The Republican journal., 1903-05-28

| SlNllv ottpuliUCNl III Wy Ills UlSIlht VI
John, which he took no pains to con
ceal
Mrs. Goodwin thought of Merrick,
warm hearted and impulsive. "Merrick
Wilbur is not the one to take the bread
out of an old woman's mouth. she ex-
claimed, scornfully. els that all you
have to say to me, john"
Il think we understand each Other,'
John returned, suavely
a mist fell over Mrs. GoodWin's eyes
as she turned toward the door. She
could not see to open it. John Wilbur
fastened to her side and politely bowed
her out. With the mist still hanging in
front of her she traversed the few rods
to Mrs. Birds house. That afternoon
she would call on her pastor and ask
him to intercede Ter her with John; but
not now she was too crushed and hope
| less
AS she opened the door of her room
its brightness and cheer made friend
! ly appeal to her Thank God, she had
her health. There must be work enough
i'll the village for a faithful pair of
hands. The next instant she fell to
the floor
When Mrs Goodwin opened her eyes
she was lying in bed, and Mrs. Bird sat
| looking at her with tender concern.
| Now don't you 90 to worrying, Mrs.
Goodwin, Mrs. Bird exclaimed, trying
to hush her deep voice to an approprl-
ate degree on Will be all right i'll a
little while, 'ceptin, of course, your
side. You have had stroke, but, land,
| that amt anything. Just you lie still
and don't worry, and the doctor says
you will come out all right. You ain t
| tod TO
worry about. Well. now, if it was me
| would have to do considerable think
in while | was a-lying there Every
body says how lucky you were to have
| Timothy Black snap up your place so
quick Everybody knows that when
Timothy sets his heart on anything he
ain one to let money stand in the way
of it
Mrs. Goodwin's eyes opened wide,
and a frightened look came III them.
You must tell everyone, Mrs. Bird, y
| she stammered, that | have lost all
the money Timothy Black paid me.
There, there, honey murmured
Mrs. Bird. You must not talk any
more. Poor thing" she added to her
self, her mind is beginning to wall
der"
but you must" Mrs. Goodwin re-
peated.
Ssh, sh, else have to go right away
and leave you. Tomorrow you can tell
me all about it.
Mrs. Goodwin closed her eyes weari-
ly. Mrs Bird was right, tomorrow
would be time enough to tell her, 20
God, send Merrick home" she whisper
ed They say no one knows where he
is, but Thou kDoWest and Thou canst
put it into his mind to come to help the
poor old woman. Merrick will not see
me defrauded.'
Within an hour after Mrs. Goodwin
had told her trouble to Mrs. Bird, the
whole village was ringing with the
story, and John Wilbur became the
recipient of numerous calls, one from
Mrs. Goodwin's pastor, the Rev. Mr..
Steele To each one he made the state
ment that he knew nothing of the
transaction and had found no such
amount of cash in his fathers posses
sion.
Plainly there was nothing to be done,
Except to pray the Lord to change
John Wilbur's heart" as Mr.. Steele
remarked to Mrs. Bird in an undertone
when he was leaving the house after
making Mrs. Goodwin acquainted with
the result of his call.
Indeed, it is not right to pray to the
Lord for impossibilities, the good Wo-
man returned, warmly.
Mr.. Steele shook his head reproach-
fully, but she was pleased to note that
he could not efface from his counte-
nance the glow OF satisfaction that her
vehement language had evoked.
Mrs. Goodwin had not looked for
anything else. Her conversation now
turned on Merrck and his return. The
days were flying swiftly All her wants
were supplied by the church people,
but the fact was forcing itself upon her
that perhaps only the summer would
bring back her days of usefulness. How
could she endure to depend on the
bounty of even her sisters in the church
till that time? Hour after hour she sat
by the window watching with anxious
eyes for MerIick's handsome, sensitive
face and 1.-the, erect figure.
81 have had such beautiful DREAM"
she remarked to Mrs. Bird on Easter
morning. 81 thought that Merrick
stood right here in the room smiling at
and then he spoke to me as plainly as
could be, and said, Mrs. Goodwin,
don't you worry about that money. 1t
will all come out right some day."
30 the dear ladv' cried Mrs. Bird,
putting her handkerchief to her eyes.
"What is the matter? Is there bad
news of Merrick?" Mrs. Goodwin drew
a deep sigh as she read the answer in
Mrs. Birds grief-sticken attitude. The
painful silence was broken by the first
sad tolling of the bell. With her eyes
fixed on the church belfry, which show
ed through the bare boughs Of the trees,
Mrs. Goodwin counted the strokes.
Twenty-four gay, loving years. And
this was the answer to her prayer?
Then her sharp sorrow for Merrick
crowded out all selfish thoughts.
At the same hour Mr.. Steele was
mounting the steps to John Wilbur's
house. It was the old homestead that
his father had so lately left. Mr..
Steele's heart was anxious for news. A
brief illness, burial at sea; surely
that could not be all?
In the room where Mr.. Steele await
ed Johns appearance were many re-
minders of that stalwart Christian