Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1900-09-20

to her sister:
"Ann, do you think that you and the
little boys could get along without me
I for two or three days and nights If !
got Jane Lewis, the seamstess, to come
in and stay nights with your"
I'D rather have her than anyone
else. But where are you going, Mar
tha?"
Pm going to place called Louis,
borough on a matter of business, said
Martha, with an air of Importance.
She would have liked to keep her
going a secret, but this was impossible
in little town like Osborne. By the
time she was ready to start the entire
village knew where she was going and
with what purpose. The general opin-
ion was that it was fools errand,"
but Martha was not to be moved.
1t took her a day and a night to go
to Louisborough. She had never been
in such a large city, and the hurry and
hustle confused her. Some one in o.
borne had told her to ask policeman
how to find Mr.. eyes house, and when
she saw a blue-coated officer at one end
of the station platform, she went up to
him and said:
Can you tell me where Mr.. Justin D,
eye liveS?'
He lives three or four miles from
here, miss, but his place Of business
isn't more than five minutes walk"
81 don't think that l want to go to
his house. l want to see him on-on-
business"
"Then you'd better go to his office.
Go right up this street until you come
to X street. Half block down that
you'll come to big marble front build
ing. You'll find Mr.. eyes Office in that
building. Take the elevator, and the
elevator boy will show you just where
1t is"
Martha's timid, forlorn appearance
appealed to this big guardian Of the
law, and moved him to be thus explicit.
1t was well for Martha that she did
not hear him say as she moved away:
what can she want with old eye?
If she's on begging errand, she'd bet
ter save her breath"
Martha easily found the marble
building, and her heart began to futter
a little when she saw shining brass
plate at the side of the doors, with the
name Justin D. eye" on it in black let
tiers. Below the plate she read:
"Rooms "A and &c."
%o1y oil o4nr Init
climbed the marble stairway, and at
the head of the first fight she found
rooms "A and &c, with Mr.. eyes name
on both doors.
An almost irresistible impulse to flee
from the place and take the first train
for Osborne seized Martha. The very
atmosphere Of the place chilled and de-
pressed her. It's marble splendor made
her realize her shabby appearance. Her
dusty, worn old shoes looked out of
place on the marble floor. The cheap
ness of her black skirt, her worn jack
ct and faded straw hat impressed itself
upon her. Her ungloved hand trembled
as she laid it on the shining brass door
knob.
In the room she entered, half dozen
clerks were at their desks, and there
were other clerks in room beyond.
A boy in livery came forward and asked
her whom she wanted to see.
"Mr. Gye," replied Martha.
Hes busy" was the reply.
II could wait" said Martha.
"Have you a card to send in?"
mo" replied Martha, with blush.
You'll have to send in your name
first"
"My name is Martha Coombs."
The boy motioned toward three or
four chairs near the door.
you can sit down and wait, and I'll
take in your name when Mr.. eyes pres
| ent caller goes"
Martha waited an hour and half,
during which time she regained her
self-possession. Other persons who
came in and asked to see Mr.. eye were
told to wait, and they, too, sat down
in the row of chairs near the door.
At the end of an hour and half the
boy came up to Martha and said:
"Mr. eye says you can come in"
She passed into the private room. A
portly, p0mpous-looking man sat at
rosewood desk. His manner was almost
harsh, as he said:
you wanted to see me-"
"Yes, sir"
81 am extremely busy, and can give
yop but a few minutes. What do you
want?"
Il came from Osborne, which is sew
eral hundred miles from here, to bring
you this"
Martha walked forward and handed
Mr.. eye the old, faded, outlawed note.
she stood quietly by his desk and
watched him as he read it.
"There is something written on the
other side, SIR" she said, quietly, when
he had read the note and let it fall. lie
took it up and read her fathers words
on the back of the note. His hand
trembled and his eyes were downcast
when the note again fell to his desk.
Martha fancied that he looked lit
tie pale, and she saw him bite his lip
under his gray mustache. He put one
hand over his eyes. His other arm fell
heavily at his side. There was silence
in the room for fully minute; then,
with his hand still before his eyes, he
asked, in a husky voice:
"Where did you get this?"
81 found it among some old papers OF
my fathers, sir
"Are you Jared Coombs' daughter"'
eyes, sir"
"And is he living YETI"
"No, sir. He died five days ago, and
brought the note to you because he died
so poor that have not dollar for the
support of my sister and my three little
brothers, and 1 want to keep them to-
gether if 1 can. 1 read in paper about
how prosperous you were, sir, and al
though the note is 'outlawed,' felt
that you might feel willing to pay some
thing on it."