Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1904-11-10
LIES COMPENSATION,
By A. Goodwin.

VI lSdFS YOU HOInlnS at all!
Il don't mind in the least, uncle"
"And if l die and leave you moth,
Sing, what will become of you?"
Il can work"
%, you can work! Doesn't it strike
you that you may not be able to get
woodwork that will suit? You can't
cook or make dresses or do anything
useful"
"A woman can do most things when
she has to do Them
She was a young woman, slender.
delicate looking, not evidently in.
tended for hard struggling in the
battle OF life. She had become an
orphan at 10, and this old man, whom
she called uncle-he was her mothers
uncle by marriage-had given her a
home and grown attached to her in
his gruff, eccentric way. He was rich
and had boarded his wealth all his
life and judged everything from the
worldly, monetary point of view. But
this -sirl-and he had gagged and
sounded her character many times
during the last seven retrospective
ly did not care about money and did
not reckon on his death with the hope
OF inheriting from him. She had staio
with him unwillingly at first; he had
kept her in spite of herself, and then
sort of tie had arisen between them.
He depended on her for society and
care and attention, for he was grow,
ing old and infirm, while she had a
feeling OF grateful affection for him
He had taken her in when she had
been homeless and friendless. She
found, by hearsay, at least, that the
world is not kind to unprotected wom-
en- without money.
Her uncle, Luke Percivale, was rs
and his constitution was fast break
ing up. He did not want to die vet,
but some presentiment of his ap-
preaching end seemed to be dominat
ing him. He had harped many times
lately on what would become of Myra
If he died, trying in vain to interest,"
her in his testamentary dispositions
He was retired partner in a bank
ing firm, ana the inhabitants of the
provincial town where he lived spoke
with bated breath of his wealth,
which was supposed to be immense
Myra was looked upon as his heiress,
though she repudiated all claim Oh
his benevolence.
Uncle and niece were sitting to-
gether now by the library fire. The
weather was cold. He suffered from
bronchitis and had been for some
time confined to the house. His tenn
per was trying, but Myra bore il
patiently. She was sewing in.
dustriously, her face serene, her
movements calm The old man watch
ed her silently for a little while He
had been married and widowed in his
youth. His wife and he had not
agreed, and after her death he had
become imbittered against women ana
was wont to rail at them, but in his
old age this girl whom he had har.
bored as a caprice, and whom he
would have driven out in another
caprice if she had angered him. had
altered his views about the sex. She
was patient and unselfsh, yet she
was not weak. She was unworldly,
uncalculating, yet she was self
respecting, self reliant. She might
have married while she had been liv-
ing with him. for she had had good
offers, but she had refused her suitorA
unhesitatingly. Old Percivale had
feigned anger with her for throwing
away chances, but really he approved
her decision. He had not wished to
part with her. But now his gruff
affection for her made him wish tina,
she were married.
unused, ''or some of it, she will be
robbed and quilted. l must try and
find husband for her."
Why didn't you marry Harper?' he
asked suddenly
Mr.. Harper?" she returned gently
I told you uncle, l do not love him.
Besides he
He counted on my money!" SAID
the old man with chuckle. Yes,
believe he did. But you'll die an old
maid"
Myra laughed.
AS if that mattered. l feel an ola
maid already"
"Bosh. You're &c. You must make
ZIP your mind to marry
She smiled. but the smile faded and
her face grew sad. Years ago some
thing had gone out of her life-hope,
happiness, all that brightens e&
istence. All the days since had been
mere adapting herself to the newt
able. she had loved and been en-
gagged, but a parting had come. Her
lover was poor, and he had gone
away. then her home had been broken
up, but she still yearned for Dick
Carew, still believed he had not for
gotten her and that it was fate that
kept them apart.
That night in her room she took
Dicks photograph from her TRUNK
and spent an hour in musing on the
past. Dick and she had been boy ana
girl lovers: in fact, as far back as she
could remember Dick had seemed her
special property. But her father had
inf al t,cf hnf th4