The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1908-06-17

In the meantime Miss Sophy Ted
dington, all unconscious of the little
drama In which she was the center
piece. stood at the window overlooking
the breakfast table and stared discon-
solately over the snow covered fields
and wished for the thousandth time
that she had never left the delicious
clamor and exhilarating atmosphere Of
New York. The deadly monotony OF
her surroundings sickened her She
had no love for country life; II was
only an exceptional inducement in the
way Of salary that led her to settle for
the winter in the little out of the way
place in Long Island, fifty miles from
New York. As Mrs Josiah entered the
room she turned round, a discontented
look on her bright face. ANY mail?"
she inquired eagerly.
There was a catching in Mrs. Jo-
siah's throat, which she verged off into
the sembance of a cough. mo, Miss
Teddington; we're never sure of mail
here. / have been expecting a letter
from my son Samuel for the past week.
the last had from him has made me
terrible uneasy; he tells me he has
chills and fever. It's high time there
was an improvement in the mail deliv-
cry. The country people should be as
well attended as the city folk. Josiah
generally stops at the postoffice when
passing that way and brings mine and
the Weekly Methodist; I've been a sub
scriber to IL for the past seven years"
How far is 1t to the postofiice?" in
| Quired Miss Teddington. 81 am very
anxious about letter was expecting,
If It was not too far" She hesitat-
ed
"The roads in a dreadful state"
said Mrs. Josiah hastily; what with
the snow knee deep in some parts and
the road not been tracked IL wouldn't
be safe. Besides, it's good two miles
to the store; in the summer it's a
pleasant walk, but in the winter
she paused significantly.
Don't thing of it, Miss Teddington, -
said Mrs. Josiah, earnestly. She left
the room as she spoke.
MY, you do look bad, Eliza; are you
Mp" said Mrs. Henry, when Mrs. Jo-
siah returned to the kitchen. 81 hope
you're not going to take the grip; it's
dreadful prevalent. Robbie Duncan
brought 1t into the school and 1t has
gone over most Of the scholars"
II do not feel bit chilly" said Mrs
Josiah, her eyes resting on the letter
which lay, Nemesis like, on Mrs. Hen.
ry's lap. She looked at the clock. In
another five minutes Miss Teddingtor
would pass through the kitchen anC
the two women would meet If she
could only hasten Mrs. Henrys depart.
ure. A bright inspiration struck her
Are you goin' to the store this morn.
in, Susan?'
We'll. was thinkin' OF It," asknow'
ledged her visitor, do you want any.
thing?"
Heaps" said Mrs. Josiah emphatic
ally. You see, didn't get my mark
etin done last week, and 1t has lef
me a bit behind. / particularly wan
some tea for Miss Teddington's lunch.
"I'll just go and hitch up the bug
gy," said Mrs. Henry good naturedly
It's all the same to me 10 go now, ol
an hour later" She rose to her feet.
"Thank'ee, Susan; it amt very hos
pitable to drive you out and you JUS
In, III give the letter to Miss Teddlng
ton"
She opened the porch door, and IL
her eagerness to see the back of hel
visitor fairly pushed her forward.
IT was none too soon. A sound o
footsteps warned her that Miss Ted
dngton was approaching. Hastily con
cealing the letter in her bosom sh,
busted herself about her pots ant
pans.
Mrs. Hawkins, II your husban,
would drive over to the store woul,
feel more satisfied" said Miss Ted
dington abruptly. am very anxiou
about my letter. | am sure 1t is there
gave the correct address, care o
Mrs. Henry Hawkins"
Now or never was the time for Mrs
Josiah to make clean breast of II
without losing her self-respect.
would be so easy to say, You hay
made a mistake, Miss Teddington;
But no; the first wrong step had lef
, a deep furrow, and the ground thu
, trampled on was hard to make smooth
I'm tell Josiah soon's he comes Il
to hitch up the mare. saw IN tink
erin bout the barn while ago. IL
call him to go right away"
Thank you," said Sophia Tedding
J ton. gratefully. IF he would jus
, leave it at the school when passing
could read 1t at lunch time"
, Mrs. Josiah heaved sigh of relic
as she watched the light, springy fig
ure of her boarder disappear to he
! daily occupation. She slipped the let
ter from her bodice, gazing long an
earnestly at the address, then with
sudden movement threw 1t into tn
$ cracking wood fire, watching it unit
! II became a heap of feathe-y ashes.
/, For Sammie's sake" she murmure
/ with quiyering lips.
A sudden change passed over he
! face; II became drawn and haggarC
, What have | done?" she thought, al
, frightedly ''stolen letter and burn
ed it, Visions of Uncle Sam passe
before her as In mirror she saw her
self before jury charged with steal
ing United States mail II was no la
lau Hak