Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1899-03-01

preatheu III. every gesture of her upfift-
ed arms and swaying body. 1t was
wrath personified, and yet an unreason-
ing wrath. One could SEQ she was as
much dazed as outraged. Her lares and
penates We're being attacked, and she
had come from the heart Of her solitude
to defend them.
81 declared murmured Hannah. cit
is pitiful. She has nothing in the world
but that garden, and now they arc 60
ing to root it up"
"Do you think, said I, "that the
sight Of little money would appease
her?' wished an excuse for dropping
q word into the ear of Mr.. Gryce
"Perhaps, said Hannah. "She dear
ly loves money, but it will not take
away her fright.
cit will if she has nothing to be
frightened about" said I, and turning
to the girls l asked them, somewhat
mincingly for me, if they thought I
would make myself conspicuous if
crossed the road on this errand, and
when Loreen answered that that would
not deter her if she had the money and
Lucetta added that the sight Of such
misery was too painful for any mere
personal consideration took advantage
of this complaisance and hastily made
my way over to tho group, who were de-
batting as to the point they would at
tack first
"Gentlemen," said I, "good morn
ing. am here on an GRAND of mercy.
Poor old Mother Jane is half imbecile
and does not understand why you in
wade her premises with these imple-
ments. Will you object if endeavor to
distract her mind with little piece Of
gold l happen to have i'll my pocket? She
may not deserve it, but it will make
your task easier and save us some posi-
BILE concern"
Half of the men at once took off their
hats The other half nudged each 9TH
er's elbows and whispered and grimaced
like the fools they were. The first half
were gentlemen, though not all of them
wore gentlemen's clothes.
1t was Mr.. Gryce who spoke:
Certainly, madam. Give the old
woman anything you please. butt
And here he stepped up to mo and be-
gan to whisper: "You want something.
What is it?''
! answered in the same quick way.
"The mine you thought exhausted has
still its possibilities. Question Lucetta.
1t may prove moro fruitful task than
turning up the soil"
The bow he made was more for the
onlookers than for the suggestion had
given him. Yet he was not ungrateful
for the latter, as I, who was beginning
to understand him, could see.
"Give it'll" he cried out aloud. 1--WE
would not disturb the old crone if it
were not for one of her we'll known
follies. Nothing will take her over 40
rods away from her home. Now what
lies within those 40 rods? These men
think we ought to see"
The shrug gave answered both the
open and the underlying question. Sat.
listed that he would understand it SO
hurried away from him and approached
Mother Jane.
"Seem said I, astonished at the regu-
larity of her features, now that had a
good opportunity Of observing them. 81
have brought you money. Let them dig
up your turnips if they will. /"
She did not seem to perceive me. Her
eyes We're wild with disnay and her
lips trembling with passion far be-
yond my power to comfort.
"Lizziel" she cried. "Lizzie She
will come back and find no home. Oh,
my poor girl! My poor, poor grip
TWAS pitiable. could not doubt her
anguish or her sincerity. The delirium
Of broken heart cannot be simulated.
And this heart was not controlled by
reason; that was equally apparent to
any one who could see Immediately
my heart, which goes out slowly, but
none the less truly OH that account, was
touched by something more than the
surface sympathy of the moment. She
may have stolen, she may have done
worse, she may even have been at the
bottom of the horrible crimes which
have given its name to tho lane we
were i'll, but her acts, if acts they were,
were tho result of clouded mind fixed
forever upon the fancied needs of an
other and not the expression of personal
turpitude or even of personal longing
OF avarica Therefore could pity her,
and did.
Making snother appeal, pressed the
coin hard into one of her hands till the
contact effected what my words had
been unable to do, and she finally look
ed down and saw what she was clutch
ing. Then indeed she changed, and in .
few minutes of slowly growing oompre
hension became so quiet and absorbed
that she forgot to look at the men anG
even forgot Inc, whowas probably moth
ing more than a fitting shadow to her
TO RE CONTINUED.