The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1911-07-06
IT IS NEVER roo LATE TO MEND.
WATER. MINNESOTA. THURSDAY, JULY s, 1911.

might she read to me. / nodded IN
reply, smiling my gratitude and ap-
probation. For more than an hour
she read in clear, sweet voice, stop
ping here and there to comment, or
invite my opinion, and once to in
quire if there was anything she
could do to add to my comfort. AT
length a gentle knock at the door
put an end to our pleasant diversion.
and she rose to admit her mother.
The good lady expressed her pleas
ure at seeing such an improvement
in my condition, then, as the daueh-
ter left the room, she seated herself
in the vacant chair and in a-few
minutes our conversation was free
and unrestricted. / first told her
how | came to be in her neighbor-
hood, and went slowly over the hap
penings which led up to my first
chance meeting with her daughter.
On learning that / was from the
East, she at once become interested
and mentioned several places famil-
lar to us both.
Il visited them ALL" she said, be-
fore coming here to live," when l
mentioned some of the large cities
with which | was acquainted.
j A sigh followed this statement,
and / easily persuaded myself that
an interesting story was connected
! with the life of the woman before
me. / easily succeeded in winning
/ her confidence and step by step she
outlined briefly all that was to be
, told.
1t will be fifteen years next
month";" she said, since my husband
, left me. Lillian, my daughter,
/ was then five years old, and We
were both so proud of her and SO
7tSWeee Seer65 had d been married over six years
, and not a cloud kadzarisen to mar
1 our happiness. But work was scarce
and he decided to try New York
/ hoping to secure an engagement al
: one of the many theatres there. He
:. was a good musician and besides
8 had voice of rare strength ane
I sweetness. In this respect Lillian Il
Y so like him. | am sure he neve
i meant to desert baby and |, ant
;. still. | only heard from him once
n About year later | visited New
v York. but found no trace OF him
As For over a year / travelled, whe
20 means would permit. and where
70 had the most hope of finding hir
ID again. At length l was forced
e. give up the search. / turned m
a. back to the past; it was dead to MI
ne / felt the future belonged to m
tn daughter: so with the little mear
at that remained / bought this place
n her home and mine
on There were tears in her ey
d when she finished, and as she ,qu
re- the room, | turned my own di
m. ewes toward the wall and abandon'
at myself to thought
lat Ny convalescence was hasten
ny with the speed that caretui nur
ing and kind treatment assures.
nd the days that followed, saw mu
the of Lillian, as | had learned to G
he her. Together we would sit throu
sun the long day. She seldom left
,gh except to return with an armful
/ of flowers which she would arran
hat about the little room. We talk
All much. / soon learned n at
hen knew nothing Of the world outs
3 of of her own home and surrounds
the woods There, she reigned
and preme. Every path was known
ST. her; every bird that nested in shl
r of and tree. and every squirrel t
ion. startled the stiffness Of the VIC
and with its shrill chatter, had lear
me. to know her as their friend.
nt. often spoke of her father and
rise pressed a wish to see him again.
ling In few days. l was able to
,ded up and soon after yentured out
the sunshine again. Together
king strolled through the cool, sh
,ling woods. or loitered by the side OF
sleepy little stream that made
ould way between fower-covered ba
ex- AT length there came a day VII
: left knew | had no good reason TO
'. to main longer. lie thought OF
7ould ing myself away with nothing
wing memory of the joys had kn'
asked was painful to- me. We were