Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-10-05


down on the bed in the little chamber
on the landing. while she hurriedly
prepared a cup of tea The girl drank
thirstily, but ate nothing, and when
Mary babe her rest quietly she sank
back among the pillows and closed
her eyes.
William heard the story from his
wife at breakfast. tPoor wench," he
heS means o. ivin'. Did she say as how
she found her way up hither?"
"Ay," said Mary, '!she had watched
kind words she'd heard for many
day, an she were a bit touched like.
You see, lad, her mother died a month
ago, an her father she can scarce rec
lect, for he only lived till she were a
year ovid. She's had to support herself
WI fortune tellin', an as there were
naught doin' i town, she thought she
might make summat i tn country
Half-starved she has been; Lordi
there's scarce scrap o. flesh on her
bones!"
"Well,' said William, 81 reckon she
must stop here till her strength comes
back, anyhow
81 knew you'd say that, WILL" re-
sponded the old woman, "for you were
ne'er one to shirk doin' kind deed.
Ay, We'll look after her; you see, tn
little birds as good as said fine news
were comm, an it Id be ungrateful
none to reward her.
Later in the day Guiseppa's talk be.
came SO wild and unintelligible that
William was dispatched to the village
for DR.. Hattersley. When he came and
found that the girl was in high fever
he suggested that the workhouse am
bulanceshould be fetched. Mary heard
him with some Impotence and fatty
refused to take his advice.
eth poor things goin' to bide here
till she's BETTER she said. Give al
ways been reckoned a decent nurse,
an I can look after her as well as any
young madam wi white cap"
'Eh!" said the doctor, with grim
ace. II suppose you'll have your own
way. But you must know that it will
be great responsibility. You're far
from strong yourself"
80, I'm right enow at last, doctor,"
replied Mary. you see, it's come to
me as our lads alive after all and so
I've gotten summat to look forward
to. It I'D be unlucky, besides bein'
wrong, to turn away Giuseppe, when
she made her way here, Lord knows
how, because she thought we'd help
her."
The kindly doctor had nothing more
to urge, and SO Giuseppe became an
inmate of Scraperlowe. She was Sc
riously ill for several weeks, but her
constitution was good (she came of fine
Tuscan peasant stock), and before the
time of. the first snowstorm she was
able to be moved downstairs and to sit
in big armchair by the fire. AS she
grew stronger she began to speak of
her departure, but Mary always 81
fenced her tenderly.
Its for you to choose, wench," she
said at last. s'My master an I'd be
main, sorry if you left us, for we've
come to care for you more than lit
tie. Why none stay wi us for good?-
there's many an many thing as you
can help wi. You see, Giuseppe, 1 be
gettin' owd.''
| The girl thanked her with luminous
eyes and from that day began to work
| in the place as if it were her own home,
taking such an active interest that the
old folk could scarce express their adj
! miration. The healthy life developed
her southern beauty until she was re-
garded as the loveliest woman of the
countryside. The respect and devo-
ton which she showed toward her pro-
tectors was really touching, and as the
months passed they began to look upon
her as their own flesh and blood. She
had the daintiest imaginable hand for
butter making, and the poultry under
her care was reared with admirable
success.
| Mary's idea of her having brought
luck was confirmed in the following
| spring, when William received let
| ter from a London lawyer, declaring
him heir to the property of an almost
forgotten kinsman. The fortune was
large enough to keep them for the rest
of their lives without working; but
neither cared to give up the life on the
old farm, and they resolved to leave it
untouched till Will came back. Their
faith in his existence was rewarded at
moving time by letter addressed in
the lads own bold handwriting. In it
they found that he had been cast ashore
on the South American coast, and that
he had lain some months in hospital
He had written as soon as he was able,
but he feared that his letters had mis-
carried. His left arm, shattered in the
shipwreck, had been amputated, and
even if he had desired it he was nc
longer fit for seafaring life. In short
he was longing to see his old father and
mother again and to work on the lit
tie farm with all his might.
After that, not day passed without
their expecting his arrival. 1t was not
however, until the harvest that he