The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-08-28

said this, for the chief desire of her
make II her home at Locust HILL" il
not as his wife, at least as it's real mis-
tress. This hint not having the de-
sired effect, the willy woman continued:
Yes, indeed; the old place must
seem very lonely to you now. AS
was telling Julia only the other day
if poor Marys child could have lived
what a comfort she would have been
to you. 1t must be great shock to
you to lose them both; but you may
be sure that we will do our best to fill
their places"
Mr.. Plympton sighed as he looked
from the sharp, shrewish features OF
his sister-in-law to the snowy, over
dressed daughter.
You were with Mary in her last
sickness. | believer"
Yes; was with her until she died
My own health was very feeble at the
time, but l felt that l could not give
her up to the care of strangers.
assure you that | did all | could to
make her last hours easy. She gave
her little girl to me to keep till your
return. Dear little thing, how l cried
when it died! If it had been my own
child | could not have felt worse; but
it is consolation to know that it's
where it's so much better Off"
Here Mrs. Plympton raised her eyes
to the ceiling, and then, after regarding
ont U-ith nj oil
took refuge in her pocket handker-
chief.
Mr.. Plympton had loved his sister
with no common affection, and his
countenance softened.
For all the care you bestowed upon
my sister and her orphan child l am
very grateful" he said, TREMENDOUSLY;
and you may rest assured that shall
mot forget it"
The next day as Mr.. Plympton was
taking his usual morning walk, he
was startled by the sound of singing
near by. 1t was not simply the sweet
young voice that attracted his atten-
ton, but the old-fashioned hymn; il
was one that he had often heard his
sister sing when he was boy; he had
not heard it since.
Looking over the fence he saw that
it proceeded from coarsely-attired
little girl, who was picking peas in
Mrs. Plympton's garden.
Her torn and faded sunbonnet was
lying at her feet, and as the rays of
the sun fell upon her hair, that was
cut as short as possible to the head
its tiny wavelets, glittered with strange
beauty, and as Mr. Plympton examined
her face closely he thought that he had
never seen one with such sweet, inno-
cent expression.
Passionately fond of children, he
spoke to her: but to his surprise, in
stead of answering him, she glanced
up with a frightened look, and then
darted into the house by the kitchen
door that stood open.
Il saw little girl in your garden, ~
he said to Mrs. Plympton the next
time he saw her, sis she relative of
yours?"
Mrs. Plympton's face flushed.
"a little girl?" she repeated, her
countenance assuming a reflective look.
eyes. She was picking peas. She
seems to be shy little thing; for she
ran away as soon as spoke to her"
Picking peas? oh, it must be Betsy
Jane; little girl l took into the house
to help cook"
''She has a very interesting counte-
nance
Yes; these Irish Americans often
have very pretty features. But the
worst of it is they will lie and steal
so; it seems to be bred in them"
rs she of Irish parentage?'
Eyes; and if you could only have
seen the miserable hole 1 took her
from! Her father had been sent to the
House of Correction for stealing Her
mother got drunk every day and beat
and abused her shamefully. took her
out of charity"
Here Mr.. Plympton touched the
speaker upon the arm, glancing, sig
nificantly, toward the door.
Mrs. Plympton turned her head.
Betsy Jane" she said, in tone that
belied the angry look in her eyes,
what do you want?''
''I-I thought you was alone, ma'am, -
stammered the child Miss Julian
told me to get her book"
take it then, and CO."
The child was evidently too glad
to obey; escaping from the room as
noiselessly as she came. But not un-
til Mr. Plympton saw by the tears
that trembled in the soft, brown eyes,
that she felt sensitively the words she
had overheard.
Mrs. Plympton Immediately turned
the conversation into another chan
mel; but her brother-in-law replied alb
sently to her remarks, and soon after
sought his own room.
AS he did so he heard the sound of
sobbing
He was a man of quick and SYM
pathetic impulses, and guided by the
sound, assembled the stairs until he
came to little room at the top of
the house, meanly and scantily fur
nished, where, seated upon wooden
trunk, was the child he had noticed,
sobbing as though her little heart