Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-06-18
BY MARY j. HOLMES


George continued:
"And think but little of him. of
courseY
tai. He had no cause for liking Henry,
but would not say SO to comparative
stranger. George was about moving away
when, observing a little, old-fashioned
book lying upon one of the boxes, he took
it up and, turning to the fy-leaf, read the
name of Frank Howard
repeated; where have l heard that
name? Who is he, Bender?'
''He was a little English boy l once
loved very much; but he is dead now" an
swered Billy; and George, with sud-
denly awakened curiosity, said:
Tell me about him and his family,
will you?'
Without dreaming that George had
ever seen them, Billy told the story of
Franks sickness and death-of the noble
conduct of his little sister, who, when
there was no other alternative, went
cheerfully to the poorhouse, winning by
her gentle ways the love of those unused
to love, and tanning the wild mood of,
maniac until she was harmless as child.
AS he proceeded with his story George
became each moment more and more in
terested, and when at last there was
pause, he asked, "And is Mary in the
poorhouse now?"
81 have not mentioned her name, and
pray how came you to know it?" said
Billy in some surprise.
In few words George related the par
ticulars of his acquaintance with the
Howards and then again asked where
both Mary and Ella were.
Billy replied that for few years back
Mary had lived with a Mrs. Mason,
while Ella, at the time of her mothers
death, had been adopted by Mrs. Camp
bell. "But," said he, 81 never think of
Ella in connection with Mary, they are so
unlike; Ella is proud and vain and silly,
and treats her sister with the utmost
rudeness, though Mary is far more agree
able and intelligent, and as / think the
best looking"
"She must have changed very much"
answered George, 'for if l remember
rightly she was not remarkable for per-
sonal beauty"
He was going to say more, when some
one slapped him rudely on the shoulder,
calling out, How are you, old feller, and
what is there in Boston to interest such
scapegrace as | am 2"
Looking up, Billy saw before him Hen
ry Lincoln, exquisitely dressed, but bear
| ing in his appearance evident marks of
| dissipation.
s'Why, Henry" exclaimed George,
.'how came you here? 1 supposed you
were drawing lampblack caricatures of
| some one of the tutors in old Yale
! What's the matter? What have you been
! doing?'
sWhy, you see," answered Henry,
drawing his cigar from his mouth, zone
Of the sophs got his arm broken in row,
1 and as l am SO tender-hearted, and
| couldn't bear to hear him groan, the fac
ulty kindly advised me to leave, and sent
on before me a recommendation to the
old man. But / fixed 'em. told 'em he
| was in Boston, whereas he's in Chicopee
so I just took the letter from the office
myself. 1t reads beautifully. Do you
understand? p
All this time Henry had apparently
/ taken no notice of Billy, whom George
| now introduced, saying he believed they
were old acquaintances. With the cool
est effrontery Henry took from his pocket
quizzing glass, and, applying it to his
i eye, said, I've absolutely studied unit
I'm near-sighted. How long have the eld
folks been in Chicopee?''
Several weeks, think" answered
4 George; and then, either because he want
ed to hear what Henry would say, Of
because of reawakened interest in Mar,
Howard, he continued, "By the way
Henry, when you came SO unceremoni
| inc nf q
young girl in Chicopee whom you hav,
perhaps ferreted out ere this, as Ben
der says she is fine looking"
Henry stroked his whiskers, which hat
receixed far more cultivation than hi
brains, stuck his hat on one side ami
answered, ''Why, yes, suppose that il
my way I was something Of a b'hoy witt
the fair sex, but really do not nov
think of more than one handsome gir
:. in Chicopee, and that is Ella Campbell
! but she is young yet, not as old as Jenn.
altogether too small fry for Henry Lin
| coin, Esq. But who is the girl 2"
:. Billy frowned, for he held Mary's nam
. as too sacred to be breathed by youn
man of Henry Lincoln's character, Will
George replied:
Her name is Mary Howard"
w Adt, lAO PdupCA GchC0 AASAty J
looking significantly at Billy, who replied
"The same, sir"
"Whew-wT whistled Henry, prolone
. ing the diphthong to an unusual length
.".Why, she's got two teeth at least foe
, long, and her face looks as though sh
had just been in the vinegar barrel an
r didn't like the taste of it"
r ''But, without joking, though, no,
/, does she look?" asked George; Will
Billy made movement as if he woul
, help the insolent puppy to find his ieve
a .'Well, now, old boy" returned Henr.
e 'Tll tell you honestly that the last tim
i l saw her was surprised to find no,
e much she was improved. She has swa
lowed those abominable teeth, or don
j something with them, and is really quit
: decent looking"
9 So saying he took his leave. Just the
there was call for Mr.. Moreland, wh
e also departed, leaving Billy alone. 81
r is very strange that she never told N
e she knew him" thought he; and then tai
|. ing from his pocket neatly folded lette
: he again read it through. But there ws
nothing in it about George, except tt
g simple words, II am glad you have foun
II q friend in Mr.. Moreland. l am sure
!. should like him, just because he is kin
d to you.''