The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-18
BY BRYANT c. ROGERS.
Copyright 1911. by Associated Liter
airy Press

airy Press.
Aunt Mary Warner lived half
mile below the Fairly manor house
ON the highway. She was n widow
and old and poor and an object OF
charity. Two or three times n week
Miss Minnie Fairly walked down to
the little old cottage with a basket
OF eata bles on her arm and a sunny
smile on her face, and was always
greeted with:
Lord bless and keep tho bonnie
maiden. You are helping me To live
g. little longer, though 1t seems that
there's no place in this world for
poor woman like me-
Aunt Mary could go back to the
days when she was a girl herself and
talk to interest. and a. visit to her
had more interest than simple char
ity. She had bit of garden In
which she worked in summer. and
often the girl worked with her. and
IL she happened TO be in bed with
ono OF her rheumatic attacks the
rooms We're swept and things put in
order despite her protests.
ITS like the fairy stories | used
10 read" she would smile. You are
young, wealthy and move with the
best, and yet you have a heart for a
poor old body Like me! May the
Lord send you a good hushand!
But | shall never marry" would
be the reply.
"Oh, but you viii.
"But when Is the young man COM
ing IS
Soon, dearie-very soon. You are
only nineteen now, and there is lots
of time
but he must be about twenty
four--black eyes-a dropping mus
tache-curly haar--white teeth-a
deep voice. and he must be brave and
strong. He must be hero or l
shan't marry him"
He will be al that you ask for.
dearie- l have seen him In my
dreams, and he Is like prince.
One October forenoon Miss Minnie
set out on one of her visits to Aunt
| Mary. and reached the cottage to
find her missing. The old woman
was not in the garden--not hidden
behind the currant bushes--not' pok-
| ing around the tumble-doWn shed
where she used to stable her COW
| In her search the girl noticed that
| the curb Of tie we'll had been moved
! aside, and 1t came to her ike a fash
| that In drawing water there had been
an accident and the victim had met
her doom. She kneAt and peered
he could see nothing. She shouted
| but there was no ANSWER. Aunt
| Mary had been drowned. Running
out to the highway to summon help,
Miss Minnie was just in time TO halt
an auto in which sat a young man
/ He was so we'll dressed and looked
so much like a gentleman that she
was sure he was the owner, and
wringing her hands and never mind
ing who saw her tears she called out;
! ,'a0h, str,4 bat Aunt Mary haskTbesn
/ drowned IN the WE'LL"
WHO? WHAT" was asked as the
machine came to a halt
Aunt Mary--in the welcome
on"
Then some one mas fallen in?'
asked the stranger as ne followed to
the we'll and knelt and peered.
! "Yes-Aunt Mary poor old wo-
man living in this cottage"
And you witnessed the accident
NO, but i know she's down there
rry-hurry-hurryl'
! Don't get nervous-don't cry" he
chided. 'I'll bring a rope from the
auto and 60 down. It's 80 dark
cant see, but she may be alive yet.
A rope was brought and the mar
removed his hat coat and vest, made
one end OF the rope fast 10 the curb
and then began lowering himself
He had to do this slowly, and the
nervous watcher above kept calling
| to him:
| You must be careful-so very
careful! II you should be drowned
too, what should ] dot
! Don't worry about me-" he kept
answering, and at last he hailed from
the water:
/ II don't think she is Gown here al
all. The water Is only about tive
feet deep. and l can find nothing OF
her"
But If she is not down there
where Is she
The questioner thought she heard
a laugh from the other end OF the
rope, but the countenanoe Of the mar
was quite serious as he came up thu
rope hand over hand and reached tbs
| ground.
''TEe case, as understand 1t. i,
that an old lady is missing"
| Yes, she went to draw pail 81
water and fell into tie we'll"
| II must beg your pardon Wher
an old Lady falls into : we'll shs stay
~