The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1904-03-04

and piano lessons and taught her many
things which had not been included in
the course of the Wasset academy.
Anna had shared every pleasure with
her.
Mrs. Sinclair had regarded their in
timacy with uncOncealed disapproba-
ton She had no understanding or APP
probation of way of life different
from her own narrow one. When Mrs.
Holmes found it necessary to remove
to a distant town, Mrs. Sinclair made
no secret of her satisfaction. To Jes-
sic their going seemed the end of all
things worth living for.
"You can now settle down to some
useful work." her aunt had said, when
the girl had proposed buying piano
with the few hundred dollars which
had been left to her by her father.
She had been used to go every day to
practice to Annals piano.
but shall lose all that they taught
me. if l have no instrument for prac-
tice," she urged.
at will be no loss if you do re-
turned her aunt, contemptuously.
THAT money is not going to be wasted
in any such way as long as have any
thing to say about it."
And as until Jessie was 81 she could
not touch the money without her
aunt's permission, there was nothing
more to be said The day of Jessie's
departure came at last To the girl,
in her eagerness to be with her friends,
the days had seemed to drag inter-
minably. She did not notice her aunt
looked paler each day and that she
scarcely touched food.
Jessie came down early, as was her
habit, and assisted Mrs. Sinclair in the
preparation of breakfast The train
left at nine o'clock. At eight the carter
came for her baggage and at half-past
eight she started for the station after
formal leave-taking with her aunt.
The latter was even more cold and
grim than usual The walk to the sta
ton was not long and led through the
prettiest part of Wasset. Everything
was fresh and bright with the beauty
of early summer.
der her aunt's parting GOODNESS, rose
again as she walked along. By the
time the train arrived, shrieking and
whistling and she was seated in it,
speeding toward Mrs. Holmes and
Anna and the new life with them, they
were at fever heat.
At half-past nine the train stopped
at Hacksett. Here there was change
of cars for Newton, the town in which
the Holmses lived Jessie alighted
and found that the train for Newton
was not due for three-quarterS of an
hour. She went to the shady side of
the station and sat down on bench
to wait A little old lady dressed in
black was seated there. She looked
up at Jessie and spoke pleasantly.
tits nice here in the shade she
said.
Yes" returned Jessie.
Are you going to Boston,"
NO" said Jessie, Il am going the
other way-to Newton"
The old lady carried a leather satchel
of good size. She opened it and took
out an unfinished woollen stocking and
began to knit.
ct seems a pity to waste so much
time" she said, simply. 'You see /
have to wait half-hour for my train. I"
Jessie watched her curiously She
was a very sweet-looking old lady.
Her eyes were very blue behind her
steel-rimmed spectacles. Little waves
of her thin gray hair had escaped from
beneath her shabby black bonnet and
were moving to and fro in the breeze.
Jessie thought vaguely that she might
have been quite pretty before time or
care had traced all those fine lines
around her eyes and mouth. She knit
ted away briskly, accompanying the
clicking of her needles with remarks
on the weather, the beauty of the coun-
try around and kindred subjects.
Presently she said: "You remind
me of my daughter" and she laid her
knitting in her lap and looked thought
| fully at Jessie.
"Yes?" said the girl, politely
The old lady went on reflectively:
| les, you lie VI Elld. one Is
! not dark like you and she is not SO
| tall. ] guess you make me think of
her because you are both of about the
same age She is very pretty, is
Eta
"Yes?" said Jessie, politely, again.
'.And you ought to hear her sing!
| She has voice like a thrush" The
old lady spoke proudly. She placed
her hand on Jessie's in an impressive
way. "She's been studying in Boston
for the last three months, at the con-
servatory there"
How nice!" said Jessie, looking in
/ terested
| Il am going to Boston to bring her
home" The old lady moved nearer to
the girl and continued in a tone of
mingled Importance and pride. you
see, our church has decided to have a
quartet choir when We get into our
new edifice next month, and lot of
folks want Eta to have the position
of leading soprano. There is no girl
in the place who can sing so well. So
| am going to bring her home to see
the music committee. She must do
that, though she is sure of the place
| Won't she be surprised to see me! and
so glad to get that place at home.