The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1902-07-26
to the open country, and was very

every rOSebuSh, every tree In the
garden, every climber on the wall
just as though she mad never beer
away. And the wrench of leaving il
all-that had never been forgotten
in the long intervening years.
Ruin had followed on her fathers
rash speculations. But she never
could find it in her heart to blame him
she was so sure he meant everything
for the best
Next there came the three sad
years of struggling on through fallen
fortunes during which both parents
died. Finally, Barbara-as has been
told-betoOk herself to Brittany, as
a place where the forty annual pounds
(Which was all she possessed or had
to expect would go furthest.
A friend of early youth had alway :
kept in communication with her,
sending her an occasional letter
magazine or paper, and every Christ
mas a five pound note. But that he
Charles Lawrence-should, just for
'old sake's sake" leave her property
enough to bring in an annual income
of four hundred pounds could never
have entered into her widest mag
inings.
How should it? For she only knew,
vaguely, that he was well Off" living
in unostentatious style down Salisbury
way.
Barbara had been the close friend
of this mans wife, who had suddenly
died in the first flush Of their welded
happiness. Perhaps in being kind to
one on whom fate had fallen so hard
ly, Mr.. Lawrence knew it would have
pleased her whose place in his heart
had never been filled again. At any
rate, his friendship toward this lone
ly splnster took a practical form,
which is more than can be said for
most friendship she remembered when
he made his will. all that she and
Alice had been to each other.
That strange day in her life was
not very fine one as days go. But
when our worldly prospects seem
Frightening, gray and clouded sky
does not affect us as when we are
downhearted and troubled Though
there was no sunshine, Mr.. Lawrence's
legatee sat down on a stone which Of
fered comfortable seat, and, taking
that letter from her pocket, proceeded
to read it through again. Then she
remembered taking second envelope
from the box; one which, in the ex-
citement of learning the contents of
the first, she had thrust aside without
so much as a glance.
From beneath her handkerchief,
bunch Of keys, a penknife, q pencil
case, she drew it forth now; first,
looking at the handwriting of the ad-
dress. No; she did not recognize it;
even the postmark gave no clue.
So Barbara opened her letter, won.
dering what further surprise was in
store for he1 on this day of surprises.
The communication was not lengthy
a glance convinced her of that. But
1t was startling to one who could dis
cern between justice and injustice. If
she, Barbara Ellis, accepted the leg
acy of which she had been legally no.
titled that morning, one who was close
ly related to Mr.. Lawrence would be
left in direst poverty.
That will had been the outcome of
an old quarrel; an unhealed dispute
with an only sister whose marriage in
early youth had been unwise and con-
an offense to her family.
Il understand" so said the writer,
that you possess what has sufficed for
your existence during many years;
could it not still do so? Now that the
trifing allowance made by her brother
is at an end, this poor lady has moth
ing. She is years your senior, she
Is in i'll health. She has growing-up
sons who need a start in life. l will
say no more"
"In. the memory of her neighbors,
Miss Ellis had never stayed out of /
lOOrs SO long as she stayed that day. |
Some of them began to wonder if she |
ought not be searched for; but then
hey saw her coming slowly, as one |
who has walked far and grown tired.
Her face bore no tired look though.
IN the contrary, it had a brighter ex
PRESTON than usual as she nodded to
,ne and another of the women and
poke to the children as though she
ared for all and belonged to them.
The excitement Of picturing herself
n another place, in better home, in
prosperous circumstances, was over
md done with.
after all. it is nice little place
quite enough for me-" she said to
lerself as she unlocked the door and
vent in, to take up life exactly where
he had left it.
So Barbara made over to her dead
riend's own kith and kin the money
he had enjoyed-in Imagination only
a few brief hours. If she
hould not be passing rich" on forty
ounds a year. neither her heart nor
onscience could reproach her in the
natter of those two letters which came
ne morning and made an event in her
sually uneventful life.-Waverley
lagazine.
Silk is the strongest of all vegetable
=. <hroodc 10 fhroo |