The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1904-04-08
A Strange Legacy

gloom of November evening, through
the damp night air and gathering fog,
along greasy pavements and over slip
pery crossings, across the great bridge,
with the yawning darkness on either
side, and down the mean streets OF
southern London, YEARLY but steadily
Mary MacAllister bent her way.
Three years of hard work as typ
ist in a city Office, three years of
sonely struggle with fortune. had rob
bed Mary's cheek of the bloom it boast
ed when she was nineteen, but still
she strobe on her way. morning and
evening, backward and forward, to
and from the city. where her work
lay, brave, earnest-minded steady
eyed woman, typical figure of Lon
dons women workers
Sometimes there would be a sns-
picion of moisture in the big grav ewes
when work was more than usually irk-
some, or employers more than usual
ty irate and unreasonable.
Sometimes for moment her mind
would stray from the dark close Office
to the glorious fields and hedgrows
which from babyhood she had looked
apon as hers in time to come. Now
and again as she ate her solitary meal
In her poor little room in the shabby
aouse in a tt ird-rate street just be-
gond "the Elephant the memory of
the plenty in the old days brought a
shadow for a moment, and then the
memory of Dick-her Dink-wauld
chase the little cloud away. If Dick
could be brave and go away to Africa
TO win fortune for her, she would be
Grave, too. Dick had faced the crash.
which four years ago had ruined alike
nis father and hers, quietly and I'M
.omplainingly. She had refused his
offer to release her from her engage
ment to him. and with mutual protes-
tations of love and fidelity they had
parted-he to seek wealth across the
seas, she to earn her living as best she
could in the great world of London.
Many letter from Dick lay care
fully folded in her little workbox, let
tiers which she read again and again
when the struggle was hard and her
neart grew faint. They told of pro-
gress, slow but sure, until-until eigh-
ceen months before, when the black
cloud of war lowered, and ruin had
Cor the second time in his young life
stopped at Dick Herricks door.
With the first clash of arms his en-
oloyment ceased. the land he had in
vested his savings in was seized by
the Beers, while he himself was COM
Wandered, and imprisoned as the re-
suit of his refusing to fight against
his own countrymen Since then
since she had lived at here present
address-no news had come to tighten
her sorrow, to relieve her anxiety.
On her doorstep she met her land
tady, Mrs. Bird, who had been shop
Ding round the corner Mrs. Bird was
well meaning, but rather massive, and
sometimes more than aggressive.
you're late this evening"" Mrs.
Bird asserted, tartly.
"Yes-I-I am, rather" nervously
responded Mary. II was little be-
aind at the office and I've walked"
walked night like THIEF Then
you'd no business. S'pose you caught
cold and laid up?"
"The buses were full, and II
:ouldn't afford cab. you know" Mary
answered. smiling gently.
''No. in course. though you might
DO that night like this if you didn't
go saddlin' yourself with that foreign
dddler man up stairs.
Mrs. Bird closed the door with an
angry little bang as she followed
Mary into the passage.
"Oh, hush. please, Mrs. Bird; think
now i'll the poor fellow has been"
'Ill-course he has. and you, with
all you can do to keep yourself. must
go and look after him. Nonsense.
that's what call 1t! What do we
pay rates for, and keep up that there
palace round the corner for, if it amt
for such as him?
But you don't understand, Mrs.
Bird; he is not a common man. he is
an artist and gentleman. 1t would
kill him to be sent to such a place
know-I feel it-just as it would kill
me to be sent there. Our cruel fogs
have brought him to deaths door,
and as he has lain insensible-up
there-delirious. raving-his tongue
has told me the tale of his sunny
home away yonder in Italy. of the pow
erty which drove him here to earn his
bread. of his music. which is like life
to him. And now-now he is better,
be patient still for little longer
will give him all the attention I can,
and save you as much as possible.
The money that is owing you Will
pay. gladly, willingly. Ii little at q