Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-06-04

peated did she hear the words, "Why.
Mary, what is the matter? What's hap
pened?" Then looking up she saw Billy
Bender, who raised her in his arms.
Laying her head on his shoulder, she
sobbed out: "She's gone-she's gone, and
there's nobody left but Sally. ''Oh dear,
oh dearv
"Gone! Whose gomez" asked Billy.
Jenny" was Mary's reply. ''She's
gone to Boston, and won't come back till
next May; and loved her SO much"
oh, yes, know" returned Billy. 81
met them all on their way to the depot;
but I wouldn't feel so badly. Jenny will
come again, and besides that, I've got
some real good news to tell you."
about Ella?" said Mary.
me, not about Ella, but about myself;
I'm coming here to live with you."
-"Coming here to live!' repeated Mary
with establishment. "What for? Are
your folks all dead?'
Billy smiled and answered, "Not quite
SO bad as that. 1 went to school here
two years ago, and I know 1 learned
more than l ever did at home in two
seasons. The boys, when Henry Lin
coin is away, don't act half as badly as
they do in the village; and then they usu-
ally have lady teacher, because it's
cheaper, I suppose, for they don't pay
/ them half as much as they do gentle
men, and I think they are great deal
the best. Anyway, I can learn the most
when I go to a woman"
But what makes you come here, and
what will your mother do?" asked Mary.
"She's got sister come from the West
to stay with her, and as shall go home
every Saturday night, she'll get along
well enough. I heard Mr.. Parker in the
store one day inquiring for a boy to do
chores. So after consulting mother 1
offered my services and was accepted.
Won't we have real nice times going to
school together?"
Three weeks from that time the winter
school commenced, and Billy took up
his abode at the poorhouse, greatly to the
satisfaction Of Sally and Mary and great
ly to the annoyance of Miss Grundy.
.'Smart idear said she, '.to have that
great lummox around to be waited onp'
and when she saw how happy his pres
ence seemed to make Mary, she vented
her displeasure upon her in various ways,
conjuring up all sorts of reasons why she
should stay out of school as often as pos
sible, and wondering what the world
was coming to, when young ones hardly
out of the cradle begun to court! 1t
wasn't so in her younger days, goodness
knowsi"
Much as Mary had learned to prize
Sally's friendship, before winter was
over she had cause to value it still more
highly. Wretched and destitute as the
poor crazed creature now was, she show
ed plainly that at some period or other
of her life she had had rare advantages
for education, which she now brought
into use for Mary's benefit.
Each night Mary brought home her
books, and the rapid improvement which
she made in her studies was as much
owing to Sally's useful hints and assist
ance as to her. own untiring persever-
ance. One day when she returned from
school Sally saw there was something
the matter, for her eyes were red, and
her cheeks were flushed as if with weep
ing. On inquiring of Billy, she learned
that some of the girls had been teasing
Mary about her teeth, calling them
'stushes."
As it happened, one of the paupers was
sick, and DR.. Gilbert was at that time in
the house; to him Sal Immediately went,
and after laying the case before him
asked him to extract the offending teeth.
Sally was quite favorite with the doc
tor, who readily consented, on condition
that Mary was, willing, which he much
doubted, as such teeth came hard.
willing or not, she shall have them
out. It's all that makes her so homely,"
said Sal, and, going in quest of Mary,
she led her to the doctor, who asked to
look in her mouth.
There was a fierce struggle, a scream,
and then one of the teeth was lying upon
the floor.
"Stand still" said Sal, more sternly
than she had ever before spoken to Mary.
who, half frightened out of her wits,
stood still while the other one was ex-
tracted.
There" said Sal, when the operation
was finished, you look hundred per
cent better"
For time Mary cried, hardly know
ing whether she relished the joke or not;
but when Billy praised her improved
looks, telling her that "her mouth was
real pretty" and when she herself dried
her eyes enough to see that it was
great improvement, she felt better, and
wondered why she had never thought to
have them out before.
Rapidly and pleasantly to Mary that
winter passed away, for the presence of
Billy was in itself sufficient reason why
she should be happy. He was so affec-
tionate and brother-like in his deport-
ment toward her that she began question
ing whether she did not love him as well,
if not better, than she did her sister Ella,
whom she seldom saw, though she heard
that she had goyerness from Worcester,
and was taking music lessons on grand
piano, which had been bought a year be-
fore. Occasionally Billy called at Mrs.
Campbell's, but Ella seemed shy and un-
willing to speak of her sister.
"Why is there this differenceY he
thought more than once, as he contrast
ed the situation of the two girls-the one
petted, caressed and surrounded by every
luxury, and the other forlorn, desolate,
and the inmate of poorhouse; and then
he built castles of future when, by the
labor of his own head or hands, Mary,
too, should be rich and happy.
CHAPTER VIII.
As spring advanced Alice began to
Ill. -