The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1922-06-15

LOOKING ten sye9rs younger, ana, al
though missing most a the Joys DC
III, by no means soured, and still
hoping ana longing that some day
Love would come along and help fll
out her lonely life.
She. had given MISS Duncan 4 home,
she had educated Bart.
For this reason any deviation from
personal or household rules was
Viewed with concern BY the twain Of
selfish time-servers. What had
aroused their present CONSERVATION
was the fact that Lucia had not only
allowed d travelling circus TO show on
a lot she owned, but had visited II
several times.
sItss just terrible, Bartir pro
nounced the agftated Tabitha. Bart,
81 believe that Lucia has fallen Id
love r
Incredible r. he gasped.
tits true. II seems that those two
little acting girls are under the charge
OF q man calling himself Henry Nor
ton. He used to be q balloon acrobat,
but had d bad fall. Els brother, now
dead, was also an actor, and had
trained the children. Morton is travel
ing with them as their guardian. I
won't say that he III not d polite, dig
niied gentleman, but he has fascinat-
ed Lucia, and I hate him. Well, that
Isn't the worst Of 1t"
"What next?s
aWhy, somehow the two children
have caught the measles and can't go
on with the show, Morton has can
celed their contract and Lucia, soft
hearted Lucia, has turned the house
into a hospital
"You don't mean to say that she has
taken those two children"
u Eyes, ! do, and Morton ID there, too,
helping nurse them
It was all true. without pausing to
ana1yze feelings or motives, Lucia
Warden had drifted Into q new envi-
ronment.
Never had an Ingenious, t~rue-souled
little woman o appreciative
friends. After the hardship, uncertain
ties and discomfort Of half a season
Of roughing 1t with the circus, the lit
tie children snuegled down In the
pretty, cozy home Of Miss Lucia like
birds housed In q cherishsd nest.
Their uncle would scarcely leave
their presence. His ministrations
were assiduous and untiring. When
Lucia came into the sick room, q sort
OF glorifed contentment came into his
bronzed, serious face. !
Lucia learned the history of the lit
tie ones, left under a years contract
with the circus company, with which
their father and uncle had been con-
nected. = $ -"
"That is all over now" Morton told
her, with profound satisfaction. 1T
has been a providence that their illness
came at a time when your kind heart
opened the doors Of your beautiful
home to the homeless and distressed"
He told her how he had never mar
ried because Of the hard round Of du-
ties, the broken fortunes Of his broth
er and his family had required.
And then one evening, as they sat
In the glow Of the freight and the
shaded lamps, the little ones asleep
In each others arms, like cherubs,
Henry Morton boldly, bravely told this
superb friend that he loved her. :
She was waiting for the declaration,
for she was hoping for it.
"We must do sornethingp declared
Miss Tabitha to her nephew two days
later, when she learned how matters
stood. IL & II
= Morton had gone away to close out
a little piece Of property he owned ut
Assistance. &.
"Leave it to me-" replied Bart, at
ter he had gained every detail he
could as to the past life and antace-
dents Of Mortoa. e.
Four days later he sent for Miss
Tabitha in great excitement and ex-
ultation of spirits. r
"Tve got himp' he chuckled. '"That
hint you had about his living at q GER
tain town five years ago has brought
results. I wrote to q law firm there.
They sent me a photograph Of him.
Look there!" EE
& Triumphantly, he handed to his rela-
tive q photograph. It pictured Henry
Morton-only in q conyict's suit.
: Henry Morton mad just returned to
the village as Bart and his aunt APP
peared. &
II have come upon a solemn mis-
sion," said Bart. aunt Lucia, this
man In an ex-cOnvict 1"
The astonished Lucia took the prof
fered photograph. With supreme con
ndence in her face she handed It to
Nh. Morton. !
my friends" said the latter with "a
plying smile, you seem to have hap
pened across q picture OF mine taken
whenI was an actor in q stage drama.
AZ to the trouble you refer to-, that
a1ludes to some financial troubles of
my dead brother
Miss Tabitha thought II best TO plant
herself with another relative. Bart
sneaked into 0bscurity. As 10 Lucia.
Mr.. Morton and the little ones-they
became part and parcel Of the happi
est family circle In all Christend0m.
Sure Sign.
Moke.Does yuh really love me or
does yuh les think yuh dor
Moka-Yas, indeedy. honey, I really
loves yuh AIM done any thinkin'
yst--Black md Blue lay