Ellsworth American., 1920-05-12
HER
RECOMPENSE.
By ALVAH J. GARTH.


to, perhaps. for she is my own rela-
tive"
Thus Mrs. Amy Jennison. and the
criticism passed down the line of local
gossip and eventually reached the ears
of the subject OF the remark. That
patient. misconstrued person looked
sad and depressed because of the un-
JUST accusation
II was not the first time Eunice
Wardell had received secondhand oh
servatlons that had hurt her kindly
feelings,
Airs. Wardell had known a sorrowful
past. She had married John wardell
when she was twenty-five years of age.
That was ten years since. Before the
first year had rassed by they were
separated. John Wardell had disap-
peared from his home and become
wanderer. His death was reported and
Mrs. Wardell was very generally re-
garded as a widow.
Silently she had taken up the bur
dens of life. She had in her own right
the home Wardell had deserted and
some Investments her father had left
her. strange calm and sense of
sacrifice had come over her. and she
had seemingly decided to employ her
time and means in charity and good
deeds. She became the almoner of
number OF poor families. but soon
found that her generous impulses were
imposed upon by her relatives. There
were four of these. all cousins, two of
them women and all married Amid
| her loneliness she clung to them, loved
them sincerely and INDUCED them
| There was one element that stood out
/ prominently In all Mrs Wardell
thought, and said and did. She was
the consistent breathing soul of truth
II was her way to employ candor and
| dlrectness In all her dealings with
others. II was this quality that had
estranged her from John Wartiell.
When she came in more direct con-
/ tact with her relatives Eunice pursued
/ the same lnfexible system She always
/ thought more OF bestowing practical
/ permanent good than tidng over q
| temporary situation. When Robert
/ Jennlson. the husband of her cousin
| Amy. started In business 1t was Eunicp
who provided the capital. He sue
ceeded. but all along the line Eunice
| with sincere regard for him, watched
/ advised and made advantageous sug-
! gestions, but as Jennson progressed
| there came pride and independence,
and thereafter resented "the inter
| ference" of his relative. forgetting that
to her he owed his success
! There was the ambitious son of an
| other cousin whom Eunice financed In
his college career but he disdained her
| recommendation that he become q
lawyer and ran away with an actress.
and wasted his life in following up
| cheap road shows. The son of an
| other cousin became involved In con.
tention with his employer as to some
| missing money, and 1t took nearly a
/ thousand dollars TO compromise the
case.
At thlrty-hve Mrs. wardell was a
weary. disappointed woman. A las-
/ Investment in a stock venture of one
/ Of her precious relatives had sadly de-
/ pleted her resources. Not one effort
she had made In love and kindness had
brought the success and happiness she
/ had anticipated. One day she went to
Z her lawyer.
MIR Ward" she said, II wish to
/ divide the remnants of what possess
among my relatives, except what VIII
( support me In humble way"
Are you sure you are acting wise
ly?" vpntVrod the attorney.
] II viii have my way" answered
Eunice quietly, but with force.
! The sacrifice made her homeless.
/ Then Eunice sought an aged spinster
friend and arranged to spend the rest
! of her life In her home. Within a
/ year this companion passed away, and
! Eunce took up her quarters in a cheap
/ room NJ the village hotel.
One afternoon she took long walk
| and sat down to rest on horse block
! before one of the best residences In
I town. recently vacated by its owner
I Eunlce had heard that the property
| was for sale and as she saw a man
come from the garden wondered If he
was a prospective purchaser. She
| stared. started to her feet. the blood
left her face as the stranger advanced
and caughtr her as she seemed about
! TO sink 10 the ground.
"Eunice!' he spoke simply.
She swayed as he lowered her to the
horse block and put his arm about her
/ TO support her. She was too weak TO
resist him and why should she, for was
/ he not her own husband mOurned as
/ dead and marvelously reappearing at
the darkest moment of her lonely life?
Don't break down, Eunice," he
| pleaded tenderly. You sent me away
rightly for was burden and fought
| the truth. For five years | fioated.
Then the true conception of your
worthy principles came TO me. faced
about straight In the path of right