Daily camera., 1901-11-25

mother and daughter moved into q
small cottage 1t the other end Of the
village. A year later Mrs. Peek died
{of . broken heart, It wss saAd). and
Lucinda was left alone IN the world.
She was now 30 years Of ags. and
though there WAS look Of settled
sadness on her sountenanee. she was
still the handsomest woman in the
place, and IL was rumorsd that she
had refused many hattsring ofRsrs OF
marriage.
"Well. ten years rolled Ground, and
those Of us who had been young once
were growing old, Lucinda among the
rest. The savings bank had failed
that spring. business wss almost at q
standstill. and Eden Center was In .
bad way generally. Right in the
midst Of the stagnation . stranger
suddeuly appeared In town. He IVES
. middls-aged gentleman, With iron
gray hair and beard. and had the air
Of . prosperous business man. He
engaged board at the hotel. saying
be w~s from California, and was look
ing around for come quiet eastern
village In which TO spend the summer
told him thought he would hnd
Eden Center quiet enough. Just then,
and he said, In Q sort of abssnt mind
ed way:
"'Yss. it doss sssm quis%sr than It
used to-
"'why. whom were you here BE-
forer I asked. giving him . quick
look. and vainly trying 10 place him.
He colored up and said he had
been thinking o5 somsthing else
when he spoke. and the matter was
dropped.
"Well. the hrst night he wss there
he sat around. listening to every
word that was said by the villagers
who dropped in, but taking no part
In the conversation. After awhile the
crowd began TO discsss the bank
trouble. and one Of the party said:
TOO bad ebovt Lucinda Peek.
isn't ~ They say she lost every
cent she had BY the savings bank
failure. and II - only . question of
timo whom she viii have 70 give up
hsr cottage and 60 out 10 work for
. living
Before ths ssotsnes wNs fairly
ended. the stranger was stsnding at
the desk before ms. With lsss white
a. . sheet.
"'Tor Gods sake. tell me quick.'
he gsspsd-is Lucinda Peek alivsT
Why. Of course ahs's alive said l.
"'And her father and mosAsr7' he
asked NEXT.
"Thsy're both dead I replied.
"'And shs no longer lives In the big
house on the hill-4n her Old homer
he questioned eagerly,
"No. said I: she 10 now living in
. small cottage out near the
"'Ixeuss me for inssrruptins.' he
broke in. impatiently. Ny name is
Kandsll. used 70 know Miss Peek.
] must see her At once. Have you
some one you can send with me TO
show me the way to her houss9'
Il called In Joe. my man Of all
work; and. By the way. Joe = still in
my employ. and think I'd better
lot him tell ths rsst Of the story"
Stepping 70 the door opening into
the hotel stosssoon. the landlord
sang out:
Here, Joe: como In and tsll the
ladies and gentlemen what happened
the night you showed the stranger
from California shs way 70 Miss
Pesk's cottage"
WELL" began Joe. spologsticslly.
~ he stepped Into the room, II reek-
on ys'll oil bs &sapp1nssd. because
there didut anything happen wuth
nsnuonin' scarcely. In the first
place, the gsntlsman didn't cay a
word all the way 10 the eottaes-jsst
walked; that's all: en- I Aed to run
purity nigh Ill the way 70 keep up
with him.
AN whom We got TO the gate. an
! told him that was The place, he
went hyin' up the walk an began
knoskin' at the door - II he was
there oa some mighty sresnt busi-
ness. In . minute or 80. Miss Peek
opened the door. an heard him say:
Lucinda. don't you know msr an
she held out both hands an said:
Why. it's Hsnry!' an the next min.
ute they were hangin' onto each 9th
er, laughin' an cryin' both at onet,
like a pair Of softiss. en- seen had
NO further hisnsas there, 90 l come
away an left EN-; en- that's al there
was to IT,"
"You have forgotten one important
item In your story. Joe. and that IL
the present that Ar. Randsll gave
you for showing him the way TO the
cottage" suggested The landlord,
smilingly.
"Oh. yes" said Joe, ''ths gentleman
handed me tsn-dollAr gold piece the
next day. an when told him II was
too much. he said: no. sirss. you
earned every cent Of 1t. an more be-
sides Ny conscience troubled mo
considerably for taking II, though.
for day or %, but whom I heard
that be gave the village dominic 80
for marryin' him an Lucinda, that
same night l showed him the way to
her cottsgs-an' only hvs-Elinutss'
job at that-I made up my mind that
Mr.. Randell must be . millionaire an
quit worrying over IL"