True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1856-02-20

child's auburn locks, she asked, WHAT'S
miss to night. Jeanette, that your liiilS
feet should be straying from the fold il
such storm =
please, Miss Alice, answered the
child, 'mother could not send for the min.
ster SO, though she is sorry to trouble
you, will you come down to our cot with
me! There is sick gentleman there.
aud mother fears he will die before morp-
ing. Do come, Miss Alice she added,
coaxingly, for it would be SO dreadful 70
have him die alone
who is he, Jeannie, and how came he
theref inquired the lady; but the little
girl could tell nothing more than that he
had lost his way, and come to the collage
for shelter from the storm.
In very few minutes the party were
equipped, and, despite the cntreatisS Of
Dame Bertha that her mistress would not
venture out through the cold and snow,
they we're soon on their way, preceded
by the faithful Carl, bearing lantern, and
forcing a path through the huge drifts
with the air of man performing deed
to be immortalizcd in all future ages.
The way was not long, and in less than
half an hour the three had reached the
lowly hut of the worthy widow, whom
they fonnd busy and anxious for the
wearied man. He was sleeping whom
they arrived, and Mrs. Miller, after draw
ing a seat for Miss Alice to the fresids,
proceeded to relate how at dusk the poor
young man came staggering to her door,
begging permission 10 remain till The
storm should be over; that, on her admit
ling him, he had suddenly grown faint
and ill--too i'll 10 sit up; SO she had civ.
en- him her own bed, where he lay toss
ing restlessly about for hours, in burn
ing fever. She had given him some sim.
pie medicine that she happened IL have
by her, and he had at length fallen into a
ilIul sleep.
He must be a STUDENT she thought,
from his dress ! and he had some money
with him, for he offered her his purse.
ere he accepted her hospitality, which,
however, she refused to take; for he,
most likely, would need it ull himself.
poor fellow! Z she said. Miss Alice took
from her basket such remedies as she
thought necessary. and assisted the wid-
ow in preparing them then leaving Carl
10 watch with The sick man, she took the
lantern and proceeded fearlessly home.
ward.
In the morning the old seryan. brought
word from the physician tha! his mistress
must go no more 10 the cottage atrressnf,
and that the young man was much too i'll
to be removed.
For weeks he lay lowering betweenliie
and death; while the kind care Of the
poor widow supplied The place offs moth
er 10 him. Inquiries had been made, but
without success, concerning him and the
wild, confused tales which, in his wan.
dering hours, he poured inio the ears Of
his kind old nurse, seemed so entirely IN,
connected and incoherent, that they serv.
ed only to puzzle, without In the least en-
tightening her. '
In the mean time the inhabitants Of the
stone cottage moved on in the "even tendi
of their way" A dull life some would
call 1.-THE life that Miss Alice led but il
was not 60 TO her. Books, music, and
drawing occupied d part Of her hours, and
the remainder was spent in visiting the
poor of her neighbOrhood, and admins.
lering with her own hands to their many
wants. Yet SO quietly went the lady
about her works of bensvolence, that her
, right hand hardly knew Of her left hanPi
, doing. She had no acquaintances bu'
the peasants about her, and she sought
none.
k The sick stranger was not forgotten
: for although the lady herself was forbid
;, den to viqit him, not delicacy thai could
L tempt his appetite but found its way q
the cot; and when he was sufficiently
+ recovered 10 be able to read a Ktlle, Shl
o sen. her choice books for his perusal. and
d her fairest pictures to while away the e.
II dious hours. And 90, little by little, ii
|, regained his wasted strength, ill a lens.l
the time arrived when he would depart
d but first he would see and thank the s'n'
0. benefacuess to whom he owed 60 much
d Jeanette had run over in The morning
"a fCoNCLUpED on FovATK PACE