The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1908-01-30

we noticed she seemed to love to
handle, as II the feeling of the paper
conveyed some impression Of her dear
ly loved niece, "Ilfeel that dear Lillian
is now partaking OF some of the adj
vantages which she ought to have had
all along. | did my best for her."
with slight sigh; "but now she is
seeing something of life, and enjoy
ing herself in natural way, and it
does my heart good to think how truly
happy my little girl is"
What could we say? know Molly
and left the dear, old lady that day
with terribly guilty feeling in our
hearts. 1
1t was always most painful to us to
see those bravely written letters, con-
veying so much of the WEAKNESS and
heartache beneath the carefully word
ed lines to those who knew the real
facts, and could realize how sordid
and bitter her life must be, in reality.
Sometimes we wondered how it
would all end, and if ever in this life
Lillian would win her reward for the
pluck and tenderness she was show
ing toward her beloved guardian.
The end came sooner than we ex-
pected, however.
We went as usual to pay our week
ly visit at the little house just off the
highroad; but, to our surprise, there
was no lace-capped, black-clad figure
to greet us at the door, as was the
general rule.
"She may have forgotten, and he
upstairs" l said, quickly, though a
sudden feeling of foreboding seized
me; and, fearing know not what, we
silently entered the tiny hall. All
was silent, and we stood, hesitating,
not knowing exactly what to do.
At that moment, Miss Lavender's
little maid-of-all-work appeared at the
top of the narrow stairs and one look
at her frightened face was enough to
tell us something gravely wrong had
occurred.
What is it? What has happened?"
Molly asked, anxiously, and it was
only after many inherent speeches
and much lamentations we learned
that Miss Lavender had been seized
with one of those attacks which
Lillian had SO dreaded for her, and it
was with difficulty the little maid had
managed to help her mistress to a
couch and revive her from death
like swoon.
Our appearance on the scene could
not have been more opportune, and be-
fore another hour had passed we had
got little, old Miss Lavender" COM
fortably into bed. and the doctor had
come and gone again.
His verdict was grave one, and re-
suited, though much against Miss La
vendors wishes, in a wire being sent
Immediately to her niece.
"It is such pity" the quavering,
old voice whispered, as l bent down
to catch her words; there was to have
been a dinner party tonight, and
Lillian will miss it all now. l really
think we might have waited till the
morning" she added, so family that
could barely catch the words.
1t was only two hours later that
Lillian arrived, and, though she had
travelled as fast as possible, and sue
ceeded in catching an earlier train
than we had hoped, she was just in
time to be recognized by her aunt;
and it was in the girls arms the low
ing heart, which had always cared
and thought for her, ceased to beat.
Poor Lillian was, indeed, alone in the
world now!
Our mother was as sweet as pos
sible and, of course, we all insisted on
the girl coming to us on an indefinite
visit; l think each one of us tried to
share some of our pleasures and joys
with the forlorn little guest; and,
though she proposed, after some
weeks, returning to Mrs. De Voore, it
was only half-hearted sort of an
idea, and none of us allowed it to be
entertained for a moment.
She has been with us a year now,
and is almost like a sister-at least,
Molly and / feel so, though-let it be
whispered-Jack apparently does not.
Zone never knows what may hap
pen," my fair sister remarked only
last night, in her oracular manner.
stranger things have sometimes
occurred, and, if she were to become
our sister in reality, l.. for one, would
give her a warm welcome"
And so should l." I responded,
heartily, as an energetic puff from
my sister blew the candle out, and
sprang hastily into bed.
Revenge.
The great trlISI magnatR who owned