Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-06-18
A STRANGE LEGACY.

A STRANGE LEGACY.
uomeward through the murk and
gloom uf Il >1ycmher evening, through
the dauk night mir and gathering fog.
along greasy paVemeuts and over Slip
perry crossings. across the great bridge,
with the yawuing darkness on either side.
and down the mean streets of southern
London. YEARLY but steadily Mary Mac
AlIister bent her way.
Three years of hard work rs n typiSt
in a city office, three years Of lonely
struggle with fortune had robbed Mary
cheek Of the bloom it boosted when she
wa, ~. but still she strobe on her way,
iuoluiu1 and evening, backward and for
ward To and from the city, where her
work lay. Il brave, earnest-minded,
st,ady-cyrd woman TYPICAL ngure Of
London women workers
SouIe,imcs there would be a suspicion
If moisture in the ing gray eyes when
work was more than usually lrkscme OF
employers more than usually irate and
unreasonable.
Sometimes for Il moment her mind
would stray from the dark close office 20
nh, glorious fields and hcdgeraWs which
fronl M.bqho0d She had looked upon rs
hp!. iu t.ue to come. Now and again
a~ She ata her solitary meal IN nor poor
Ettle room i'm her shabby house in 4
thiu-gulp street just beyond ''the Eie-
pGaatE the memory OF the plenty m the
uid days brought a shadow for "a mo-
meu. and then the memory of Dick
h,r iiick- would chase the little cloud
Away. If Dick coHld be brave and go
away 10 Africa to win Il fortune for her.
she would be hlave. too. Dick had faced
the crash. which four years ago had
ruined alike his father and hers quietly
and overwhelmingly She had refused
his offer to release heg from the engage
mtul to him, and with mutual pgotgSt1-
tiaas nf love and fidelity they had parted
he To seek wealth across tie seas. she
10 earn her living rs best She could in the
great world Of London.
Many letter from Dick lay carefully
folded in her little WorNuoN. letters when
she had read again ana again when the
sttug@i, was hard and her heart grew
faint They told of progress, SLOW but
sure. Unti-until eighteen months before.
when the black cloud of war lowered, and
ruin had for the second time in his young
life stopped at Dick Herrick's door
With the first clash of arms his employ
ment ceased. the land he had invested his
savings in was seized by the Beers, while
he himself was Communicated and im-
prisoned as the result of his refusing TO
fight against his own countfynen. Since
then-since she had lived at her present
address no news had come to Tighten her
sorrow, to relieve her anxiety.
On her doorstep She met her landlady.
Mrs Bird, who had been shopping round
the corner. Mrs. Bird was well meaning
hut rather massive, and sometimes more
than aggressive.
You are late this evening" Mrs, Bird
asserted, tartly.
"Yes-I lam, rather" nervously re-
Sponded Mary; Il was Il little behind ii
the Office, and I've walked
Walked, night like this, Then you'd
no business. Sposc you caught cold and
got laid np?'
The buses were full, ana II couldn't
afford cab, YOU know Mary answered,
smiling gently.
NO, in course, though YOU might do
that Il night like this il you didn't 20
>addlin' yourself with that foreign tid-
dior man upstairs
Mrs Bird closed the door with an an
sry Little bang as she followed Mary into
the passage.
oh, hush, please. Mrs. Bird; think
how i'll the poor fellow has been"
"llt~coursc he has. and you, with all
you can do to keep yourself. must 60
and look after him. Nonsense. that's
what | call it, What do we pay rates
for, and keep M that there palace round
the corner for, II ii amt for such as him.
But, YOU don't understand. Mrs. Bird ;
he is NOT "a common man; he is an artist
and gentleman. Ii would Kill him To hc
sent to such a place. know feel it,
Just as ii would kill me TO be sent there.
Cur cra'l tugS have brought him 10
dcath'S door, and as he has lain mSeusi-
|tN. Il. L.
tongue has told me the tale Of his sunny
homr away yondcr in Italy, of the pow
"ytT which drove him here To earn his
bread. OF his music. which is like Fife 20
ann And now now he is better he pa
lWuJ still for Il little longer. | will give
him 9ll the attention | can. and save vou
+ as ulrh rs possible. The money that is
owing you | will pay. gladly. willingly. Il
Ul.e no time. See. here is some that
have earned working late Take it. and
ig mo have my own way, won't you
M. Nou viii, Thank YOU, Mrs Bird.
A> / iend him and help him, poor fellow,
S' | pray that n Wuman'S hand may help
lar man ! love, should he need it,"
N" tUmcd slowly and mounted the
>'aIr~ Mrs Bird looked after her 4 mo-
ne", ,'r,SSoutcr,. "Humphr' she NUT
Wur'j"
"Aaa ave het,er all I'm So glad. Now.
i. ~l}. oy ! Shall be- uugly.'
AN@'N, you, cara mia, An, hut no
a'A ran am angel hc angry =
Mann ~mii1l Your Illness has mot
h.at" yy" forget your compliments" She
~at3 E-hCN.
Nary NacAU>ter had stolen into the
sick MANS noon, after taking of her HAT
3ud lacbej, aud had found him up and
dressed and sitting i'm front Of tnn fire