The daily morning Alaskan., 1901-01-15
\ RI.Il5E OF FOnTyME
BY NELLIE J. MOVES.

-'9"t'.
 John and Millie Thompson had been married but four years when a financial panic came, and the firm for which John worked closed it's doors, with several oth- CT business houses in the town of Bren- vile.
 Johns wages had, by dint of careful management, little more than paid the family expenses.
 What to do was the question he pon- dered as he walked home that first night with the discouraging news. Even 2-year-old Madeline could not bring the usual smile to the fathers face, and as the little mother" came to the door she saw by her husbands face that the dreaded crash had come.
 Long into the night they sat and tried to think of some plan by which their lit tie home which had meant so much of sacrifice and which was now nearly half paid for, might be saved.
 But neither could think of any plan, and in the morning John started out with a heavy heart to look for something, any thing honest, to do.
 But after several days of fruitless search he came home one night and told his wife that one of the other men had just received a letter from brother in come out at once to work in a mine which promised rich increase. As the days went on one man after another joined the party, and they talk ed enthusiastically to John Thompson of the wealth they were sure of gaining in a short time, begging him to go with them.
 The day before the party intended leaving for the west John and Millie decided that possibly in a year or two he would be able to make his fortune, and while he was gone she would sup port herself and the child with the needle and by helping the neighbors with their work.
 As the train bore the men away the next morning Millie Thompson faced the problem of self support for the first time in her life She soon began to realize that the neighbors were feeling the hard times themselves and were obliged to do their own work, but she struggled bravely on, hoping in a few months to hear from her husband that the mining was success.
 But after a few months had passed and letter after letter came with discouraging news, Mille's courage began to fail her.
 After about years struggle she se- cured a position as housekeeper in a wid- overs family several miles from the home town.
 As time went on the letters bringing nf unryp,y in al and then another became less frequent, until at last they ceased altogether, but Milie kept sending cheerful letters until she got word that the Brenville party had struck a vein in another state and the men in the old camp had lost sight of them.
 After two years of uncertainty she re celyed copy of a western paper con taining this item: Mine explosion Nine men killed" Then followed the names of the dead, and among them John Thomp. son.
 The last blow proved too much for Mil lies health, and she was obliged to give up her position as housekeeper and take some money she had saved and go to an other town several miles away to try to regain her health by resting
 Her health improved but little, and she crushed her pride and wrote a letter to her wealthy father in the south whose wishes she had disregarded in marry ing, begging him for the sake of her little girl to forgive her and take her and her child home
 He' letter was returned with You have chosen your own course" written across the top.
 Several years passed by, and Millie drifted from one place to another, earn ing little here and there, until she found a home in country town in northern Vermont, where she could do the village sewing and support in ease herself and Madeline, now 12 years old.
 Throughout the town the widow and little Lena" were loved and respected
 One afternoon as the child was play ing in field near the railroad track she heard rumbling and, looking up, saw to her horror that huge rock had slid down the opposite hillside directly on the track. Just then she heard the whistle of the daily express. Hurrying up the meadow toward the bend, she snatched the red sunbonnet from her head and waved it at the engineer as the train came speeding toward her.
 The engineer, thinking something must be wrong, applied the brakes and stopped the train just few rods from the great rock.
 There were but a few passengers on the train, and as they alighted beside frightened child they questioned her as to how she had saved the train
 The train hands found they could not move the rock and told the passengers they would not be able to resume their journey that night at least.
 The passengers, thankful for being say. ed, asked the child where they could find lodging for the night, and she di rected them to the village inn.
 But one kind looking gentleman whom Madeline had noticed stepped up to her and, taking her hand, said "I want first to tell this little girls parents that they should be proud of her. Will you show me where. you live, my dear?"
 The child's home was very near, and ss she opened the door she said, "Mam- ma, this is a''- But mamma tainted in the strangers arms.
 After she was restored to consciousness his story was soon told. It was another John Thompson that was killed.
 He had not been able to write his wife and after becoming comparatively wealthy he had tried to find her and their child, but had failed.
 Taking the child's and wife's hands in his, he said, "And little child shall lead them" m."-Philadelphia Item.