The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1899-12-09

MY utAIs DEeft GIRL dLu MIS-. tlaN-
ley folded her daughter in warm en-
brace. Il am proud OF you, Kate"
Don't be proud yet. Wait until get
10 teaching" said honest Kate. Il 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
letter." she said, over and over again.
to her mother. at seems so strange"
probably the place was filled before
your application arrived" said Mrs.
Hawley.
Then they ought 10 apprise me of
the fact" said Kate. 1T is so late now
that il would be useless for me to APP
ply to the agency again. The schools
all over the country will begin in less
than two weeks. Poor Jackl lam glad
we didn't tell him about it. If It'll such
terrible disappointment TO me, what
would il have been to him?"
And at that very moment poor Jack"
was carrying about with him in the
cornfield the letter his sister wanted so
much. 1t had been given TO him by Mr..
Pilling several days before, and he had
thrust IL carelessly into his "oat pocket.
and straightaway forgotten all about it
in the excitement of hearing his neigh
Dor tell Of n lucky haul of back bass
which had been made in the liver that
morning.
Kate wrote again TO Camden, aud on
the day when an answer was due she
walked all the way to the village, dis
lance OF two miles, TO get her mail her.
self, feeling that in the present state
of her mind she could not trust that
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 you
ill?" she cried.
Kate made no answer, but silently
AlNN ilOhi pOth1N IL tluHlltd anu
tear-stained letter, and threw il on the
table; then. throwing herself on the
sofa, she covered her face with her
hands and began to cry silently.
Mrs. Hawley opened the letter and
read it aloud. 1t ran as follows:
Miss Kate Hawley:
Your note OF inquiry is al hand, and in
reply, / would state that / returned a
favorable answer to your application three
weeks ago, and requested you TO inform
me IL you would be ready TO enter upon
your duties September 4. After waiting a
reasonable time TO hear from you, and re-
ceiving neither letter nor telegram, sup
posed you did not desire the position, so
offered IL to another lady. who is now with
us. Regretting that my letter failed to
yours respectfully,
CHARLES MAITLAND"
Don't cry; please don't cry, Kate"
said Fan, down whose own cheeks the
tears were streaming. ut wasn't your
fault, dear"
What's 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 keep
the secret any longer, and so sobbed out
the whole story from beginning to end.
1--WE can't understand how the letter
was lost" she said, in conclusion. Mr..
Pilling is the only one outside the fam
ily 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, hesitated
n moment, then drew 1t out again with
something in it.
rs that the letter." he asked, hold
ing out the one Mr.. Pilling had given
him in the cornfield, three weeks ago.
There was no need to ask questions.
Jacks face told them all they wanted to
know, and they let him leave the room
without n word, and when he did not
appear Mt supper time they did not re-
mark upon his absence.
But when supper was over, and the
lamps had been lighted in the sitting
room, and still he did not come in, Kate
crept upstairs to his room, and, enter
ing softly, found him lying on the sofa
in the dark, his face hidden on his
arms.
Jack, dear Jack!" she whispered,
never mind. Early next summer will
apply TO the agency again, and / am
sure to get n place them
For moment Jack did not answer.
Then suddenly he sat up and let his sis
ter see his white, haggard face.
II deserve it ALL" he said, in low,
tense voice. ITS n just punishment.
but, oh, Kate, IL is such hard onel
And even il you do get place next
year, and / go to college then, / can
never forget that / have lost whole
year,"
lie never did forget IL.
The year of waiting was long and
weary Que, and stamped itself indelibly
on his memory. but in il he learned to
overcome his one great fault-he was
cured forever of the heedlessness which
had cost him so dear.-Golden Days.