Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1904-04-20
A Strange Legacy

A Strange Legacy
Homeward through the murk and
r,loom of a November evening. through
the damp night air and gathering fog,
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 typ
fst in a city Office, three years of
lonely struggle with fortune, had rob-
bed Mary's cheek of the bloom it boast
ed when she was nineteen, but still
she strobe on her way, morning and
evening, backward and forward, to
and from the city, where her work
lay, a brave, earnest minded. steady
eyed woman, typical figure of Lon-
don's women workers.
Sometimes there would be a sus-
picion of moisture in the big gray eyes
when work was more than usually irk-
some, or employers more than usual
ly irate and unreasonable.
Sometimes for a moment her mind
would stray from the dark. close office
to the glorious fields and hedgrows
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 third-rate street Just be-
yond "the Elephant" the memory of
the plenty in the old days brought a
shadow for moment, and then the
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 ruined alike
his father and hers, quietly and un-
complainingly. She had refused his
offer to release her from her engage
ment to him, and with mutual protes.
tations 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 London.
Many a letter from Dick lay care
fully folded in her little workbox, let
tiers which she read again and again
when the struggle was hard and her
heart grew faint. They told of pro-
gress, slow but sure, until-until eigh-
teen months before, when the black
cloud Of war lowered, and ruin had
for the second time in his young life
stopped al Dick Heffieik. s. 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 here present
address-no news had come to tighten
her sorrow. to relieve her anxiety. &
On her doorstep she met her land
lady, Mrs. Bird, who had been shop
ping round the corner. Mrs. Bird was
well meaning, but rather massive, and
sometimes more than aggressive.
you're late this evening"" Mrs.
Bird asserted, tartly.
"Yes-I-I am, rather" nervously
responded Mary. 81 was little be.
hind at the Office and I've walked"
walked a night like thiE! Then
you'd no business, S'pose YOU caught
cold and laid up?"
couldn't afford cab, you know" Mary
answered, smiling gently.
"No. in course, though you might
do that night like this If you didn'
go saddlin' yourself with that foreign
fiddler man up stairs
angry little bang as she followed
Mary into the passage.
ooh. hush, please. Mrs. Bird; think
how i'll the poor fellow has BEEN"
"Ill-course he has, and you, with
all you can do to keep yourself, mus
go and look after him. Nonsense
that's what call it! What do We
pay rates for, and keep up that there
palace round the corner for, il 1t aim
for such as him?'
But you don't understand, Mrs
Bird; he is not a common man, he Il
an artist and gentleman. 1t would
kill him to be sent to such a Place
know feel it-just as it would xii
me to be sent there. Our cruel fogs
have brought him to deaths door
and as he has lain insensible-ur
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 hi.
bread, of his music, which is like lift
to him. And now-now he is better
be patient still for little longer.
will give him all the attention can
and save you as much as possible
The money that is owing you l will
pay, gladly, willingly, little at ;
time. Take it, and let me have m.
own way. won't you, Mrs. Bird? Al
! tend him and help him, poor fellow
so pray that a woman's hand ma,
help the man l love should he nee,
It,"
She turned slowly and mounted tn,
stairs. Mrs. Bird looked after her
moment irresolutely. "Humph!" sh,
muttered, shat gals too good for thi
world"
"YOu are hetter-ah I'm en- plad