Hutchinson gazette., 1900-09-27
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
A BoX OF JELLY.


Mrs. Muncle." Gilbert Keith explained,
ns he locked into the snug sitting room
where his landady sut, deep In u local
paper. -
"Whert shall | forward your mnil?"
She did not eXpitfs surprise at his
sudden announcement, lie had board.
ed with her six years, She wus nccuB.
toned to his abrupt decisions and has.
ty departures,
I'm NOT sure yet, I'll send you a
postal BE back In n couple Of weeks.
Awfully hot, isn't it? Good day, Mrs.
Munce."
And the youthful face ai'vcry head
ind square shoulders vanished from
the doorway, But minute or two
later the door was opened.
"By the way, I've packed up a box
OF magazines which have been acoum'
ulatlng unread, ! may get chance
0t them now, wish you would have
the boz set In the cellar, and tell jerry
to call Tor II and ship 1t to me-"
"Nery well, sir"
And then Mr., Keith went out OF the
house, and, walking around the elm
bordered street, looking erect and
young despite his IS years and his pre-
maturely silvery hair,
The faded, specialized eyes Of Mrs.
Muacle glanced after him with an air
cf mo.herly proprietorship,
"SlS years he's be,t here, bless him!
md more considcr0tc. kind gentle
man the good Lord never made, a let
ter for me, Mr.. Vlcls?'
Mr., Vicks, the mail carrier, had
paused ut her gate, was turning in.
"Nes, Hot dNy, See Mr., Keith is
Of. Good afternoon mNOm,"
Mrs, Muncie turned her letter over,
stared Mt the superscripton, opened
the envelope and read
"My Dear Old Friend-Im coming
down to you for couple Of weeks,
] have not written to you since l came
to this city seven years ago to earn
my living with my wonderful accom-
plishments' But I've found there is
no lack Of teachers Of languages, that
my voice Is not SO divine as my friends
assured me, and so settled down long
ago to the commonplace but remun-
erntive employment Of putting up fine
iellies. have succeeded. ] am doing
well. But ! want rest SO write me
a line saying II would intrude, or II
any reason exists why l should not
impose upon you for awhile. Afrec-
tionately yours,
"MARGARET JARDINE."
A knock came TO the door.
"Come inl" cried Mrs. Nlncie, "0h,
II is you, Mrs. Wroy! And here you
have caught me crying for sheer Joy"
The letter in her hands trembled.
Here Miss MargNret-my dear Miss
Margaret you've heard me tell about
so often, an who | didn't know was
dead or allye-writcs that She is COM
ing to stay spell with me, Nouknow,
| was housekceper for her
folks for years nm years
when they were great people
Of this part Of the country an lived in
that splendid palace on the hill that
looks forlorn an neglected now, Her
father failed in business, and the fact
killed him. His wife didn't stay long
after him. An' there was my dear Miss
Morgarct-'only girl of IS, flung out
on the world to earn her own living.
! begged her TO stay with me, but she
couldn't be dependent, But now--wcll,
tbere You can read for yourself"
And she handed her sympathetic
neighhor the ,Ner
Two days later Mrs. Muncie, potter.
ing away over crubapplc marmal0de,
glanced up ut an elegant intruder who
had come unbiddcn into her Kitchen,
stately, graceful, fashionubly at,ired
woman with delicate paTician face,
deep blue eyes and Il beautiful mouth.
"Bless my soul!" cried Mrs. Muncie,
"if II isn't my dear Miss Margaret"
And then the faithful old soul had
Miss Jnrdine in her arms and was
laughing and crying over her at once.
"And so You are pNtting up pre-.
serves sid Norgaret, half an hour ,,
later, hs she sat slipping her tea. I'm
going to help you, I'm an expert, You
know" laughing, IA professional"
And this, despite Mrs. Muncie's half.
shocked proteSta;ions she insisted on
doing. But when she looked at the
iellies Margaret made, her admiration
was unbounded. "Such lovely colors!" |
she exclaimed, bcNming at the filled !
glasses. Such rose and crimson am.
ber, and all so crystal clear! How did |
you ever learn TO make 'em like that?
You won't be offended, will you, dear
IL I send a box Of 'em up TO my sister
that lievs up in jessup county? She is
an invalid, an they'd be such a treat
to her"
81 shall feel fattered if you do So"
Margaret assured her.
SO the box was packed and put in the
cellar, and Mrs, Numce went down
town to engnge the drGyman 10 come
and get it. But during her absence,
fate, in the person of Jerry, the porter
of the firm of Keith & Co.. intcrposcd.
Jerry had been sent to get the box
out of Mrs. Muncie's cellar. Margaret,
she had sent theeXpressman
for the box, went down in the cellar
with him and pointed out the boz con-
tuining the jelly.
There is no address on IT," she said.
"Do you know where it is to go?"
"Ies, miss That's all right. I've
got the card in my pocket"
When Mrs. Muncie appeared with
man and wagon Margaret explained
that the box had been called for.