Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-06-24
THE REWARD.

along greasy pavements and over slip.
perry crossings, across the great bridge
with the yawning darkness on either
side, and down the mean streets of
southern London, YEARLY but steadily
Mary MacAllister bent her way.
Three years of hard work as a typist
in a city Office, three years of lonely
struggle with fortune had robbed
Mary's cheek of the bloom 1t boosted
when she was nineteen, but still she
strobe on her way, morning and even
ing, backward and forward to and
from the city, where her work lay, a
brave, earnest-minded, steady-eyed
woman, a typical figure of Londons
women workers.
Sometimes for a moment her mind
would stray from the dark, close office
to the glorious fields and hedgerows
which from babyhood she had looked
upon as hers in time to come Now
and again as she ate her solitary meal
In her poor little room in the shabby
house in a third-rate street just be-
yond "the Elephant" the memory Of
the plenty in the old days brought a
memory of Dick-her Dick-would
chase the little cloud away. If Dick
could be brave and go away to Africa
to win a fortune for her, she would
be brave, too. Dick had faced the
crash, which four years ago had ruin
ed alike his father and hers, quietly
and uncomplainingly. She had re-
fused his offer to release her from her
engagement to him, and with mutual
protestations of love and fidelity they
had parted-he to seek wealth across
the seas, she to earn her living as best
she could in the great world of Lon
don.
, Many letter from Dick lay care
| fully folded in her little workbox.
They told Of progress, slow but sure,
until-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 Her
ricks door.
With the first clash of arms his EN-.
! ployment ceased, the land he had in
vested his savings in was seized by
the Beers, while he himself was COM
Wandered and imprisoned as the re-
suit Of his refusing to fight against
HIS own countrymen. 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 land
/ or irJ ho oh
ping round the corner. Mrs. Bird was
well meaning, but rather massive, and
sometimes more than aggressive.
"You are late this evening" Mrs.
Bird asserted, tartly.
"Yes-I-I-am, rather" nervously
responded Mary; 81 was little behind
at the office. and I've walked"
walked, a night like this! Then
you'd no business. S'pose you caught
cold and got laid up?"
THE buses were full. and II
couldn't afford a cab you know" Mary
answered smiling gently.
mo, in course, though you might
do that a night like this if you didn't
go saddlin' yourself with that foreign
fiddler man upstairs"
Mrs. Bird closed the door with an
angry little bang as she followed Mary
into the passage.
ooh, hush, please, Mrs. Bird; think
how i'll the poor fellow has been"
"Tll-course he has, and you. with
all you can do to keep yourself, must
go and look after him. Nonsense,
that's what call it. What do we pay
rates for and keep up that there pal.
ace round the corner for, if it amt for
such as him."
But, you don't understand. Mrs.
Bird; he is not 2 common man. he
is an artist and a gentleman. It would
kill him 20 be sent 20 such a place
know feel it-iust as it would
kill me to be sent there. Our cruel
fogs have brought him to deaths door,
and as he has lain insensi ble-up
there-delirious raving-his tongue
| has told ME the tale of his sunny
home away yonder in Italy, of the pow
erty which drove him here to earn
his bread, of his music, which is like
| life to him. And now-now he is bet
ter, be patient still for little longer.
| I will give him all the attention
| can, and save you as much as posi-
BILE. The money that is owing you I
will pay gladly, willingly, little at a
time. See, here is some that | have
earned working late Take 1t, and
let me have my own way, won't you?
All, you will! Thank you, Mrs. Bird!
J AS I tend him and help him, poor
! fellow so | pray that a wOman's hand
may help the man | love should he
need it,"
She turned slowly and mounted the
stairs.
You are better-ah, I'm 50 glad.
Now, lie stiIl, or | shall be angry?"
Angry, you, cara mia, All, but no
how can an angel be angry?"