Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1905-11-20

OLD pdElVI sue was married. ana all her
girlhood her brief welded life and her
widowhood We're connected with it.
Mrs. Gray and Montgomery mother
had been schoolmates and playmates,
and their friendship endured. When
old Edwin Peter Brewster looked about
for place to house his orphaned grand
son, Mrs. Gray begged him to let her
care for the little fellow He was three
years older than her Margaret. and the
children grew up as brother and sis
ter. Mr.. Brewster was generous in
providing for the boy. While he was
away at college, spending money in a
manner that caused the old gentleman
to marvel at his own liberality, Mrs.
Gray was well paid for the unused but
well kept apartments. and there never
was murmur of complaint from Ed
win Peter Brewster. He was hard. but
be was not niggardly
It had been something of a struggle
] for Mrs Gray to make both ends meet.
The property in Fortieth street was
her only possession. But little money
had come to her at her husbands
death, and an unfortunate speculation
of his had swept away all that had
fallen to her from her father. the late
Judge Merriweather. For years she
{. kept the old home unincumbered,
teaching French and English until
Margaret was vel into her teens The
girl was sent to one of the good old
boarding schools on the Hudson and
came out well prepared to help her
mother in the battle to keep the wolf
down and appearances up. Margaret
was rich in friendships, and pride
alone stood between her and the adj
vantages they offered. Good looking,
bright and cheerful, she knew no natu-
raj privations. With a heart as light
and joyous as May morning she
| faced adversely as though it were a
pleasure, and no one would have sus-
pected that even for a moment her
courage Wavered.
Now that Brewster had come into
! his splendid fortune he could conceive
no greater delight than TO share it
with them. 70 walk into the little
! drawing room and sereneIy lay large
sums before them as their own seemed
such a natural proceeding that he re-
fused to see an obstacle But he knew
it was there. The proffer Of such a
gift to Mrs. Gray would mean a
| wound to the pride inherited from
I naughty generations of men sufficient
unto themselves. There was q small
but troublesome mortgage on the
house, matter of two OF three thou
sand dollars, and Brewster tried to
evolve plan By which he could as
sumo the burden without giving deep
and lasting ofense. A hundred wild
designs had come to him, but they
were quickly relegated to the growing
heap Of subterfuges and pretexts con-
demnCd by his tenderness for the pride
of these two women who meant so
much to him.
Leaving the bank, he FASTENED by
electric car to Fortieth street and
Broadway and then walked eagerly of
into the street of the mineral. He had
not yet come to the point where he felt
like scorning the cars even though a
roll of bank notes was tucked snugly
away in a pocket that seemed to swell
with sudden affluence. Old Hendrick
faithful servitor through two genera
tons, was sweeping the autumn leaves
from the sidewalk when Montgomery
came up to the house.
''Hello, Hendrick." was the young
mans CHEEKY greeting. ''Nice lot OF
leaves you have there"
''So?" ebbed from Hendrick, who die
not even so much as look up from bis
work. Hendrick was d human clam.
''AIrs. Gray in?'
A grunt that signiied yes.
you're as Ioquacious as ever, Hen
! drick."
A mere nod.
Brewster let himself in with his owl
ilatchkey, threw his hat on chair anC
l unceremoniously bolted into the libra
". Margaret was seated near a win
9 dow, book in her lap. The first evi
I dence of unbiased friendship he hat
seen in days gshone in her smile. Sh
took his hand and said simply, 1--WE ar
! glad to welcome the prodigal to LII
home again"
i Z remind myself more of the fatte
; calf"
d Her first seF consciousness had gone
Il thought of that, but I didn't dar
1t say it." she laughed. zone must b
y respectful to rich relatives"
, Hang your rich relatives, Peggy
L If thought that this money woul
e make any difference I would give it u
q this minute
Nonsense, Monty she said. 'Ho7
could it make a difference? But 70
e must admit it is rather startling Th
y friend of our youth leaves his humbI
u dwelling Saturday night with his sa
Is airy drawn for two weeks ahead q
returns the following Thursday a da,
u Zling millionaire"
:, I'm glad I've begun to dazzle an!
i way. I thought it might be hard I
J. look the part"
le "WeIL 1 can't see that you are muc
y changed" There was a suggestion of
quaver in. her voice, ard the shadow