The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1903-04-24

gave the money up. But she was sur
prised to find that She wasn't 50 lone
ly and unhappy as she had thought
she would be: When you give up
something of your own accord, you
feel a sense of power, as Helen did,
while the Sky seemed to loo bluer,
the birds sing sweeter, and peoples
faces to look more kind. Still there
were moments of despair and discour-
agement, when everything seemed to
be going wrong-when the household
debts would never get quite paid up,
and her health never be quite what
she had hoped. How nice it would
be to he taken care of, as Wins wife
was! Or how nice it would be to have
that $4,000 and be relieved of petty
responsibilities! Those weak moods
quickly passed, however.
She was cashier and clerk at Mr..
Burt's Combination store" which
was really Il city department store on
a small scale.
One day, about two days after the
last of her '~surrenders," as Helen
Iaughingly called them, a slender,
white-faced old man entered the
store. Helen was at her cashiers desk
making out bills. 1t was quite late,
on a cold, drizzly, fall afternoon, and
and no one else happened to be i'll at
the time. Helen glanced up OCCASION
ally, on the alert to see if a new GUS
toner came in, or if she herself were
needed. and two OF three times she
discovered the stranger watching her
quite i%ntently.
When he had gone, Mr.. Burt aun
tered up to her, and with 4 merry
twinkle III his eyes, said. Miss Stock
well, that old gentleman am to es-
pccially inquire about you. He said
his name was Lawrence, from Hope
dale. He didn't want to speak to you
himself, he said, but just wanted to
know all about you. So [ told him
your general history. I shouldn't
wonder at all if he were a detective
in disguise. weaving a deadly chain
of evidence around you
-I'iSe winter that followed was n par
ticularly hard one for poor Helen,
Her mothers health was very poor,
anu luItlSIIIt III ScllCiClSS ldo l "
be bought. When spring came she
grew no better, and the doctor said
TINT if She could go to the seaside for
a few weeks, he was sure she would
be greatly benefited. But that was
not to be thought of. Helen was
wearing quit shabby clothes in order
to pay the doctors bill and the rent
of their four rooms.
In the hitter part of May, as Helen
was about to start home one evening
about six O'Clock, q tall, pleasant
faced young manPappeared hurriedly
in the doorway and asked for Miss
Stockwell.
oh" he said, after Mr.. Burt had
Inatie i1cI= known, esPeettffuiHy saiat-
ing her, II see you re'about to start
for home. / would like to walk along
with you If | may, as l have a com
mission for you, intrusted to me by
my grandfather"
'tGertainly," said Helen.
Only q few commonplace We're
passed till they got off the main
street, then the young man said:
Miss Stockwel1, my grandfather
has recently died and has left me his
sole executor and heir of his modest
property, except two requests. One
of s 1900, to the drink cure hospita
and sanitarium at Lansingburg, anG
the other of $1,000 left to yourself
check for which You will find in this
envelope" handing her the same iron
his wallet.
Helen drew herself slightly ava,
from the proffered gift and said ear
nestly; Il am sure there must b,
some mistake, sir. You have prob
ably come to the wrong person. ! an
sure i did not know your GRANDPA
ther."
He smiled. 'sThere is no mistake
Miss stockwell. My name is Gilber
Lawrence. My grandfather saw yo'
last fall. He went to the store t.
e you, and Mr.. Burt told him al
about you"
"Oh," said Helen, Vie was that oil,
gentleman who asked about me
But L don't understand. There is n,
reason why he should have left m
anything"
You remember that legacy o
So, 1000 which you refused some thre
years agoY2' he asked, still smiling.
@Of course I remember it," sal,
Helen, with sad humor. 4 wish
could forget it,"
well, my grandfather was the hei
who profited by your surrender Q
that legacy. But that is thd ~ 900
mentioned as having been bequeathe
to the drink cure hospital. You
present legacy is a part of my grand
fathers savings on the dear hom
farm where my father and I wer
j bora So YOU needn't fear to aceep
IT, he urged. again holding II tn
envelope to her, which she took wit
trembling fingers.
My grandfather,Miss Stockwell.
continued the young mar, twas TIL
nearest relative when Mr.. Rollin
died, but he did not leave grandfathe
anything He leftyon $1,000 and TIL
Erest 70 another person not q relative
When you refused to take your share