| Show AN OLD STORY STOR it Is of no DO use rise said mary desperately Y 1 I cant think of a single thing to 11 say she sat and frowned gloomily biting the end of 0 her penholder now and then she ran her hand ban distractedly di through her hair this NN was as a 1 trick ot of hers hera when thinking hard arid and ns as n s ft a rule the result was avas more startling than pleasing plea zing it Is of no use she said again but this time with a different inflection 1 I sit here arid and give way to lazi nesa like tills oils if I 1 dont write a tale we cant pay the grocers bill I 1 must arid and will begin only what on earth am I 1 to sa say y 1 marys brain was fertile enough ind aud her busy fancy generally delighted in spinning love stori stories and the like I 1 in 11 the early days of her scribbling she had been greatly laughed at by her mother and sisters but when welcome little checks began to come in return for bulky envelopes sent through the post he tone of the family altered arid and mary had for some time been regarded as a person of 0 importance perhaps they overrated her powers for they had mine come to the conclusion that mary could do almost anything marys licad head was looked upon as a bank upon which in an unlimited amount of modest demands could ile be drawn and the girl now and then their felt a trifle oi 01 er cr who whelmed whelm lined ed as site she reali zeil what nhat wis was expected of her oil oh mary must write a tale hot her mother would say when alien an additional dit ditl ional unal expense was bugge suggested sted yo so tile fancy of the moment would lie ile indulged in arid and maly would shut t ber bif up in the little room slie she called her own owa whence lit in due time she would emerge tired droll but triumphant on oil this particular eular morning however she racked her brains ili u lain she tried her hardest to think of some me slender hlen dir framework frame upon which to liing hang li ing the usual mild love making but the more she tried to woo tile mu muse c the llie more obstinately did the bald muse refuse to respond to her advances 1 I feel exactly as if it a wet sponge hall had been passed over my iny brain she thought despairingly there seem it a aln single ie idea let left just then a gentle rap came at the door come in ili said mary impatiently shenee lie be interrupted when she was trying to work and just no now she felt more than usually dlly cross her face relaxed ft a little ho however Never when she saw her visitor you john I 1 thought it was jenny I 1 corid wondered ered whatever ahe he wanted now poor jenny said the liec newcomer laughing poor mary I 1 think rejoined mary dolefully why whatever Is the matter asked john taking a seat beat anil and evidently preparing to make inake himself na as comfortable as circumstances permitted lie ile looked very strong and an d capable as he smiled down upon mary man and the girl was waa conscious ot of a 1 distine A t feeling of relief though 6 she he 11 hardly ardly knew its source well said mary 1 I feel worried dorile d arid and bothered you know john ho how v much all our folks have got in the way of looking to me for help in I 1 money I 1 on matters yes I 1 know replied john with a rather curious inflection 1 I like to do it said mary quickly it makes mo me very glad and happy to do it I 1 should not say a word about it to anybody but you but you already k know n 0 w th these es e details you are such an intimate friend of the family arent you A very intimate friend of the family echoed tale young man gravely and mother has often told you how aay it was for me to earn a few pounds basalt she very often answered 1 the young man again with the same gravity well john said mary lifting a pair of very tory earnest eyes to hla her accents full of sorrow and dismay 1 I a am in sometimes afraid I 1 cant keep on doing it what makes you think solo so asked john gently 1 1 I 1 cant think of anything said mirry mary the tears brimming up tip into her eyes 1 I have sat eat here this morning lor for nearly an hour and got ejot a single idea has come to me and I 1 dare to tell mother and the girls my last story was rejected it was such a blow for I 1 had bad been counting on tile the money to buy jennys jennya summer dreis she was rather cross cros i when I 1 told her she must wait a while longer sly deur dear little soul ald the young man you are arc overworked that Is we simple explanation of 0 the whole matter the kindness of hla his tone seemed to altogether break down marys composure for after a momentary struggle for calmness site she dropped her head into her hands and cried heartily john reymonda Red monda monds face presented a curious study so many were the emotions that passed rapidly over it lie he made till an involuntary movement toward the little weeping figure but the next moment chocked checked himself arid and waited quietly until mary herself spoke 1 I 1 dont know whatever you hlll think of me she said rather shamefacedly fac edly as she wiped her hei eyes 1 I dont know what mide mado me do 10 it but I 1 lill am so much obliged to you for letting me llave have it out I 1 arn am better now to be sure you flo do said john with a friendly and rather tender laugh 11 1 have always understood that a good cry nias sa a great luxury to young ladles ladies for sake dont call rile me a young lady cried mary with i till till an assumption of her ii bially energetic mannor manner 1 I do hate that phrase just is as you please returned john easily what shall liall I 1 call you novelist ovel journalist neither one nor the other said mary maly hushing a little a shade of her lute late despondency again falling upon her 1 I am nothing in the world but a writer of peony penny love stories and losing ing even the small amount of capability required fur for that that 1 Is 13 3 nonsense exclaimed john now speaking earnestly As I 1 salil said before you are you have been doing doing too much your brain needs rest and it ought to have one mary well it cant jut ju t at pre present ent mary iary shaking her head bead very decidedly there Is jennys now new dress and the grocers bill I 1 shall know no peace until those thoe tw INN 0 things are off my mind john was silent ellent for a minute but he looked troubled if I 1 could just get an idea said mary M 1 I r y moie etiole hopefully 1 I think I 1 could wo work rk it out I 1 to hate used up ill everything I 1 have written about lost heirs arid and lost wills will 3 about tire lie heiress who naho pretended to be poor and tile lie ad i ho pretended to be I 1 tell ilch I 1 have told about the man who expressed the utmost detestation detest atlon of tile the new woman it quit and ended by falling mildly madly lit in love with one I 1 have haap related the history of the girl who determined to have it career and finally give gave up lip all for love these things filings are oil boru allt oit john the they y have become so feeble that I 1 am ashamed to 0 o press arvi the llie poor things into further service john smiled they art far from lying dying mary the they are full of it vitality Nita It allty lity yet well somebody t lo may have them sald said mary retaining the at lea it fur for a while I 1 may ile be glad to fall luck back on them some day but just now I 1 should like something lila freall all it sorts of queer things are const constantly aut happening tit in reil real life if I 1 could only anly kit got to lieja them john aou i on till nil idea of any hill kind or winn some little thin thing that liis conie come within your own experience anything that holds it a tiny plea of romance you know jolla john looked at it her ft a arid and seemed ti inclined to speak i nik then its ills mind apparently app altered lad ind tic lie shook hii 1114 hend head oli oil cried mary disappointedly Is I 1 to laid ill yuu you lou kciuk exactly as it if you li lit id nil all idea well sald said julin sl slowly oily 11 a 1 aliat glimmering did seem to to uio rile but I 1 am afraid trial you will think it silly illy do tell lell ille exclaimed mary 1 I shall be so grateful and I 1 dunt dont know that it Is 13 partle new ut allt nt on john lit in the same ame s doubtful way well never lover mind said mary in ili a like way A great doll 1011 depends on the iho treatment of a subject sometimes a acry ery then can call be made to sound quite fresh I 1 live have it in ill se set oral Intal lel q go on oil john she fixed her eyes on oil him expectantly ind and a smile dawned lit the oung noung vo mans ryes eyes as ab lie he looked at her Is it humorous asked mary innocently as she saw sav the smile 1 I dont know john relapsing into gravity gri vity that depends upon how they regail it things appeal so differently to diner ent cut minds dont they they to do rejoined mary promptly sometimes I 1 have written things which I 1 thought vere ire funny but other people entirely failed to see ire i re tile jole joke ind and on tile other lund hand I 1 have been lau laughed glied at for sentences which aro anere pointed penned with serious lint but to proc proceed eid A till the subject in ili hand 1 I wish you bould baell bAl ll john for ill the time Is getting on ind and 1 I shall ile be miserable unless I 1 succeed in ili making a good start this morning there Is a lot in milking a good start there asked john with evident anxiety oh ob a great deal said mary it Is often tile the moat difficult thing possible to start once fairly begun the work Is comparatively easy because beci use one thing seems to lead to another 1 I see replied john reflectively then a long silence fell between them do go on oil said mary impatiently at last well tile the fact Is mary I 1 with considerable clap on oil the PrO pronoun flud a difficulty tit in starting I 1 think I 1 could go on if the subject vre nere only begun let we me help you out sald said mary with an air of resignation there la Is a girl in it I 1 suppose oh yes yea returned john very decidedly cid edly there Is a girl in it and nn an uncommonly nice girl too good gracious said mary it Is till all easy enough describe me her appearance pe pon ranco arance character and surroundings tell me what she did and how she did it then explain where the man comes in iii for there Is a man in it I 1 suppose oh ob yoa yes said john as decidedly as before the thoro Is a man in it well what about him asked aske mary dMary dear me john I 1 till might as well invent intent a thing myself and have done with it if you cant toll tell rile me straight off ill toll tell you said john with the air of 0 a man determined to make the plunge only mary promise ise nie one thing dont laugh at my story cant I 1 laugh if it Is funny rejoined mary it said john well not exactly kr ln in fact I 1 dont know how it will strike you I 1 meant dont laugh at rny ny clumsy way ot of telling it of course not replied mary kindly and im sure im very much obliged to you john tor for taking all this trouble well began john this girl the kill girl I 1 urn am thinking of you know lived nt lit home with her mother and sisters bisters the father had died some home years before leaving just enough money 0 to o supply their bare wants but no more 1 I quite understand said mary in a tone which had a good deal of fellow feeling lit in it also so of course went ent on jolla john life was more or less of a struggle with them rut but happily one of the girls this special girl I 1 bogan began to talk about developed quite a talent for for for what said mary rather sharply for painting returned john quickly she used to paint quite lovely little things arid and sell them to the shops yes said mary but when do does the romance come in john 1 I am coming to that replied john give me time mary oil oh of course said mary amiably amin bly so after a pause john went on again years before when these girls were quite little their father had shown a great kindness to an almost friendless boy mary started arid and a faint color crept 1 into u t 0 h her e r c cheeks h e e k h 1 but ti t jo john b ii t took 0 0 k no iii heed a and n d 1 liis a s L oice i e e b became ec j n je fl firmer r i e r a and n d clearer to the action of that good man the boy owed whatever Aliat ever success came to him la in after life lie ile never forgot this and lie often wondered how bow lie he could best repay the debt he be owed john paused but mary did not speak and as the lie time went on he found the debt increased rather than diminished vor for though his benefactor hit had passed away he had bad left kindly hearts behind him arid and as the boy grow grew into manhood he prized more and more the welcome lie ever received front from those good women arid and felt that in the whole world there was no spot su so dear to him as the he one they called home again john paused but mary made no effort to break the silence leuce bi ile he loved them ill all salt said john but here a new tenderness crept into ills his voice he be learned at list last ill that at for one of them he lad tire love which it a man only gives to one woman in ill tile the world she was NAs not I 1 think quite understood by her mother arid and slaters sisters much its as they cared for her she hul bad a talent which she was glad to turn to useful account but the lie others hardly realized that the task which was generally it a pleasure might at times become very hard bard and wearisome they thought it was as play for her to sit dona down la arid and paint so sometimes her heart failed her a little marys face was as very white now but the color rushed suddenly hick bick into it as I 1 john gently took her hand into ills his 0 onn 11 tills this young youn man loved her mary loved her moro more learly dearly that I 1 cm cin quite tell 1 1011 oil but lie ho waited a long time before lie he dared to speak to her ile he knew how much depended upon her in the home and ho he felt he had no right to take dike lier her away avisay until ills IoL position floii would enable him ill to offer comfort to her anti and to th those the e dear to her it often a weary while and ills heart ORNI often ached hut but the time came lit at last the time v when lien lie he felt arve to lo speak ile ho pall paused sed alit ami for a row few minutes there here is between them a deep silence hill liand hand ClaS clasped lIPI birrs more fervently arid and lie he said mary As if compelled she looked into ills eyes and in flint luo moment luent a full 1110 ledge of ilant she had never alver before e eien ell guessed swept over her sim she knew tile sweetest of all earthly part lily that she lavod anti and was beloved you were quite right dearest s sali said john a 11 while later the difficulty live lies in a start everything comes quile easily afterward ille story Is very hackneyed 1 ahls apprel enry nut but oil oh john JOIl ll with a ba aalf if v isch 10 wholly tender look it wonderful how all so old call ci n be so london st sy cloty clety |
