters had Il not been for Matte. She
was their sole support. but the remark
able thing IL that nobody knew II ex-
cept the poor old Miss Priscilla her
self. The girl guarded her mistress
pride as carefully as II it were her own
As soon as possible Mattie started the
various small industries by which she
managed to keep the pot boiling fo1
three. The little white house belonged
to the sisters and that lessened her diff
ficulties somewhat: still. IL was no ligh;
task she had undertaken. She was at
work early and late. and was w,thal
the cheeriest little woman you would
meet I'm days march
To the villagers who uuizzed her
about her industry and her earnings
she declared she was laying by fof
her providing she was not minded
TO be n portionleSs bride