The Masked Bridal

fined mother had been suddenly hurled from a

had been as bright to them as to any of the petted favorites

years Fortune had showered her favors upon him, and everythin

ter, and two bright sons, ten and twelve years of age

sky, an illness of less than a week

ntless hand upon them, and they had died upon

in speechless agony beside these idolized boys, he watched their young li

less than six months from the time that death had so robbed him, he had followed his boys, leaving his wife and lovely daughter to struggle as best they

nd their grief from every one, in a remote corner of the great city. But misfortune followed misfortune-Mrs. Allan

btained by pawning one after another of their old-tim

ly papers, and, upon answering it in person, succeeded in obt

ke him admire her the more; and, before the week

r, and she went out from his presence with a strange feeling of pride and independence over the knowledge that s

aw her beautiful face light up with mingled pride and

been the sum agreed upon for that first week's work, and he fe

xt week, and that he would continue to increase her wages in

, with a comparatively light heart, to redeem her watc

disastrously th

ad, her face covered with her hands, "get on your things! I've no time t

th, starting wildly to her feet.

stay until Monday, when you'll be taken to co

o intentional wrong," she continued, lifting an appealing look to the man's face. "That money was given to me for some work tha

he money?" the

copying-Mr. Royal Bryant; his

t of course it's too late now to find

"I have only been with him one week, and di

to be moved by her beauty and distress. The condition of the invalid, who had

e up the grocer's loss to him, I shall be obli

ce lighted

ay Mr. Pincher I need not be a

n only wants

then I will go to Mr. Bryant the first thing Monday morning and tell him about the gold-piece,

s already. You'll just fork over five dollars to me this very night or off you go to the lock-up. I'm not

ck to be moved?" she added, indignantly. "I could not take her with me, and I would not leave her. Oh, pray do not force me to go to that dr

landale here interposed, in a tremulous voice. "Do not

w, or to jail she will go," was the g

o jail!" wailed th

id face and quivering lips for her. But the man was relentless. He resolutely turn

be on hand Monday morning, in court

ing the policeman no altern

despairing girl, as she sank upon her knees in front of the sick w

She was only able to lift one wasted hand and lay it upon the golden head w

ne. "What shall I do? How can I leave her? I will not. Oh

and the next instant the good-natured face of a buxom Irishwoman was thrust inside the door, which the grocer had left ajar when he went out. "What is the matter here?" sh

the warm-hearted daughter of Erin blazed forth more forcibly than elegantly

dollars to the grocer, but, unfortunately, she he

he officer, somewhat impatient

girl, with a despairing glance at the inanimate figur

ed that it would be worse than useless to contend against the majesty of the law. "She'll soon

e content, for she saw, by the officer's resol

and shawl, she told the policeman that she was ready, and went forth once more into the darkness and the pitiless stor