The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1921-01-28
What the
Mirror Told
BY ANNA WINNIE
tcopyright.)

F~~~$~<~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Copyright)
The girl slipped out Of the brightly
lighted cabin to the deck, and chose
seat In a dim and deserted spot,
close to the rail.
Once, indeed, she did say softly:
"Oh, Lord! I'm that glad-honestF'
The two, who paced the deck leis-
urely at some little distance, ap-
preached her at length, coming so d.
rectly and with such evident intent
that she looked up.
Then she rose at once and stood be-
side her chair, for one was the cloaked
and yelled black figure of nun, with
beads and snowy bands and deftly-
plated wimple.
Sister and I have been talking
about you," said her young companion.
She was black-clad, too, slender, pale,
and grave.
"She's going to be one, too," flashed
through the mind of the girl, poor
thing!''
"And sister is so glad and happy for
yOu-and SO am THAT your father
did such a wonderful thing. We
heard; all the passengers know. How
proud you must be of him?"
Something in the sad young voice
pierced the reserve of the girls pent-
up emotion, and though she struggled
for self-control as she met the eyes OF
the speaker, the rise and fall of her
breast quickened and she pressed her
hands over her quivering face as she
burst into tears.
"Ain't I, thought" she sobbed, "that
proud. B-bub-but-" Her voice
failed.
The young woman looked doubtful
for an instant, glancing at the nun
then stepped nearer to the girl and
pushed toward her the chair she had
occupied.
There" she said gently, you are
overwrought-cry it out; it's the best
way"
"'Tain't that" protested the girl
''it's how 1 always felt till now. Sup
pose he'd been killed and me never
different-oh-h
ut seemed like treating nom kind
of thin with three of us already and
the twins, when he wasn't gone six
months. And it's cinch what a
mans up against when he gets out.
SIT don't take no clairvoyant to see
trouble ahead for him, good and plen.
ty. Pops been out over five years
now, and say, honest-well, there's a
lot of hot air blowed about the broth.
erhood of mani hear it at the union
but take it from me-rot! That's
what.
"All pop needed was chance
know now; learnt that yesterday and
today. But it took this steamboat
company job, and busted boiler, and
next door to his dying for me to FIND
it out"
The young woman's dark eyes grew
darker; the nuns head, with moving
lips, bent above the beads. "And what
did he say?" asked the soft voice in
the silence.
"Bime-by he says, choky, is your
ma all right?
'"Then I remembered to tell him
how her rheumatism kept her home
so I had got off for two days and the
company let Inc come up on one OF
the boats; and how the man from the
company come to see nom and called
him another Jim Bludso-some fellow
out West, he was
"Said he'd saved hundreds of lives
then I began boo-hooing, and he smiled
twistylike and said, I'm glad / got the
chance, for your sake, Mamie, and
your mas. 1t seemed as if 1 wasn't
going to get no chance, though-some
men never does, Mamie; some men
never does"
The young woman leaned forward
and put her hands on Mamie Flynn's
knees, looking eagerly into her face.
"Will you do something for me?'
she asked, cor for sister-it's the
same thing"
The girl glowed delightedly. "Say,'
she said warmly, anything I can, you
bet"
The other laughed a little. "You
are the company's guest on this boat
tonight"
"Well, then-here's what I want
The boat is crowded-there isn't q
room to be had-and sister and had
no chance to reserve one at Albany
She isn't very well-nor very young
Will you share yours with herr"
The pleasure which the request gave
Mamie Flynn was so obvious that even
the stern reserve of the nun relaxed
II will go in with sister now" re.
sumed the young companion. ut is
her retiring time; goodnight. The
door will be unlocked for you"
1t was such queer dream-a dream
in which she knew it was a dreaml
For a suffocating instant her heart