The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1856-11-26

sides pure bene:oltnce III TINS resolutions
he might have hoped to get clue to the
unknown but it isn't best to pry too
closely into the motives when the act is
good. At any rate, Robert Tracy was
soon in Elm street. among lot Of tum.
ble.down rickety OLD buildings, swarming
with dirty iigs, and equally numerous
and dirty children. lie inquired for
Mrs. O'Rcillysresidcnce,an and was shown
house little farther; he entered it,
making his way through the dark pass
age with difficulty but guided by the
loud and angry tones of female voice,
lie at last reached small room, and rap
ped at the door which was littlo ajar,
His summons was obeyed by a stout.red.
faced yirago, who answered in the affirm
native to his inquiry if she was Mrs.
ORcilly. What to say next was the
question he mustered up courage. and
declared tha, he wns sent by Miss Flora
to sec her sick daughter Nora.
Och. then, its a dociher that yccz
is.n replied the woman. to whom Miss
Flora's name seemed familiar" q" but it's
me- first cousin thot ye are after findin"
Bridget Brady, and not myself at all, at
! all. Jist 20 up them stairs, and when
yo eit TO tho top, it is the door forncnst
ycez
Robert gladly escaped from Mrs,
/ O'Rcilly, who exhaled perfume Of
rum and onions not at all agreeable to
bis delicate nostrils and at the risk of
breaking his neck. as ccnding the broken
staircase.
A gentle voice bado him enter, in an.
swer to his rap. and hc obeyod the re-
! quest The room was small, bu. scru.
lulously clean, aud in the young girl who
Jay on the small pallet. he recognized
Nora. lIo approached her, and stated
MS before that he had boon sent by Miss
! Flora.
And is it Miss Flora NJ ason ye mono2"
" Yes, " replied Tracy, delighted to
find out who ho did moan, ard then
went on TO question the girl as delicate
| ly as possible as to her wants. She was
not at all reserved told of the kindness
of Miss Flora in supplying her wants,
and said that now her mother had got
work again, though it was rather lonely
for her while she was out washing they
would get along very well
1t was evident the girl was in con.
sumption, but sho was very cheerful, and
wiped away the tears that would come
when she spoke Of " being burden to
her poor old mother"
Robert did not very well know what
to say. twas rather new business for
him to be at the sick beds of the poor,
but he said few kind words. and put
bill into the girls bpnd as he bade her
| good bye.
During his conversation with her, she
/ had named some other families, and told
! him that Mrs. Gallagher was in great
distress that hor drunken husband had
stolen the money she had put away for
the rent, and it must be paid that day
or they would be turned out in the street.
Robert now bent his steps in this quar-.
ter, ard left the POOR woman showcring
blessings upon his head, even after he
had lost sight Of her door. twas new
but very pleasurablc sensation that
yourg Tracy experienced on leaving
Elm street. lie had never before re-
ceived so much enjoyment from the ex.
penditure Of any sun Of money as from
this small amount. Ito returned to his
Office, which might more appropriately
have been called bis smokiug-room and be-
gan to rummage over his law books lie
! really read few pages IN Blackstone,
though am afraid he did not give it his
undivided attention. Not long after
ihia, came off grand sOiTcc at Mrs.
Raleigl's. where Robert Tracy bccome
introduced to Miss Flora Mason. and, to
Miss Lizzies incxprcssible nunoyancc,io
that girl Just cmancipateI from school,
lie paid the most marked attention. She
was not pretty, but aside from this all
lie imagined her to be--a cheerful,
and unaffected girl whom he admired
very much and after that evening he
paid frequent visits to her fathers resi-
deucc, aud, as he camo to know her bet
ter, it required constant reflections on
John, to prevent his actually falling in
love with her
Tho mystery was solved at last, by
casual inquiries he discovered that her
cousin. John Somers. a young lawyer,
had recently gone West. lie was the
rival, then, and, from all he coulG learn
of him, every way worthy of her. Ev-
crybody liked him and wished him we'll,
except Robert Tracy, and he, it must be
confessed, so FAR from joining the rest of
mankind in these good wishes, really at
! times wished him worse things than the
fever and aguc, though that would have
/ becu enough for any ordinary degree of
malgrity: vet notwithstanding Tracy'S
iuhumanty towards John Somers. his
benevolence continued in active exercise
in Elm street. lie found cut and re-
lieved many cescs of suffering, and assis-
ted many in obtaining situations, who
were idle, not from indoence, but from
inability TO get work.
So passed away more than a year. 1t
was just before Christmas, and Robert
who was going to treat himself to max
ing the most useful presents he could
procure, to his pr0teges. was just emerg',
ing from one of those dwellings, where he
had been to discover what was most need.
ed, when the sudden apparation of Flora
Mason, just opposite, rooted him to tho
spot. She, on her part, seemed equally
astonshed. but almost Immediately re-
gained her self-posession and exclaimed