The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1904-02-13

tive toward the young attendant, who
drew a pattern on the floor with the point
of her boot, and did not return his
! glances.
Some day Simon will walk in here
| just as you have done-and say how scr
ry he 10 for all the. past" said the old
woman; sometimes ! lie awake fancy
ing can hear his footsteps coming across
the paved yard toward me-"
Il would not build upon his Offering
you any help" said Reuben Culwick.
II don't want any help. Eight shil-
| lings week keeps more life in me than
! know what to do with. I'm very hap
Ply, though it's an awful place for flies
| Sally does little work when she can
| get it, and is dear. kind nurse, who
never tires of me. She'll read the Bible
| half the day to me, when I'm too i'll to
run about much-a good girl, Sallyr'
81 am very glad to hear it," answered
Reuben.
He would not have dispelled the old
woman's faith in her granddaughter by a
worldly any question hinging on last
nights mystery or to-day's prevarication.
| This was woman who had faith in ev-
erybody, and extracted happiness even
| from an almshouse in shady corner of
| Worcester City.
when am gone, should like some
body to get Sally a good place-you don't
| know any one who wants an honest,
Woodworking, truthful girl?"
mot at present" said Reuben. glanc-
ing across at Sarah Eastbell again, who
was still tracing hieroglyphics on the
floor. She looked up this time as he re-
piled to her grandmother and shrugged
her shoulders either at the old womans
criticism or at the wild idea of her being
indebted to him for her future position
in life.
Twill she be wholly alone in the world
some day?" asked Reuben Culwick, in
quisitively.
"She has not friend--she will make
plenty, of course, but she has them to
make"
MY cousin Mark was her father, then.
| Is he"
"Yes-he's dead. Sos his wife. They
were worthy couple, but they were
very unlucky, and so better out of the
world than in it," said the grandmother,
when they died last year l offered Sally
part of my home and my sister tried to
do something for Tom, but he went to
| sea"
Does Sarah sleep here-live with you
altogether?'
Yes" answered the old woman; Its
very selfish of me to keep her to myself,
but, please the Lord, it will not last a
great while longer. She's young-she' S
Industrious, and will be always able to
| on1 if hnor
of anything that will suit her, you will
bear her in mind, Reuben?"
II shall not forget her." said Reuben,
dryly.
''She shall come and tell you when I'm
gone, if you let me know where you
live," added Mrs. Eastbell, in a brisk,
business-like manner; lit is as well to
arrange these little matters"
II live at Hope Lodge, Hope street,
Camberwell."
That's right, Reu-always live in
Hope, my lad"
1t was feeble joke, which nobody ap'
preciated but this light-hearted old blind
woman, and she appreciated it for the
three of them, and lay chuckling over II
until it nearly choked her.
Il am going now" said Reuben Gull
wick, STOPPING over her; 'gOod-by, aunt. y
"Good-by, lad; thank you for n visit
| which will cheer me up for days; and
think of something for my Sally, if you
can"
How strongly impressed that sullen
girl by the fireplace was Oh the old wom'
ans mind he did not entirely compre-
bend until this last moment of their meet
ing.
"Grandmotherv said Sarah the young
err. deprecatingly; but Mrs. Eastbell went
on. the thin bony hand clinging to her
nephew's tightly.
'She's everything to me, but wouldn't
mind parting with her at once-to'mor-
row, if you should hear of decent situa'
ton for her. Anybody can mind me, and
don't want to stop the way to her ad-
vancement. She's clever at her needle
she reads well; she's quick at figures; in
any bridesmaids shop, now, she's be very
handy-and she's only seventeen. So
young, Reu, to be alone in the world
after l am gomez
Yes" said Reuben, 80 young"
SO young. and so willful and deceptive
he thought ALSO after he had parted
with his aunt and said "Good-day" to
Sarah Eastbell; and walked into the
little square court yard. where the rain
had begun to patter briskly, as though
there had been no wet weather. for weeks
and it was coming down to make up for
lost time.
ITO be continued.)
|