The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1902-11-21
III fortunate
misfortune


~ ISIS LOVEJOY had been at her
M brothers house but LITTLE moro
MI than week, yet already she had
v to confess to vague feeling OF
H disappointment
~ She had not seen her brother
and his wife for more than seven years,
during all of which she had longed ior
them with the homesick intensity OF inc
exile. The anticipation of this home
coming had cheered her through many
dreary term of teaching; yet now that
reality, had taken the place OF anticipa-
ton, she found something lacking.
The old home was still the same, ana
her brother and his wife We're as KIND as
ever; but during this Line of separation
almost to womanhood, and with me
growth had come n change in father ana
mother which made poor Aunt Ruth ieei
like an alien and a stranger.
The merry, open-hearted brother had
become quiet and care-worn. The bright
pretty, cultivated sister-in-law, as dear 70
instead of marriage, had faded into an a.
most shabby-dressed drudge whose only
purpose in life seemed to be to keep
| Hazel's bed of roses free from thornS.
Both had been as glad as possible to
see their self-reliant, independent west,
ern sister; but it seemed to Ruth as II
| their principal interest was in noting the
| effect upon her of Hazel's grace and
| Hazel's beauty and Hazels accomplish
ments. That had been the constant theme
| of conversation when Mr.. Lovejoy was not
| had on infrequent moment of leisure
Now Aunt Ruth was quite ready to adj
NIT that the grace and beauty and accom-
plishments were there, but the greater
| grace of helpfulness and filial gratitude
seemed to her both lacking and unlocked
for. Nor was, the girl wholly or even
| been demanded of her for all that mad
| been given, and the idea of giving unasked
| was yet unborn.
! Ruth's own few gentle attempts at re-
monstrance had been met with such an air
of mild surprise, such earnest disclaimers
on the part OF the parents, that she had
| seen the futlity of words and resolved to
| say no more She did not wish to be re-
garded as meddlesome and disagreeable
Just now she was feeling particularly
! out of sympathy with the conditions. As
! she went steadily on with the dishes she
| was washing, she could hear her niece
| chatting in animated fashion with caller
! in the parlor She knew that 1t was MIR.
| Bennett. the young man who mad called
| in the afternoon to see If Hazel would
sing at parlor concert to be given at
| the Young MEMS Christian Association
rooms the next week.
| Mrs. Lovejoy had answered the bell and
| informed him that Hazel was out; but
| Hazel herself, when she came home from
her drive with a girl friend, had spoken
of meeting him. and told as great joke,
about his remark that .he would call
again in the evening, as the servant had
| IF the child had only seen what 1t
meant! siged Aunt Ruth to herself.
But even Hazel's mother had laughed
| the matter off. although rather conscious
| ly and with flush; and when Hazel had
| smiled and said:
"Never mind, mamma, dear. When l
| get to be prima donna you shall have all
! the servants you want" the smile and the
| foolish promise had salved the wound eff
fectualy.
| together in the parlor. Ruth could hear
| Hazel's mother moving softly about up
stairs, putting to rights in her prompt,
methodical way the things which Hazel
had left scattered about when she made
her toilet and hurried down to meet her
caller.
Then by and by door opened, and sud
denly there was the sound of fall and
suppressed cry of pain; and Miss Lovejoy,
rushing out, found her sister-in-law lying
near the loot of the back stairs, white to
the lips and with her patient face drawn
in agony.
i've fallen Ruth. and I'm afraid I'm
badly hurt. think my ankle is broken"
Ruth looked, and saw the poor foot
hanging limp and twisted in its well-worn
lit is broken. Helen" she said ~ will
call Hazel and send her for the doctor at
once"
But even in her extremity Mrs. Lovejoy
stretched out OBTAINING hand.
Please, Ruth, don't frighten her" she
said. Couldn't you go yourself? III stay
quietly here till you come back"
my dear, l think Hazel will want to go,
and, anyway, I'm sure it is best to tell
her.
Then, as Ruth started toward the parlor
door, something which she always says
was an inspiration flashed into her mind.
The holiness of it terrified her for a mo-
ment and made her pause, but only for
moment. Then, with a calm face but q
little sick feeling at her heart she walked
through the hall and into the parlor She
paused only long enough to bow to the
caller, and then said quietly:
Hazel. our poor servant has fallen on
the stairs and hurt herself badly. Can
you so for the doctor?"
For just second after she had uttered
the terrible words. Ruth felt afraid of the
issue. If Hazel should fail-if the canker
of thoughtlessness had eaten too deep
she knew that she should never forgive
either herself or her niece.
But the girl, as the meaning of her
aunt's words made itself plain to her, rose
to her feet, and over her face to the very
roots of her hair, poured a flood of Grim
son which quickly gave place to deadly
pallor
nifty which no one had ever noticed in her
before. Let me go at once"
Then she turned to her visitor, wholly
Indifferent as to the impression she might
make, anxious only to atone for her pre-
vious cowardice.
~ know you will excuse me- Mr.. Ben
nett" she said. 1T is my mother who
has fallen. My aunt is furnishing me very
justly for not having told you, as /
should, that the lady who opened the door
for you this afternoon was not our SER
waltz bul my InOlitls We nave HO SCR
want"
People had often said that Mr. Bennett
was fastdious. He may have been, but
he was also gentleman. The scorn which
Hazel's confession could hardly help
arousing had no chance to show itself In
his face. Pity for the girls embarrass-
ment and suffering, and admiration for
her final courage and loyalty and frank
ness, blotted out every other feeling.
ut was my mistake. Miss LoveJoy." he
said. gravely, "and l am afraid an I'M
could object, he had seized his hat and
pardonable one. l am more sorry than
/ can tell you" Then, before any one
started for the doctor.
He found him and brought him back,
and remained to help lift and move the
sufferer and by and by. when there was
no excuse for staying longer, he said 10
Hazel's aunt, with an almost boyish diff
dence and hesitancy:
Miss Lovejoy, please do not think me
presuming. but my father and mother are
both away, and our servants have almost
nothing to do Will you not let me send
one OF them TO help you-a woman who
has been with us a great many years2
She would be most willing to come. and
I'm sure you would md her OF assist
ance."