Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1901-05-16

ailmsnt he hurried away toward Mrs.
Howard'a. The sun was Just rising.
Within the cottage there was no sound or
token Of life. and, thinking Its inmates
were asleep, Billy paused several min.
utss upon the threshold. fearing that he
should disturb their slumbsrs. At last,
with Z vague preaentiment that eli Was
not right, be raised the latch and enter
ed, but instantly started back in aston.
ishment at the scene before him. On the
thundie bed lay Frank, cold and dead.
and near him. In tha same long, dream
less sleep. was bis mother, while between
them, with one arm thrown lovingly
across her brothers neck. aud her cheek
pressed against his. lay Mary--her eye
lids moist with tears which. though sleep
lug, she still shed, On the other side Of
Frank, aud nestled 20 closely to him that
her warm breath lifted the brown curls
from his brow, was Ella. But there were
no tear status on her face. for she did not
yet know how bereaved she was.
For a moment Billy stood lrresoluts,
and then. as Mary moved uneasily In her
slumbers. he advanced step or two to-
ward her. The noise aroused her, and
instantly remembering and comprehend.
Ing the whole, she threw herself with q
bitter CRY into BllIy's extended arms, as
II he alone were all the protector she now
had In the wide. wide world. IRE long
Ella. too. awoke. and the noisy outburst
which followed the knowledge OF her loss
made Mary still the agony Of her own
heart In order TO soothe the more violent
grief OF her excItable sister. Bllly's
tears were flowing. too, but at length
rising up, he said TO Mary, "Somethlng
must be done. The villagers must know
OF II. and l shall have to leave you alone
while 1 tell them"
In half an hour from that time the
cottage was nearly hlled with people,
some of whom came out OF Idle curiosity
But there were others who went there
for the sake OF comforting the orphans
and attending TO the dead, and by noon
the bodies were decently arranged for
burial.
There will be no trouble" said one, 'in
finding a place for Ella. she ls so bright
and handsome; but az for Mary, am
afraid she'll have to go to the poorhouae."
Were In Il condition to take either"
replied Mrs. Johnson. II should prefer
Mary. for In my estimation shs Il much
the best girl; but there Il the baby. who
must 80 wherever Mary does, unless she
can be persuaded to leave her."
Before anyone could reply to this re-
mark Mary, who had overheard every
word. came forward. and, laying her
face on Mrs, Johnson's lap, sobbed out,
LET me go with Alice: told mother |
would"
Billy Render. who all this while had
been standing by the door. started for
home, never once thinking. until he
reached II, that his mother more than
six hours before. had sent him In great
haste for the physician. On entering the
house he found her, as he expected, rolled
up in bed, apparently In the last stage of
scarlet fever. but before she could re-
proach him he said, Mother, have you
heard the newsT
Mrs. Bender had a particular love for
news. and now forgetting "how near to
deaths door" she had been. she eagerly
what news2 What has hap.
penAdT
When Billy told her OF the sudden
deaths of Mrs, Howard and Frank, an
expression of "What7 That allf" passed
over her face, and she said, Dear me,
my snuff, Billy. Both died last night, did
they3 Hain't You nothin' else to tell2"
"Yes, Mary Judson and Fila Campbell,
too, are dead"
Mrs. Bender, who, like many others,
,ourted the favor of the wealthy and
tried to fancy herself on intimate terms
with them, no sooner heard of Mrs.
Campbelfs afflictlon than her own dan
serous symptoms were forgotten, and,
sprlnglng up, she exclaimed, ELLA Camp
bell dead! What'll her mother do? |
must go to her right away. Hand me my
iouble gown there in the closet, and give
ne my lace cap In the lower drawer, and
mind you have the teakettlC billed agin /
ret back"
Before you 20 anywhere, suppose you
top at Mrs. Howard's and comfort poor
Mary, who cries all the time because she
md Alice have got to 20 to the poor
louse.'
"Of course they'll go there, and they
'rt to be thankful they've got 80 good q
llace."
II want to ask you," said Billy, "can't
you take them for a few
lays. and perhaps something may turn
ip2"
william Bender" said the highly as
lady, what can you mean2 A
,oor, sick woman like me, with one foot
n the grave, take the charge of three
,auper children! sha'n't do 1t, and you
leedn't think of IT,"
"But, mother" persisted Billy, who
'ould generally coax her to do as he liked,
it's only for few days, and they'll not
70 much trouble or expense, for I'll work
,nough harder to make it up"
II have said no once, William Bender,
Ind when / say no, mean no" was the
lnswer.
Billy knew she would be less decided
he next time the subject was broached,
10 for the present he dropped 1t, and TAX
ng his cap he returned to Mrs. How
rd's, while his mother started for Mrs.
Jampbel's.
Next morning between the hours of 0
md 10 the tolllng bell sent forth Its sad
ummons, and ere long few OF the vii
ayers were moving toward the brown
ottage, where In the same plain coffin
lept the mother and her only boy. Near
hem sat ella, occasionally looking with
hldish curiosity at the strangers around
er, or leaning forward to peep at the
lps of the new morocco shoes which Mrs.
ohnson had kindly given her; then, when
er eyes fell upon the coffin, she would |
urst into such an agony of weeping that
nany OF the villagers also wept In sym
athy, and as they stroked her soft hair, |
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