The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1901-05-17

no tear stains on her face, for she did not |
yet know how bereaved she was.
For moment Billy stood irresolute, |
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 a
bitter cry into Billy's extended arms, as
IL he alone were all the protector she now
had in the wide, wide world Ere 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 Billy's |
tears were flowing. too, but at length
rising up, he said to Mary, Something |
must be done. The villagers must know |
of IT, and shall have to leave you alone
while | tell them"
In half an hour from that time the |
cottage was nearly filed 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 is so bright |
and handsome but as for Mary, | am /
afraid she'll have to go to the poorhouse."
"Were in a condition to take either"
replied Mrs Johnson, II should prefer
Mary for in my estimation she is much
the best girl but there is the baby, who
must go 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 Bender, who all this while had
been standing by the door, started for
home, never once thinking, until he
reached it, 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 newsY
Mrs. Bender had particular love for
news and now forgetting "how near to
deaths door" she had been. she eagerly |
demanded What newsI What has hap
pened?"
When Billy told her of the sudden
deaths of Mrs Howard and Frank, an
over her face, and she said, Dear me,
my snuff, Billy. Both died last night, did
they? Hain't you nothin' else to tell"
"Yes, Mary Judson and Ella Campbell.
too, are dead"
Mrs. Bender, who, like many others,
courted the favor of the wealthy and |
tried to fancy herself on intimate terms
with them, no sooner heard OF Mrs.
Campbels afIiiction than her own dan
gerous symptoms were forgotten, and,
springing up, she exclaimed, ELLA Camp
bell dead! What'll her mother do? |
must go to her right away. Hand me my
double gown there In the closet and give
me my lace cap in the lower drawer and
mind you have the teakettle billed agin |
get back
Before you go anywhere, suppose you
stop at Mrs. Howard's and comfort poor
Mary, who cries all the time because she
and Alice have got to go to the poor
house."
"Of course they'll go there, and they
ort to be thankful they've got so good a
place"
II want to ask you" said Billy, cant
days, and perhaps something may turn
upT
"William Bender" said the highly as
toDished lady, what can you mean2 A
poor, sick woman like me, with one foot |
in the grave, take the charge of three
pauper children | shan't do it, and you
needn't think of it,"
"Rut, mother" persisted Billy, who
could generally coax her to do as he liked, |
tits only for few days and they'll not
be much trouble or expense, for I'll work
enough harder to make it up"
81 have said no once, William Bender,
and when say no, | mean no" was the
answer
Billy knew she would be less decided
the next time the subject was broached,
so for the present he dropped it, and tax
ing his cap he returned to Mrs. How
ards, while his mother started for Mrs.
Campbelrs.
Next morning between the hours of 8
and 10 the tolling bell sent forth its sad
summons, and ere long a few Of the viii
layers were moving toward the brown
cottage, where in the same plain coffin
slept the mother and her only boy. Near
them sat Ella, occasionally looking with
childish curiosity at the strangers around
her, or leaning forward to peep at the
tips Of the new morocco shoes which Mrs.
Johnson had kindly given her; then, when
her eyes fell upon the coffin, she would
burst into such an agony of weeping that
many of the villagers also wept in SYM
pathy, and as they stroked her soft hair,
thought, chow much more she loved her
mother than did Mary" who. without a
tear upon her cheek, sat there immova-
BILE, gazing ixedly upon the marble face
Of her mother. Alice was not present,
for Billy had not only succeeded in win
ming his mothers consent to take the chill
dren for a few days, but he had also
coaxed her to say that Alice might come
before the funeral, ON condition that he
would remain at home and take care of
her.
CHAPTER w.
Scarcely three hours had passed since
the dark, moist earth was heaped upon
the humble grave Of the widow and her
son, when again, over the village of Chic
opee, hoated the notes of the tolling bell,
and Immediately crowds OF people, with
seemingly eager haste, hurried toward
the Campbell mansion, which was soon
nearly filled.
On marble table in the same room lay
the handsome coffin, and in it slept young
Ella. Gracefully her small waxen hands
were foded9 one over the other, while
white, half-opened rosebuds were wreath
ed among the curls Of her hair. "She Is
100 hoautif,l 20 5;o al thn ori,. oh;l3