Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1909-03-27
Charity'S
Reward.
By MURIEL HAYNES.
Copyrighted. 1893. by Associated
Literary Press.

| But best brother that ever lived.
concluded Richard Ames. Look here
Maude: Ill give up my intention OF
taking Miss Hempsted out driving and
devote the time instead to the noble
cause of rummage. but only with the
understanding that If give up the SO.
ciety of the beautiful Miss Hcmpsted
for sweet charity am to pick my own
company.
THE way you fred me ut Nella
Brewstcr's head the night Of the
church sociable was nothing short OF
indecent II she doesn't want TO speak
to me again. why should you deprive
her of that satisfaction"
Its not a satisfaction" insisted
Dicks sister. "Nella is as utterly mis-
cradle rs you. and you know IT,"
'She didn't look that way this after
noon when | passed her skating with
Ben Harkinson." commented Dick.
"She's game. She would smile II
she had the toothache and happened to
see You coming" persisted Maude.
"She wouldn't let you see that she was
hurt by the way you have acted. but
well. any woman can see that she is
drcadfully hurt"
$50 much hurt that she could not
answer a letter Of abject apology !
sent her." suggested Dick.
"Did you really send IT." demanded
Maude curiously. "She says she never
got II and that you didn't even answer
hers"
Because there was none to an
swer." retorted Dick. Come on. now!
that charity which Is its own reward"
Maude paused uncertainty. 1t was
the first time that Dick had spoken
freely about his quarrel with Nella
Brewster. and she wanted to sound
the trouble TO Its greatest depths. But
here was Dick drawing OFF just as she
had seemed about to reach the bottom.
That the trouble had been trivial at
the start she knew. and with two per-
sons like her brother and Nella 1t was
hard 10 tell where the trouble might
end. but the chances were that they
l..
Meekly she slipped into her wraps
and prepared for the walk to the
church, where a rummage sale for the
poor was being prepared.
Old clothes were pouring in to be
sold TO the needy for whatever their
slender purses could afford. When
Maude led Dick into the Sunday
school room he whistled in surprise at
the stacks of clothing.
They are stopping all the time to
talk about styles" explained Cheevers.
1.-THE moment they get a dress that is
out of the ordinary they all stop to see
how it's made"
II heard Oracle Chester say that at
last she could be certain that Mrs.
Pomeroy's dress wasn't silk lined" an
swered Dick. with chuckle.
by the way" went on Cheevers.
heres something found in the over
coat of that little darky that the
Brewsters brought up from the south
with them last winter. Looks as
though Alexander had been holding
out some letters ON you"
He passed over a thin package OF
letters. and Dick gasped. The envel-
opes were grimy and worn. but he
could see that they were some letters
from himself that never had been de-
livered and others from Nella that had
shared the same fate.
He recognized even the letter in
which he had sought TO win her for
giveness for all he had said during
their last quarrel-a quarrel which had
started over some OF her letters which
he now held In his hand for the first
time.
There was bulky one from Nella
that he opened first, and his heart
glowed as he realized that without
waiting for him to speak Nella had
written her own letter OF forgiveness.
Il didn't know that there were so
many old clothes In town." he de-
clared wonderingly. and one Of the
workers directed him briskly toward
one OF the piles.
This Is only the first lot" she said.
These are the mems and boys clothes.
VIII you help get those Strengthened
out? We want them sorted roughly by
Sizes
Dick followed the example of the
other men Ia the room and slipped of
his coat before he attacked the pile OF
garments.
Here were clothes of all sizes and
weights. and as he picked up the first
garment one Of the men on the other
side called 10 him:
Better go through all the pockets
first. / found n dollar bill In vest
awhile ago, and Cheevers did better
than that. He found two"
I'VE should leave them In the cloth
ing" suggested Dick. Perhaps the
donors put them there on purpose"
"They forgot Them" declared the 9TH
er man as lie turned to lay a coat on
fits proper heap, and Dick again bent
TO his task.
The pile Of clothing seemed formi-
dable, but with half dozen men work
Ing briskly they had disposed Of the