Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1903-06-19

lh!ll - llll9 $50 early. Why did he
l@1@ go?"
''He had letters to write be said"
The old woman glanced at the girl
anxiously. Her eyes were dim, but she
fancied that Louise looked as If she
had been crying.
'My DEAR" she said, softly, "Bob Is
only a man-and-you wouldn't let any
sense of duty stand between you?"
The girl flushed deeply, and turned
her lovely face toward her questioner.
mo, auntie, don't worry; it isn't a
question of duty"
81 thought perhaps-Bob is so close,
he would object to me, and wouldn't,
not for the world, keep you apart The
poorhouse has no terrors for me-not II
1t makes you happy"
You have a queer notion Of what
would make me happy. No, you are all
l have left, and we'll 'bide q wee to-
gether'"
And the girl pressed her soft cheek
against the one so old and wrinkled-
"It's hard" murmured the old aunt.
"First there was the old father and
mother you nursed so long, and now
there's me-and he's a likely lad us
ever was. He'll be rich some day"
"Yes," said the girl, quietly. II know
1t. He's made of the stuff that pro-
duceS rich men. Let's forget him, for
he is not of our world"
But 1 hoped" persisted the old
woman sadly, that be might lift you.
at least, up to his world. You work so
hard, you are only girl. Your life
ought to have been so, different"
His world is not above nine" e1-
claimed Louise earnestly, ut IS far be-
low. II do not care to step down.
Never mention this again, aunde,
please"
But when the winter Of SNOW and
rain set in, and Louise had to plod
back and forth mile through the
storm to the little millinery store,
where she was hired Mt seventy-fve
cents a day, the old woman more than
once brought up the name of her old
time lover.
Hes gone to the city" she said one
day, "getting salary that would make
us rich, one year OF it"
Louise, pale and weary, answered
nothing, but the Old woman continued
plaintively.
"Now, If it hadn't been for me you'd
been living like 4 queen. Seems like
instead Of helping you, as want to, l
only take all your hopes away Dear,
dear how long | do live"
"Hush" said the girl, sternly. GLOW
unkind you are! You are all have in
the world. You are all have ever had
since-since they went awayr'
you're twenty-five" said the old
woman, softly; you're the prettiest
girl for miles around. 1 always
thought"
"Td marry. Well, I won't" an
swered Louise, brightly, "for I'm dc
termined to be an old maid"
Bob Hunter had been in the city
twenty years. He was TO longer
known as Bob, but as Robert Hunter
millionaire.
He had friends, such as they were,
nstute business fnanciers like himself;
servants who ran at his bidding, but
not one person in the whole world who
loved him.
Even the little errand boys knew him
for what he was, hard, cold and un-
charitable. They were paid their stipu-
lated prices never cent more. This
world and this life was only a place
to live long IN, in order to grow rich
and richer.
Ha seldom recalled his old country
home; there were no ties there to hold
him. Only, sometimes, there came n
feetinc memory OF fair young face,
the one face il the world he had truly
loved.
"Sha was little fool" he woulu
mutter; "shcs been a martyr long
enough. l didn't propose to saddle
myself with that old aunt. Well, she
chose her way, hope she's enjoyed
It,"
accident brought bac'; his old home
wildly at last. There was a railroad
running through that part Of the coun-
try that he desired to buy.
"I'll run out there few days" he
said; ''it Will be prudent to do so, and
l wonder how the old place looks by
this time. anyway. Nobody will recog-
nlze me. dare say
But they did; the newspapers that
heralded his name, and the old neigh
bors who remembered him as a boy
wanted TO sec the great man be had
become.
\ number of old friends, as they
were pleased to call themselves, un-
dertook to show him around and to
point out the improvements that twen-
ty years had brought about
There was new court house, a new
Jail, and, lastly, fine, large building,
lately erected for the county poor.
Bob did not care copper cent to be
shown any Of the affairs, but he had