The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1906-04-19

| ~ N"e" w ssa~r" -
ard 7" and then shs dashed into the hous
and sp 10 her room.
she had dared--yes. shs had dared. b
cause somssody had TO, bu, IL bad snds'
the omrsdeship. lie vs1ld be polite nov
--n peliis and ICY a. the north pole
Martha Lsston brushed the tears fron
her cyes. IN ave swift mina,es shs hs'
lea ned What it costs sometimes TO b
brsve.
Nell stool eth ustil the tIghtness sbco
his mouth relax-d a little; then be iurnes
and wen, quietly into the house.
Neil's auols came home 10 luncheon thai
day. Tue two sat facing each other scros'
the lonely table. Once ouripg these firs
weeks at college his uncle had written hin
TO hurry up and graduate e--thst there wsl
q solitary barrscks Of house waiting fol
him out In Colorado, The miserable break
down had sent him to tbs solitary barracks
four years earlier than be had expected
but he had not cheered II very much.
0pcc or twice, ~ they ate, bic upcis
gave him keen glascs, but be asked n
questions, and IL WAS more to avoid ths
glsnces than anything else that Neil asked
the first thing that came into bis mind.
"HOw does man support = family or
fifteen hundred year ~
"You mean next door You'll have tC
ask that little dove-voiced woman 10 there
they're the kind that do IT.. Lswten coulc
have had hve-thoussnd dollar position In
business, but he refused 1t because Of al
idea that be could do more by teaching In
a public school. His wife backed him up
and faced the endless pnching and contriv'
ing 1t meant. She's been facing 1t ever
since"
Neil's uncle took small envelope from
his pocket.
81 wonder II you'd mind droppipg
round to Underwood House for me after
luncheon" he said. "Ask for Mr.. RAN
dolph, the head worker, and give him this
letter and see II he needs snylhiog special
for tomorrow. 1t had slipped my mind
that Easter comes so early this year. II
they want flowers or anything, tell him to
get them and charge to me-"
Neil knew OF Underwood House vaguely
as q new social settlement Oh the etst side,
but he was not interested In settlements.
Still, 1t was something to have an object
for the long hours OF outdoor idlipg.
Underwood House was humming with
life. As Neil was shown into the Office be
caught glimpse through open doors Of q
circle Of little girls making paper baskets
tor Easter eggs, and boys poring over we'll.
worn library books. People we're running
up and down stairs, and through the open
windows came shCus from a ball game
Then Mr.. Randolph came In, aud Neil gave
hin the letter.
~ can't help being proud ever this"
said Mr.. Randolph, when he had read II.
"The appreciation does as much good ~
the check. Your uncle gives only where
the money 10 what he calls good invest
meat. After wrote him what we were
trying to do here he came down one eve
aing and looked the place oil over-nst
carelessly, you know. We had to give
reasons for everything. He made some
hrst-class suggestions, and he's been one
Of our best friends ever since. Hello, Cur
rie /! What's up
Apparently nothing was up except that
Curris wanted to be near his idol. He
slipped one hand into the young mans,
aud swung back and forth On his crutches
there was only one foot between tht
crutches.
"This is Currie O'FArrsll," Mr.. Randolph
said. "He's got to 10 through life with a
pretty heavy handicap, but hell make b
man Of himself, BY the way" and b,
turned to Neil, lyon aren't looking for d
position ss coach to teach about forty boyt
baseball and honor combined, are you 2"
I'm afraid. that's not my line" Neil re.
piled, laughing.
"Well I'm much obliged to you fol
bringing this down. | wish some time
you'd let us take you over the house.
think you'd enjoy it. We're always open
10 visitors"
Neil promised that be would come
again. something 10 the cherry hopeful.
ness Of the place and the man whs was The
nssrt Of IL attracted him.
At six O'Clock that evening Neil's uncle
telephoned that he WAS delayed BY busi
ness, and could not get home for dinner, SO
Mil SAT down alone. Ii was that expert
ence, with the prospect Of long and lone.
~ evening before him. that made him de.
eide TO drop 10 next door for awhile. IT,
be sure there WAS Martha, bot vito 90
many others about IL would be easy to
avid Martha.
Neil met her on the door.steps Just -
shs was starting out on = visit, ssd they
exchanged very formal grestings. When
ne entered the sittin groom be found Jean
and Jess and Rachel and Mrs Lawton nn.
ishing some lfst EAster gifts.
When presently the glrls he~ od TO the
Kitchen to make some cAady, Mrs. Lswton
smiled at him across her sewing.
"A hard day. Neil = the asked.
my own fault" he said.
For . few minutes there was silence,
while be watched her needle flashing back
and forth Ia the lAmplIaht. The l,mpiigh,
revealed other thluGs--shs old drsss kept
from shaboiaess only BY dsliests care, th,
worn lines In the swes; patlencs Of her
fscs. Because the revslAdons hart him
be began to talk.
"r1ais : fas fellow dows s Csdsr~ood
House, be said. Hes alive oil over
Tue ssnsssee, IL spis u hlassli, ended
With q Sigh,
Tns busy needle stopped lot . momsn,
"Doh', vos know r. Mrs. iaWton ail.