The Forrest City times., 1902-01-31
MIRANDY'S
 ROW
Nv MRS. GEORGE P. HASBROUCK.

f
 baugh. as they sat together at Widow Diedrich's quilting party; "an' Griffin's Corners ud a-been quite as we'll off ef il ud never heard of such things as summer boarders.'
 That it would" returned Mrs Died rich. 'ez anybody thet's had 'em knows. They're that fnnicky over their victuals. just past bearin'."
 They are thet. but there's no deny in they're right smart. some on 'em; an 1 s'pose thet's what's taken Miriam dy Nevins.'
 "Mirandy Nevins?" said Mrs. Ober- baugh.
 Why. ain't you heard shes keepin' steady company wi Arthur Morrison, what's boardin' down to Mrs. Van Blum's?"
 Land sakes alive. ef thet don't beat all. MirandN. what's close onto 10. got a city chap for q beau.
 "Yes. an awfully gone on him too, they say. l tell you, Mirandy's got to look quite chipper.H
 Mrs. Oberbaugh was too much as tonished to reply, nothing quite so startling having come within her no- tice for years.
 "I hope he's not after her money." Mrs. Diedrich remarked, after pause. Bless you, no; a rich man like him wouldn't think shucks of Mirandy's little bit; but l guess he sees shes a capital manager, an II make things go twice ez far ez one of them city gels"
 An Mirandy's got bean al last Well, well, we'll. l hope it'll turn out good. But, mark my words" conclud- ed Mrs. Oberbaugh, with an impre shake of her head. you don't often get much from late settin' but added eggs
 "Yes. it was true: Miranda Nevins. who had never felt her heart warm under the sun of love in her youth, was now in middle age basking in golden afternoon. Left an orphan in early childhood, she had been adopted bv a relative whose eXacting ways had made life very hard for the delicate child. Then came long years of patient nursing of the irritable, penurious in valid, whom she would not leave be- cause of q fancied debt of gratitude Al x she found herself free and greatly 10 her surprise. the absolute owner of S3,000. which the wretched old miser had hoarded even when needing the necessaIies of life. Youth. however, with its dreams. was gone. and the delicate prettiness she pos sessed as a girl had been destroyed by care and toll. As the people at Grif- fins Corners expressed it. "Nlirandy always held up he heavy end"
 Her life had been colorleSS and sad heYoad expression; not a single gleam of love had come into it until she met Arthur Morrison. He loved her-ah. il Was impossible, so she told herself But had she not said the same when told of her fortune All day long the poor lonely woman, whose empty heart hungcred for affection. repeated the words. until al last all doubt was banished
 She hardly listened when her lover spoke of his wealth, of his handsome house m the city, of the luXuries with which he would surround her; he
 
 wealth of riches passing all imagina- ton. Everyone noticed how rhe old eareWorn look passed away turing those days of her lately found happi- ness, and when at times a blush would steal over her face. t brought back the beauty of 20 years ago.
 When the first tints of autumn were on he woods Mfr. Morrison departed. and Miranda. after waiting patiently for that precious thing. her first love letter, wrote herself to the address he hau gwen her. Every morning the Etai little woman with the patient eyes would drop into the general store ana post office and make purchase While the mail was being distributed. and though she never ventured to ask II 'hefe Was letter, her lingering S'tpS and wistful looks were perfectly '"defStood. This had gone on for S"lhe weeks, when one morning Miriam ca received letter from the dead let Ter ofilce. and found within it her own to Arthur Morrison. scravled over
 "'hereht street numbers and the
 that no such person was NhoWh. For an hour she sat. with me lel'er before her. trying to un- r"NeI the mystery; it was easier to be I'Ne that the whole postal force of New York was in league against her man that her lover could be false che would go to New York. she would hnd hm-iH, perhaps; poor. # miobt De; dead, even; but false-never,
 NFltfln'S Corners had a,,.>,,. S custom taken the livelieat inter- m the progress of Miranda $ love dHalr; but the little woman had beer very reticent, and speculation had had 10 supply the lack of actual informa- tion 'o' ma rahaa reserve being so well "o"n' It was therefore rather srr- ons., to ma her quietly discussing the 'oh Of her supposed engagement "' tue mini