The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1904-03-25
Down in the parlor the company" had


arrived for the Thanksgiving dinner
which. despite poverty and privation.
was always a feature of the day. Squire
Elkins and his wife were the guests and
the squire, with many apologies, had
brought with him two strangers from
the city, Mr.. Morton and his son. Mrs.
Martins two daughters. arrayed in their
country finery, were simpering on the
sofa. Mr.. Martin sat in the best rocker,
while Mrs. Martin, in her best" pro-
tected by an enormous gingham apron,
bobbed, red-faced and "f1ustered," be-
tween the parlor and the kitchen.
Mr. Morton and his son were inter-
ested in the new railroad, and the squire
informed Mr.. Martin aside that he could
sell one strip for enough to clear all the
rest and leave a snug margin for i'm
provements.
But the Mortons did not seem to be in
much of hurry to talk business. They
seemed i'll at ease, and kept glancing to-
ward the door, as though they expected
some one At last, as Mrs. Martin seated
herself for a moment, the younger man
asked, abruptly:
Are there any more in your family,
Mrs. Martini"
only my niece" was the stiff reply.
"She's goin' to wait on the table. She's
upstairs now, but | believe she is goin'
to the city to-day or tomorrow to
stay"
Suddenly little figure, clad in neat
black dress, with hair sadly disarranged
and little face blazing with indigna-
ton, stood in the doorway, confronting
Mrs. Martin, with paper which she
held menacingly toward her.
Il want my house!'
That was all she could say, and she re-
peated it again and again: Il want my
house! It's mine and you, know it!
You've kept 1t from me all these years.
and want it,"
Then she noticed the two strangers for
the first time, and drew back.
What does the girl mean?" asked
Mrs. Martin, with weak attempt at re-
tanning her dignity But one glance at
! the document which the girl held out
was enough.
Mr.. Morton had risen, pride and fond
ness struggling in his face.
you won't turn us out. will you.
| 'Bella?" sobbed Mrs. Martin. Il know
hain't treated you right, but I'll do bet
| ter. Indeed, | will"
Mr.. Morton stepped forward and his
son stood beside him.
Wen give you another chance, Ma
| tilda," he said, Jack and Bella and l."
Bella took swift step toward him,
| while Squire Elkins and his wife
beamed with satisfaction.
Don't you know me, Matilda and
Dick?" asked Mr.. Morton. Il am James
and your father Bella And he
| turned to her and held out his arms.
But Jack already had her in a strong
pair of his own.
my father?" exclaimed Bella. Won
deringly as she freed herself. MY
| father? Why-have-you-"
Don't reproach me, child was the
reply. Il cannot undo the wrong | did,
| but will do all | can. | never knew |
had daughter until wandered out to
the Klondike, and, in the providence of
| God, found my son. You were born after
-I-left | dropped my last name, and
after years of wandering and dissipation
| I came to myself Your mother was
dead, my son was in the far west, and
| did not know that you existed until I
| found Jack Then we planned this little
surprise on you. We have enough for all
| three of us, and you can live wherever
you want to- | believe, however, your
intended t0 tha
city,
| Mr.. Martin cast an appealing look at
his niece. and 'Bella's father and
brother never knew of all those years of
suffering and abuse.
81 want to keep the old place. said
Bella. smiling through her tears. II
want to keep ito give it away again"
Mrs. Martin understood, and it was
the last straw. She was crying like a
child, crying for JOY and shame and re-
pentance.
| Then they had dinner-such dinner
| as the old farm had not had for many
long day. And Bella waited on the
| table, after all.
"You needn't, Bella" said Mrs. Mari
tin, humbly. But Bella had insisted,
very gently.
They all went to the city the next day
and arranged the legal preliDinaries re-
garding the transfer OF the farm. 1t was
Joe's first case, and he was nightly
proud of it. Of course he won" it-al-
most as easily as he wen acase of plead
ing" four years later. He has big office
now-and-and-
Easily Explained.