Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-05-25

10 do her washing and ironing and
scrubbing. And yet Mary Eta look
Cd very tired this fall Indeed, there
was a faded look about her usually
blooming face that Ben did not I'M
derstand and secretly worried about
And vet his anxiety was not so great
as his bride He could support his
wife but he would do it in his own
way They would board all ~inter in
tbe city where he could get fine wages.
and in the spring they would return to
the farm.
Once i'm the city streets he did not
know which way to turn to look Tor
work. BY the time he had bought
morning newspaper and hunted its col
umns in vain for advertisements re-
ouiring the especial services he had
70 offer he was rayenously hungry.
When he had appeased his healthy APP
petite he was troubled at the inroads
made upon his little store of money,
and this money had been sum that
Mary Eta had produced from some
secret hiding place, for their money in
the savings bank had been drawn upon
10 meet necessary expenses
Mary Eta was wonderful man
ager ne thought MS he left the eating
place and walked aimIessly down the
street She had planned and contriyed
all through the autumn months while
the dread Of going back TO the bench
still hung like dark cloud over him.
He paused in front OF gaudily
painted doorway and repd the posters
of moving picture show. In a few
moments be had yielded TO the temp
tatiun to enter and found himself seat
ed well down in front in the long. mar
row theater AZ the moment there
were being produced the pictures of a
thrilling rescue from flames as tall
tenement house burned
Ben watched hreathlpssy and cheer
ed as heartily as the rest when the
last picture faded away He did not
look at the card announcing the next
production The tbeater was warm,
and he WIS removing his overcoat
When he looked up he heard the
family familiar sounds Of nm organ re-
produced from q large phono%raph on
the stage. and there flashed nto view
on the curtain scene that took his
breath sway and left him sitting in
stunned silence while it lasted
Before him was the interior of the
village church ut home, rows and rows
of familiar heads. while up in the pull
pit the thin. angular form of the new
minister sat stiffiy on the red velvet
sofa. while the choir grouped on his
left were singing
He saw his own grave face beside
young Harry Fray. the tenor He saw
Mrs. Phillips, the pastors wife, and
| Mary Eta Mary Eta. looking very
sweet and grlish was singing, and
the others should have been joining in
the refrain. for their mouths were
opened But ii was only Mary Eta
who sang, her sweet, high voice rising
like that of an angel to the very roof
Of the church even now as it was re-
produced from the photograph and
| noated above the heads of the mixed
| audience, who hung breathlessly upon
| every word she sang Now and then
there was a strangled sob as the mean
ing Of the song was borne to the
hearts Of the hearers and touched
some tender chord
Ben listened, seeming to hear the
broken trill of q robin from the church
yard outside MS had happened the last
time Mary Eta had sung that old
Scotch hymn My Ain Countrie:''
/ nm for fr.s IT,,
atJenwhiles
For the Hanged for hame bringing an my
Fathers welcome smiles,
An TN neer be flu content until mine cen
do see
The gowden gates O. heav'n an my ain
countrie.
When the last note had died away
amid q silence that was more eloquent
than the noisiest applause Ben found
his way to the management of the the
alter and was sent to the people from
whom the picture films had been pur-
chased. There, after many explana-
tons and some delay. he was informed
that the pastor had granted permission
Tor the picture to be taken from the
back gallery the spring before and that
Mary Eta had been approached and
asked to sing the song into phono-
graph. This she had at first refused
to do, and then, tempted by the money
offered, she had consented and had
made several trips to the city to sing
many other well known songs to be
reproduced for the entertainment Of
the public
That explained 20 Ben Madison how
IL was that in spite of the scant re-
turns from the farm Tat summer there
had always been plenty on his table,
while his store bills had been prompt
" met The shadow in Mary Ettas
face was probably the reflection of her
troubled conscience. for her gentle
h'art must have suffered at deceiving
her proud young husband.
thrilled with self contempt, Ben
MADISON hurried home on the last train
,.'r night and awoke the astonished
Dit Fray from his early sleep. Then
Is Went on to his home, where Mary
1tta was waiting anxiously for his re-
turn.
Murray" cried Ben joyously. II
got the job an right Mary Eta. I'm
going rs work tOrporre,v,- .toorri,,,. yor