The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1914-07-25

As she stood before Ora prim. gen-
tie. faded, the two women took rapid
inventories of each other.
Thought Ora: Dear thing. she has
been under COW so long that she is
shier than a w~oodchuck. She makes
me think of a withered rosebud that
was nipped by n frost before 1t had
time to expand into beauty and fra
GRANGE" Thought Miss frankie. "She
is a splendid. creature whom mother
need never hope to twist into her way
Of thinking or doing"
Said Ora. holding flowers and black
gloved hands in a warm handclasp:
You really do not think l need to
be told who you are. my cousin? l
would be ashamed to tell you how
many longing glances / have sent after
your passing figure. l want so much
to tell you how much your flowers
mean to me. They sweeten many an
otherwise bitter moment of detection
for me-"
Miss Frankie's pinched features ex-
panded in a smile of gratitude.
" "ahC hiC dSudAINu uliu hupPy
at once. / never thought of your car
ing to know me. although l have felt
as IL l was treating you shabbily. You
see
II know. I know exactly how 1t is.
Nobody is to blame, and we won't back
bite anybody"
mo, indeed. 1t is very good Of you
to take such broad views of us. Price
says you are broad"
Ora laughed, Il fancy Mr.. Sheldon's
opportunities Of judging what / am
have been very limited"
80 far, yes. l am sure you did not
find him backward in claiming kim"
"No. but he doesn't count"
Miss frankie stretched her faded
blue eyes. Doesn't count? II you
were to see him at home you would
think he counted for a very great
deal.''
"Ile admits as much. l suppose it
iS nard for two women to have such
a boy on hand and not spoil him."
HE is a dear fellow. l think you
will like him."
81 do like him. His arm is getting
all right I hope"
"He says not"
Ora smiled her comprehension.
HE says" Miss frankie continued
with an anxious look on her sweet face,
that he Is sure gangrene has set in"
DR.. Voolfolk laughed heartlessly. II
nm afraid your nephew is a youthful
fraud"
Miss frankie examined her critical
" with her head held sidewise. Her
gentle eyes held nothing but admira-
ton for this stately young novelty:
my dear. it amuses me to hear you
talk of u Price as If he were a little
spoiled boy. l happen to know that he
is exactly eighteen months your SEN
ior."
what marvellous precision on a mat
ter that has never attracted any atten-
ton at all. / mean my own advent"
Mother says l am better than the
family Bible for recording births and
deaths. I've really had so little to dis
tract my attention, you know.'
II did not suspect that the family
or the family Bible either held any rec
ord Of my BIRTH" said Ora. with a
culver of the lips.
ooh. yes," said Miss frankie very
gently. cousin Orrick mailed mother
a paper containing the notice OF his
wife's death. The notice stated that
she had left an infant three weeks old.
| always thought mis- sending that pa
per to show us he was left alone with
a baby to care for was a sort of plea
for mother to take you. If she had
everything would have been so differ
emit"
so very different" Ora assented de-
murely, with a silent vote of thanks
for the failure of her fathers project,
If he had ever really entertained such.
Miss frankie gazed wistfully about
the little office. perhaps, though. you
never could have led your WI life so
freely. Dear mother has such very
rigid notions about feminine propriety
and all that sort Of thing"
Il am afraid Mrs. Sheldon would dis
approve of me entirely"
"Oh, don't say that. please. 1t makes
Price and me so unhappy"
Then l won't say it. l will only
think it."
And there is your desk, with your
medicine case and everything for all
the world like a real doctor. Then you
have such a splendid. untrammeled
look about you.'
Ora was a delightful revelation to
the little spinster, who had been In
bondage all her life to somebody.
YES" said Ora gravely. such as
it is. | am leading my W life, but
who will ever be the better for it? l
could never follow in your unselish
footsteps. You have just lived to
make everybody about you happier and
better. doubt If saints like you ever
get their reward In this world"
Miss frankie shrank from common
dntjon MS If II were a old dOuche.