The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-05
LIN n n IRlAM," said Mrs. Oldtield,
nu there is just one more
letter to write 1 have

1t will let you into a family secret;
very happy one. dear
The mother smiled fOndly at til
handsome daughter, who sat in a loy
chair at her side. The girls fac
flushed, she bent her head over a note
book which lay in her lap, and turned
pencil nervously between her fingers
The soft autumn breeze from the Opel
window blew her brown hair into ten
drills, and it clustered softly about hel
white neck. The mother sat for mo
ment, watching a rosy flush ebb III
to the white forehead.
''Is there no chance for Arthur. Mi
riam:" she asked gently.
The girl lifted her head with an
naughty Sesture-it was an odd move
ment which characterized her as a
child. The mother had often laughed
at 1t in the little girl; now the pose
seemed to belong superbly to the tall
splendid woman. Miriam looked into
the loving eyes bent upon her and
shook her head with perfect decision.
I1rs. Oldtield smiled
well. to the letter, dear she said.
Address it to Robinson w Hawley.
ESQ. DAD st. James Building. New
York"
Miriam's fingers moved uuiverinclv
across the paper.
My Dear Mr.. Hawley."
Mrs. Oldtieid paused and put her
hand across her eyes as if she were
thinking
This is not an easy letter to write, |
tn riy.
OF your own. no matter how much Won
trust a man.
The girl sat gazing into the sunshiny
garden.
1t is just like one of mothers droll
original little tricks to break the news
to me in this fashion, she thought
Mother never does anything as one
would expect her to-" a smile lowered
ABOUT her lips while she put into rapid
shorthand characters her mothers die
tation.
Il can assure you, my dear Mr.. Eaw
ley, of the complete surprise vour let
ter brought to me. OF course I sav
yes, since the happiness of one so near
ana so dear to me is bound up in such
an answer No one so well as | can
fell You how wisely you have chosen a
wife. The loss in our home OF one who
is so dearly loved / cannot vet realize.
but know that when give to you nv
sister Elizabeth. T.
Miriam dropped her p>ncil and -azed
at her mother with Il whitening face.
she sprang suddenly to her feet. The
notebook fell to the floor. ..
MOtlpr' she cried iooo
breath. do you mean Eliza
beth-our Eliza beth"
Yes, dear said Mrs. Oldield -,
hadn't you guessed it,"
My-aunt-Elizabet The girls
question was n piteous whisper
My daughter"' cried the mother.
what is the matter?"
Miriam had sunk upon the low chair.
The mother drew her gently to her
arms as II she Were Il child again and I
thsripping brown hair
Doesn't it max" YOU happy. Mi
'lam?' she asked. Il think il would
lear. if you knew him as well as we Il
To- q
he iS-he is not worthy of Aunt
tlizaDeth"' cried the girl passionatelv.
Miriam. what Go You know about
hr. Eawley? You have never met G
i'm" b
Il know-but nobody is good enough II
or Aunt Elizabeth. Mother. please u
Xcuse your private secretary I'm 'e
olng for tramp. I've got to be used Vi
, being left alone in the family y
Mrs. Oldfield sat gazing down the /"
ountry road after the retreatng figure a.
her daughter Miriam w:ls Il Great k
re of moods occasionally thoughtful ID
ut oftener merry and radiating sun III
llne. WAS it jealousy?' thought the ''
other wonderingly. Her sister. Eliza Ia
eth. who was only two years older p'
ian her own daughter. had come into VI
ar home at their mothers death and -
le children had grown up together e'
18th such bond of affection as exists
'tween few sisters. Mrs OldtieId had as
re wisdom in the training of chill
'en. In Elizabeth she found one tenn
'rament. The child cared for nothing pa
1t music. So every advantage had m
zen given her. Her own daughter
I'd shown such wonderful love of elt
that in her training the tn
other carried out some thoroughly sic
lg1nal ideas. AS soon as the little
RI learned to write intelligently she ed
ID proudly taken the place of her th
others private secretary. When in ho
fations had to be sent out they were :
ritten in big, bold. childish hand. "A
he housekeeping accounts We're bal col
cedS each week in the same un- ms