La Junta tribune., 1910-03-19
Charity's
Reward.
BY nURIEL HAYNES.
Copyrighted. 1903. by Associated
Literary Press.

1 =
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"Dicky Ames. you're the most pro-
vOking"-
But best brother that ever lived"
concluded Richard Ames. Look here,
Naude; 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 II give up the 30.
ciety Of the beautiful Miss Hempsted
for sweet charity l am to pick my own
company.
'The way you fred me at Nella
Brewster'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
"lt's not satisfaction" insisted
Dicks sister. "Nella is us utterly mis-.
cradle as you, and you know IT,"
"She didn't look that way this after
noon when passed her skating with
Ben Harkinson." commented Dick.
"Shc's game. She would smile II
she had the toothache and happened TO
see you coming" persisted Mnude
"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
dreadfully hurt"
80 much hurt that she could not
answer letter Of abject apology
sent her." suggested Dick.
"Did you really send itr' 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!
Let us get down to the church and TO
that charity which il its own reward"
Maude paused uncertainty. II was
the first time that Dick had spoken
freely about his quarrel with Nelln
Brewster. and she wanted to sound
the trouble TO Its greatest depths. But
here was Dick drawing OF Just as she
had seemed about to rench the bottom
That the trouble had been trivial at
the start she knew. and with two per
sons like her brother and Nella II was
hard 10 tell where the trouble might
end. but the chances were that they
would drift farther and farther apart
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 Cheevcrs
''The moment they get a dress that Is
out OF the ordinary they all stop to see
how It's made
Il heard Oracle Chester say that at
last she could be certain that Mrs.
) Pomeroy's dress wasn't silk lined" an.
swcrcd Dick with a chuckle.
, by the way" went on Checvers.
heres something found In the over.
coat Of that little dnrky that the
Brewsters brought up from the south
with them last winter. Looks as
though Alexander had been holding
out some letters ON you"
lie passed over n thin package OF
letters. and Dick gasped. The envcl.
opcs were grimy and worn. but he
could see that they were some letters
from himself that never had been de
livercd and others from Nclla that had
shared the same fnte.
lie recognized even the letter In
which he had sought to win her for
; givcness for all he had said during
their last Qunrrel-a quarrel which had
started over some OF her letters which
% now held IN his hand for the first
lime.
There was q bulky one from Nella
that be opened nrst, and bis heart
glowed ~ he realised that without
waiting for him TO speak N~ila had
written her own letter Of forgiveness.
II didn't know that there were 10
many old clothes In town." be de-
clarcd wonderinxly, and one Of the
workers directed him brtskiy toward
one Of the piles.
This II only the 6rst lot." she said.
These are the mems and boys clothes.
VIII you help get those strsightened
outi We want them sorted roughly BY
sizes"
Dick followed the example Of the
other men In the room and slipped OF
bis coat before he attacked the pile Of
garments.
Here were clothes of all sizes and
weights. and ~ be picked up the first
garment one Of the men on the other
side called 10 him:
Better 40 through all the pockets
FIRST ! found n dollar bill In a vest
awhllc ago. and chccvers 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"
"Thcy forgot them" declared the 9th.