Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1900-01-04

Hush! Waller will hear YOU" inter
rupted Mr.. Birdsey. His window /.
wide Open"
II don't care IL he does hear me.'
snapped Mrs. Hall. HE ought to have
been ashamed Of himself, coming hers
under such circumstances as this. Blu,
he clears, sick or well, before sunset
this very night There are public hos
pitfalls enough, suppose"
Plenty OF en-" said Mr.. Birdsey
dryly; "and while he Is waiting for all
the rcd-tape forms to he gone through
with, In order to gain admission, he
will most likely die In the street"
"Well, let him die" said Mrs. Hall
That's no business of mine that
know off,
NIFTY looked ut me. Hooked at Nit
ty. Our eyes both sparkled mute tele.
graphic messages to each other--and
rose up and spoke, our of the choking,
indignant fullness of my heart.
"Mrs. Hail." cried I, Mr.. Waller
may come here. whoever he is. A sick
man, friendless and alone, should be
able to claim brotherhood with all
the world. NIFTY and l will take care
of him until he Is able to take care of
| himself"
Mrs. Hall took us mt our word with
extreme promptitude. and before night
fall poor Bernard Waller was snugly
ensconced i'm the little vacant room
over the wing-a pale, ghostly- looking
creature. babbling idly of people and
places on the Continent that we never
had heard of. Or. Millett shook his
head gravely.
"He is very sick man. was his
verdict.
Kate" whispered NIFTY, when the
doctor was gone and the sick man was
all still and settled for the night, sup
pose-suppose he should die"
''In that case, NIFTY, don't think we
should ever repent that we had done
our duty"
Il am sure we should not" said Nit
ty. softly.
But Bernard Waller did not die. He
got well-and, OF course, according to
all the rules of true love, he lost his
heart to Mittys porcelain-blue eyes and
pretty face.
You'll never allow your sister to
marry painter said Mrs. Hall, spite
fully.
I'm sure I've no objections to her
becoming an artists wife, as long as
they love each other" said /, laughing.
"Well. really" said Mrs. Hall, ''if it
were my Henrietta"
But it isn't your Henrietta" / in
terrupted, a little sharply. 1T is our
NIFTY. And she has chosen to suit her
self, and /, for one, am entirely salts
fed"
Well they were married in a quiet
sort of way. / am reaching the end
of my story now-the romance that IT,
radiated our lives, when the cake was
cut, and the simple natural rose buds
wilted, and NIFTY and Bernard had
gone on their tour, with humble little
me along in the capacity of bridesmaid.
We had Travelled all day, and to-
we drove into the gates of spacious
old place, where the octagonal towers
and ivy-mantled walls cleaned white
ly through the twilight.
"Oh, what a fine old place." said Nit
ty. "Ah, look mt that lovely, glittering
fountain and the beds Of scarlet gera-
mum, and the pretty, timid deer cycling
us from beneath the dropping boughs
of elm and beech. Bernard, are you
going to sketch this placer
II may, in time" said my sisters
husband, composedly, as he sprang out
and opened the carriage door.
Are we going to get out here, Ber-
nard? Do you know the people?"
But before he could answer the great
carved oak doors flew open, revealing
a stately entrance hall, with wood
fire burning ut the further end and a
moss-colored carpet on the floor. Wax
lights glowed softly, pictures cleaned
down from the walls, chairs upholster-
ed in violet velvet stood around. To
NIFTY and me it was like glimpse of
fairy land.
"Who lives here, Bernardo" still per-
sisted NIFTY, as she advanced timidly
up the broad marble steps.
II do. Welcome home, sweet wife;
welcome home, sister,"
/ stared blankly ut his bright face.
But, Bernard, we thought you were
poor"
Did 1 ever say / was? When / came
to Berwickville to sketch the Berwick
Falls l certainly saw no occasion to
proclaim my private affairs to the good
people there. l engaged a room at
Mrs. Halls because il was convenient
to the falls. When was Ill and deliri-
Gus i could not tell the truth. When
I knew how good and true you two
dear girls were ! resolved that could
wait and give you surprise. I was
only an amateur artist, dear. l am
rich, but am Bernard Waller STILL"
Now, wasn't that equal to anything
you will find in three-volume novel?
And, you see, 1t really happened to
NIFTY and me, and we are fine ladies
now and drive about in our open
barouche and cream-colorcd horses,
and arrange flowers out of our own
conservatory, and have cook great
deal grander than ourselves. And you
can guess how discounted Mrs. Hall
and Henrietta were when they first
heard of it.