Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1908-09-17

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UpW S Barring GOULD 6
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Continued.
S. Barring GOULD

when one udo uoI oSSA IL III hohJ
days! he said.
Yes, there is a good shear Of nay,
saved in splendid order
When a child is born into the world
there is always a. gathering, and fes-
tival to greet it. l am born anew mo
the beautiful world today. l am On
the threshold OF a new life, and you
have nursed me into it. Am l too pre-
sumptuous if l ask you to sit here
very little while, and welcome me into
At? That will be festival indeed
She smiled gcod-humoredly, and
took her place on the bench. Jasper
puzzled her daily more and more.
What was he? What was the tempta-
ton that had led him away? Was his
repentance thorough? Barbara prayed
for him daily, with the excuse to her
conscience that it was always well to
pray for the conversion Of a sinner,
and that she was bound TO pray for
the man whom Providence had cast
broken and helpless at her feet. the
Good Samaritan prayed, doubtless, for
the man who fell among thieves. She
was Interested in her patient. Her
patient he was, as she was the only
person in the house to provide and
order whatever was done in it. Her
patient, Eve and her father called him.
Her patient he was, somehow her
own heart told her he was; bound to
her doubly by the sOlicitude with
which she had nursed him, by the
secret of his life which she had sur
prised
He puzzled her. He puzzled her
more and more daily. There was
gentIeness and refinement in his man
ner and speech that showed her he
was not man Of low class, that Il
he were not a gentleman by birth ne
was one in mind and culture. There
was a grave righteousness about him,
moreover, that could not be assumed,
and did not comport with a criminal.
Who was he, and what had ne done?
How far had he sinned, or been slnned
against? Barbaras mind was fretted
leased wi h the enigma, she could not
divert her thoughts for lOng from it
il formed the background to all that
occupied her during he day. She con-
sidcred the dairy, but when the butter
was weighed, went back in mind to
the riddle. She was withdrawn again
by he cook Tor groceries from her
store closet; when the closet door
shut she was again thinking OF the
puzzle. She had to calculate The
amount of cake required Tor the har-
vesters, and went on from the calcuIa-
tons of currants and sugar 10 the
balancing OF probabilities in the case
of Jasper.
She had avoided seeing him of late
more than was necessary, she
had resolved not TO go near
him. and let the maid Jane
attend to his requirements, aided
by Christopher Dayys boy, who
cleaned the boo and knives, and ran
errands, and weeded the paths, and
made himself generally useful Yet tor
all her resolve she did not keep it: she
discovered that some little matter had
been neglected, which forced her to
enter lne room.
When she was there she was i'm
patient 20 be out of it again, and she
hardly spoke to Jasper, was short,
busy, and away in d moment.
1t does not do TO leave the servants
10 themselves, soliloQuised Barbara.
They half do whatever they are set
at. The sick man would not like 10
complain. l must see 10 everything
myself
Now she complied with his reQues1
TO sit beside him, but was at once
filled with resuessness. She could
not speak % him on the one subject
that tOrmented her. She had herself
forbidden mention of it.
She looked askance at Jasper, who
was no, speaking. He had his hat OF,
on his lap; eyes were moist, his
lips were moving. She was confident
he was praying. He turned in a mo-
ment, recovered his head, and said
with his sweet smile, God IS good.
nave already thanked You. I have
thanked him now
Was this hypocrisy? Barbara could
no, believe it.
She said II you have no objection,
may We know your name? l have
been asked by my father and others.
! mean she hesiJaJed, a name Dy
which you would care to be called
You shall have my real NAME ne
said slightly coloring.
For myself 10 know, or to lei.
Others"
AS you Will, Miss Jordan. My
name is Babb.'
Babb- echoed Barbara. She
thought to herself that it was name
as ugly as it was unusual A that
moment Eve appeared, glowing with
lie. q wreath OF wild roses wound
about her hat.
Bah! Bah! dear! she cried, refer
ring 10 her sister.
Barbara turned crimson, and sprang
from her seat.
The last CARLOAD is going to start,
said Eve eagerly, and the men say
that am the Queen and must sit on
the top; but want half-a-crown, Bah
dear. 10 pay my footing up the ladder
to the top OF the load
Barbara drew her sister away.
Eve! never call me by that ridiculous
80 ,,,-,,. r~,ED Whom va v-ava chill