The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1900-11-08
MISS JARDIVE,S JELLY
.a44,4tGrees 0se4ep.p.


Gust for a short sketching trip; Mrs.
Muncie," Gilbert Keith explained, as he
looked into the snug sitting room,
where his landlady sat, deep in the To-
cal paper.
Where shall I forward your mail,
sir?"
She did not express surprise at his
sudden announcement. He had board
ed with her six years. She was accus-
toned to his abrupt decisions, n has
~ departures.
I'm not sure yet. I'll send you a
postal. Be back in a couple of weeks.
Awfully hot, isn't it? Good day, Mrs.
Muneie."
And the youthful face, silvery head,
and square shoulders vanished from the
doorway. But a minute or two later
the door was opened.
by the way, I've packed up a box OF
: magazines which have been accumulat-
ing unread. I may get a chance at
them now. I wish>ypu would have the
box set in the cellar, and III tell Jerry
to call for it, and ship it to me"
Very well. sir"
And then Mr.. Keith was out of the
house, and, walking down the elm
bordered street, looking erect and
young despite his As years and his
pr~ematurely silvered hair.
The faded, speetacled eyes of Mrs.
Muncie glanced after him with an air
of motherly proprietorship.
six years he's been here, bless him!
and a more considerate and kind gen
tleman the good Lord never made. A
letter for me, Mr.. Vicks?"
Mr.. Vicks, the mail carrier, had
paused at her gate, was turning in.
Eyes. Hot day. See Mr.. Keith is off.
Good afternoon, ma'am."
Mrs. Muncie turned her letter over,
stared at the superscriptfon, opened
the envelope and read:
my Dear Old Friend: I'm coming
down to you for, a. couple of weeks. |
have not written to you since l came
up 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
age to the commonplace but remunera-
tive employment of putting up fine jel-
lies. l have succeeded. I am doing
well. But l want a rest. So write me
a line saying if l would intrude, or if
any reason exists .why l. should not
impose upon you for a while. Aztec
tionately yours,
Margaret Jardine."
"A knock came to the door.
Come in" cried Mrs. Muncie. ooh,
it's you, Mrs. Wray! And here you've
caught me just a-cryin' for sheer joy
The letter in her hands trembled.
4"Here Miss Margaret-my dear Miss
margaret you've heard me tell about
ESQ often. an who I didn't know was
dead or alive-writes that she is com
ing to stay a spell with me-. You know
/ was housekeeper for her folks years
an years when they were the great
people of this part of the country, an
lived in that splendid palace on the
hill, that looks so forlorn an neglected
NOW. Her father failed in business, and
Tthe fact killed him. His wife didn't
ystay long after him. An there was my
dear Miss Margaret-only a slip of a
girl of eighteen, flung out on the world
to earn her own living. I begged her
to stay with me-but she couldn't be
dependent. But now-well, there! you
may read for yourself"
And she handed her sympathetic
neighbor the letter.
Two days later Mrs. Muncie, potter
ing away over some crab-apple mar
malade, glanced up at an elegant in
truder who had come u%nbidden into
her kitchen, a stately, graceful, fash
1onably attired oma with a delicate,
patrician face, deep blue eyes, and a
beautiful mouth.
"Bless my soul!" cried Mrs. Muncie,
eff it isn't my dear Miss Margaret
1And then the faithful old soul had Miss
Jardine in her arms, and was laughing
and crying over her at once.
"And SO you are putting up pre-
serves" said Margaret, half an houl
later, as she sat slipping her tea. "I'm
going to help you. I'm an expert now
o know" laughing; "a profes,
sional."
And this, despite Mrs. Muncie's half.
shocked protestations, she insisted or
doing. But when she looked at the
jellies Margaret made her admiration
was unbounded. Such lovely colors!'
she exclaimed, beaming at the filled
glasses. 'Such rose and crimson anf
amber, and ali so crystal clear! How
did you ever learn to make EN- like
fhat2 You won't he offended will uo,