Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1902-11-01

You Will end by making me nate you,
Aunt Prue!" she cried, stamping her
foot. "You care nothing for me
your own flesh and blood. You won't
help me the least bit. You could help
me-O, so much! You had better do it!
Unless marry Robby Walters won't
take anybody! There-it's all out!
You have known all along, yet have
done your best to keep him away from
me. / believe you want him to take
that scrawny Manners thing instead"
She broke down into stormy sobbing.
Miss Prue's hands clinched upon her
knitting needles. She had known
but had never dreamed anything of her
own flesh and blood could speak so lit
tie like a gentlewoman. If real love
had been back of the outburst she
would have been infinitely pitiful to-
ward the outbreaker. But she knew
Helen loved only Robby's fortune.
Robby was the son of Miss Prue's
heart-she had loved his father and
been parted from him through fool
ish lovers quarrel. Robby, orphaned
while still in her short frocks, had been
brought up by his grandmother, who
was Miss Prue's next neighbor. After
the grandmother died he lived on in
the old homestead, and gave to his
Aunty Prue double measure of devo-
ton.
When Helen came Miss Prue was
dreaming beautiful dreams. She was
no match maker, but it did seem as If
fate was to give her through these two
some part of the JOY her youth had
missed.
To the vanishing dreams there had
succeeded fears-Robby was, after all.
q man to be misled, it might be,
wrecked, by splendors Of bronze hair,
sea-blue eyes and lips as redly dewy as
q roses heart. Helen would infallibly
have turned Robby's head-if there
had been no Jane Manners.
Jane was slim and palish, but of fine
fiber and as true as steel. Pious. also,
fine unchurchly way, which flouted
missions afar, and spent itself un-
grudging on the poor, the needy and
the heather at its door.
Mr.. Bryson, the young minister just
out of the seminary, said Jane was
"deplorably narrow" Helen agreed
with him. 1t was one way of flattering
his vanity, and aside from natural
love of conquest, Helen wanted to keep
him dangling about her as spur TO
Bobbie.
Perhaps it was some thought OF him
that suddenly dried Helen's stormy
tears. She flung up her arms and said.
steadily: 81 mean it, Aunt Prue! I'm
les you help me you will have Inc on
your hands for good and always. l
swear I never will go back to my moth
err"
Under all Miss Prue's womanliness
there was grain of flint. 1t struck
fire now-her tone was as hard as
Helen's when she said: mot even the
risk of martyrdom shall make me do
the lad such a wrong. If anybody must
be sacrificed to you let it be me.
am older than Robby by rs years"
Commonly Helen sulked week after
one of her outbreaks. 1t amazed Miss
Prue to find her at breakfast silken
and smiling.
81 can never be good, like Jane" she
said, little later, when Bobbie came
in to consult with Aunty Prue about
poor sick family. "But / mean to be
henceforth as good as I can. From
what you say there is likely to be need
for all the help anybody can give"
Indeed. there will be-" Bobbie said
earnestly. at is fairly heart-break-
ing to think of those poor mill folk.
Their cottages are so cramped-ano
fever has sprung up already"
81 cannot help in the nursing Helen
said, dropping her eyes; but l can
fetch and carry-and spend Jillson
money. o, don't shake your head
they like to have me do it-and heaps
of people will give me things, If come
for them in carriage, that would shut
their hands tight if / went afoot."
81 believe you are right" Bobbie said
laughing.
Il know l am right" Helen pouted.
Then she ran away and left hint was
almost a week, indeed, before he saw
her again.
But he heard of her, and OF her
works, almost hourly. She had flung
herself into charity with all her
strength, and found in it SINE measure
of the outlet for which her active tenn
permanent pinned. Thus, with her airs
and graces laid aside, she was hun
dred times more charming. Bobbie
would certainly have gone down before
her if his heart had not been secure in
James keeping.
A fine, clear December, nipping cold
Il q