Catoctin clarion., 1900-10-25
A REWARD OF PATIENCE.
ANNA SHIELDS

CRATE fire, with table before .ler, upon
which were piles Of playing cards. Her
face was intent, her eyes fastened upon
the game, as she took the cards from a
pack in her hand and put them, one by
one. upon the various piles on the table.
Doctor Thorman. her nephew, q tall,
broad -shouldered man Of thirty, sat op-
posite to her, the newspaper he had
been reading lying on his knees. and his
eyes, too, watching the game.
Jack on the ten,' he said, and his
voice, coming loudly upon the profound
silence, 80 startled the old lady. that
the cards in her hand fell upon the floor
as she looked up.
'Oh, what shamev the doctor cried,
as he gathered up the scattered pieces
of card board. Ut was almost outl By
the way, Aunt Hilda, don't you get
dreadfully tired of playing Patience
every EVENING"
'Sometimesl But l cannot read or sew
By gas-light, and l get tired of knitting
wish knew some new games
The doctor smiled. He had little
surprise in store for the old lady.
T'll show you an entirely new one,'
he said, >one invented last evening
after you went to bed. We will call it
THE Kings Reception
AS he spoke. he gathered up the cards
upon the table, and began to shuttle
them. Then, as he took them from the
pack, he explained the combination he
had planned, an ingenious variation
upon the games he had seen his aunt
play. The old lady was delighted. 1t
was even better than knitting stitch,
a new one of which had been her last
pleasure.
And you really invented it, Harry
she said how clever and how kind, for
I am sure it was only to please me-
\ would do much more than that to
please you, Aunt Hilda,' he said; but
the words touched upon tender spot
IN the old lady's heart and the tears
suddenly gathered in her eyes end roll.
ed down her cheeks.
And yet you are going to London,
and may die before you come back
she sobbed.
\ must co., was the grave reply. u
would not leaye you except for posi-
tive duty, auntie. l will not stay one
hour after my business Is finished
And shall have to send for Roberts
girl. l always hated her mother. l
know Just what silly piece of atlecta-
ton Jessie Cassiday would have for a
daughter
Perhaps not. She may be like her
father
Who died when she was two years
old. thought had done my duty by
the child when sent her to Mrs Moran s
school to have her educated as teacher.
| have left her ten thousand dollars in
my will
YOU ought to leave her at least half
if not all Of your property the doctor
said, emphatically. You have no one
else but me to share it, and l have my
fathers money and my own profession.
Daisy should have a home here while
you live, and what you will leave
There, there! I've heard that opinion
hundred times already. You are very
ungrateful! with more tears.
No, DO not say that! am most deep.
ly grateful for motherly love all my
life, for happy home, for life free
from care and trouble, Aunt Hilda.
What owe you can meyer repay.
But the money
Don't say any more. I'll have the
girl here while you are in London, since
you insist upon 1t; but my money is my
own and will leave it where / please.
Now show me your game again. Kings
In square in the centre?'
And an honr was passed in studying
the new combination.
A week later, in the same drawing
room at Sunnyslope on the Hudson,
Miss Hilda was once more playing Pa
tience'; but DR.. Thcrman was on Gun.
ard steamer, outward bound, and in his
place was seated young girl of nine
teen with deep blue eyes and rich chest
nut hair, young likeness to the old
lady opposite to her. 1t was this like
ness that first melted the coldness her
aunt had always felt toward Daisy Cas-
siday, a dislike founded entirely upon
the aversion she had felt for her broth
er's wife. But Daisy, she admitted be.
fore the first day of her visit was over,
was all Cassiday,' quiet, gentle girl,
entirely free from her mothers afec-
tations.
Timid and shy at first, with the re-