The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1899-04-29
5 elett Sturp.
MATTIE'S GOOD WORK.

The doctor, >ay he cannot live more
than a few DAYS longer
Matte Colwell had been lnquiriug how
il tarei with Simou Hartwrirht the rich
man e Upham, who lay wasting with
fatal Illness, Not a Young man, yet one
whu carried htty seven wears a erectly a.
thirty. and who had borne promise Of a
hong hse before the fatal disease came sud
denly to end hi, hope In the aud lang
sync which every man aud woman past
their tirst youth carries in their heart
Simon Har,wright had wooed pretty Mat
tie Colwpll aud won her love. Before
gheJr tetu,thal Wa six months old when
the hover, were driving ouE together, the
hers, had taken fright, run away, and
Matte Wa thrown oui aud crippled tor
lIte When this was an established fact
ih, sjri had hidden her lover farewell and,
refusing al IN, warm cntreatl's. had taken
~ the burden II her life alone \, years
rallei by her in6rai,ie, had increased,
uuuI At 6fty she was a feeble old women
beside the ~trun.. Stalwart lover Of her
yauih
Il had bccn one If the rare eases where
laye had mellowcsi into life lons friendship,
though Simou had married ard lost his
wife and had one son living. estranged
from his father 4 -on upon whom Matte
had lourr,i OUT al the mother hove that
esrry woman hides in her heart
RuI while SORROW, pain and loneliness
had never hardened Matte heart, but
ltit il at fity a tender purc and true a
i. Was II seventeen, Simon Hartwright bad
grown hard and stern. devoted 20 money
making. aud fun Of worldly Wisdom.
When hi, old love had tim,dly tried 70 heal
the breach between himself aud Edward,
his first born. he had repulsei her good
office, -o ~,er,,ly that she had never dared
repeat them, and ouly comforted her heart
by corresponding with the boy she loved
- well
But the tat had gone forth that over
came al womanly timidlty, aud Matte,
when her question was answered, went
slowly 10 her own room, her head bowed
aud tear, cOur.iag down her withered
checks Ouer there. she knelt and prayed,
long and trryently She rose from her
knees very pale, but with a steady light IN
her soft, brown eyes, and, putting on her
de,nure. Quaker ike bonnet and cape.
went ont into the chill, winter air. All
about her the snow fakes whlrled IN the
bitter wind. but she went forward till she
s,1-d a the do,,r Of the great white house
Simon cartwright had built for hls home.
The hou,ekeeper. who opened the door,
knew Miss Matte well; for the crippled
old maid was beloved by every man, woman
aud child in tpham, for her gentle char
tic, and noble, self sacrificing life
II IN clad YOU We come to SEE Mr.. Hart
wright, SAID the housekeeper, for he Is
very bad today He can lie down now
At All, without suffocatins spells. Will
YOU 20 up
Up 10 a lofty room, luxurious fur
nished. where the sick man sat in great
arm chair, far away from the ruddy great
ire that tortured his lungs.
With smile that but few people ever
saw upau his hard face, Simon cartwright
stretched out his hand to Matte Colwell.
Il felt sure YOU would come when they
told vou how bad | was, he said, folding
her little white hand in his own, almost as
white now. You have not been my
friend Of late, Matte p?
Always Your friend, Simon, was the
answer. shut thinking you wrong IN one
act Of your life 1t Is for that | am here.
She threw aside her HAT and cape as she
spoke. and took chair beside the invalid.
Upon his face had gathered hard frown.
His lips were firmly closed, and his eyes
cruel as death Undaunted, Matte said
You will forgive Ned, Simon ?
Never He disobeyed me where |
had most set my heart.
He married Lucy Wheaton, loving
her.
"A girl whose father was common
drunkard who died in delirium tremens
and was buried by charity.
But a good, pure girl, who nobly did
her duty to father and baby sister till both
died. A loving, tender girl, against whom
there was no whisper of reproach, and a
faithful good wife now for three years.
You will not die unforgiving
Il have made my will. 1t is here,
and he opened drawer in the liable beside
him. There are some legacles, but the
bulk of my fortune goes to found library
in Upham, this house to be used for the
purpose. Ned will have five hundred dol
lars
,'Oh, Simon, destroy that will =
.When Edward deied me, when he
chung to the girl detested and secretly
married her, told him he was my son no
longer. He has lived for three years away
from me-