The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1901-05-17

pressed her. Its marble splendor made
her realiz. her shabby appearance.
Her dusty, worn old shoes looked out
of place on the marble floor. The
cheapncss of her black skirt, her we'll
worn Jacket and faded straw hat i'm
pressed itself upon her. Her ungloved
hand trembled as she laid it on the
shining brass door-knob.
In the room she entered half a dozen
clerks were at their desks and there
were other clerks in a 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.
81 could wait" said Martha.
"Have you card to send in?'
"No." 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
present caller goes"
Martha waited an hour and a half,
during which time she regained her
self-possession. Other persons who
came in and asked to see Mr.. Gye 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. Gye says you can come in"
She passed into the private room.
A portly, pompous looking man sat at
rosewood desk. His manner was
almost harsh, as he said:
"You want to see me!'
ayes, SIR"
81 am extremely busy, and can give
you but few minutes. What do you
want?"
II came from Osborne, which is sew
eral hundred miles from here to bring
you this"
Martha walked forward and handed
Mr.. Gye 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. He
took it mp 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 a 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 ST.
lence 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?'
IL found it among some old papers
Of my fathers, SIR"
"Are you Jared Coombs' daughter?'
"Yes, SIR"
"And is he living yet?'
mo, sir. He died five days ago and
l brought the note to you because he
died so poor that l have not a dollar
for the support of my sister and my
three little brothers, and l want to
keep them together if l can. read
in a paper abcut how prosperous you
were, sir, and although the note is
'outlawed,' felt that you might feel
willing to pay something on it"
He took his hand from his eyes and
offered it to her.
"You did right to bring it to me-
he said. "Sit down on this chair and
tell me about yourself and your father.
He was good man."
HE was, indeed" SAID Martha, with
tears in her eyes.
There were tears, too, in the eyes of
the man as she told him of her fathers
disappointmcnts, and OF the poverty
in which he had left his children.
They told me in Osborne" she said
in conclusion, "that it would he useless
for me to come here with an outlawed
note, but | did not think So"
"lou were wiser than they" he said
gravely, but with a smile, "for | shall
pay every dollar Of the note, with in
terest in full, and even this will not
atone for my lack of duty in not find
ing your father and paying the note
years a5o | shall see to it that his
children lack nothing that they need
hereafter.'
There was great excitement in Os-
borne when Martha returned with the
news that she and her brothers and
sisters were to 60 to Louisborough to
live in home of their own.
"There are splendid schools there,
and Mr.. Gye will be friend to us.
can't tell how kind he was, and | can
never be thankful enough that l went
to him with that outlawed MOTEL"
Amy policeman will tell you that it
| isn't the spring chicken that is always