St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-02-12

|
ing away, she ran with a feet pac,
for nearly half square, not once ven
turing to look back.
Poor frightened creature !" mur
INJURED the old man. 81 would no
harm hair of your head for til,
world.' Then adding with a sigh, al
he resumed his walk
"Ah, me If you are young, ant
innocent, and friendless, city like
this is place of great danger. Or
if just stepping aside from virtues
path, with no kind friend and counsel
lor, your case is hopeless one. Thou
that lowest the pure and the young,
ovcrshadow her with thy wing Save
her from the snare Of the fowlcr?"
The old man then slowly pursued
his way. A walk of some ten min
utes brought him to large, fine look
ing house which he entered
why brother where have you
been so late ?" said a middle aged
woman, in kind, even affectionate
manner, as he entered the richly fur
nished parlors, where were assembled
the family, consisting of the father
and mother, and two young ladies',
their daughters, whose ages were
about fifteen and eighteen.
Here, Florence, take your Uncle's
hat and cane, and you, Ella, bring
down his slippers"
Neither of the young ladies perform
ed the little service required with the
warmth of manner that makes beau
tiful the devotion of the young to the
aged. The Uncle saw and felt this.
"No, no." he said. "The girls
needn't disturb themselves. am not
tired"
Yes, yes Let them go it is a
pleasure to them 'intcrposed the moth
er. But what has kept you out 50
late ?"
" Nothing in particular. l walked
rather farther than usual, and so made
it late in returning"
Its chilly out ; l hope you hav'n't
taken cold, brother ?"
Ne? Oh no. l don't take cold
easy. I'm not made of such tender
stuff as your modern people. I'm
worth, now, dozen ordinary young
men and expect to outlive most of the
present generation"
This was said half in Jest, half in
earnest. 1t was not responded to in
the same playful spirit, although there
was al effort on the part of the sister
and her husband, to laugh at the re-
mark. The youngest of the old mans
nieces came in at the moment with his
slippers. He looked at her steadily
for an instant, and then said
Ella, as | came along, this even
ing, saw a young girl about your
size and age, standing on the pave
ment, actually wringing her hands in
distress. She murmured, in a plain
tive, almost dcspairing voice, some
thing that l could not hear, just as
passed. walked on for few PAGES
and then, so deeply had her manner
impressed me, that l turned back to
speak to her. But, the moment she
saw me approaching, she sprang
away like frightened fawn. l caught
a glimpse of her face. 1t was very
young, and, l thought, very beautiful.
There were tears glittering upon her
cheek. Ella, dear, thank God that you
have home and parents to love and
protect you"
The old mans voice trembled. The
incident had, evidently, impressed him
deeply.
"Who could she have been ?" the
father said, speaking with interest.
"Some one who did not deserve Ell
ther parents or home,' returned the
mother of Ella, with some asperity in
her tone. Brothers sympathies are
easily excited
3" A young girl weeping in the street
at nightfall not deserve parents love
or sheltering home? have not so
learned my lesson in life, Mary. l
would give one Thousand dollars more
cheerfully than l ever bestowed any
thing in my life, to know where that
deserted, lonely, danger-encompassed
girl is to be found"
f" You take strange interest, GER
tainly, in a street-walking outcast."-
This was said by his sister with even
more asperity thanher former remark.
Il do not admit the allegation" was
the firm reply. / believe the person
| saw to be innocent, but in distress.
The single glance obtained of her
face, under the glare of bright gas
lamp, was enough to satisfy me of her
character. Certainly do take deep
interest in her, strange as you may
call it-and, perhaps it is strange
But so it is. AS l have Just said
most cheerfully would | give one
thousand dollars this night to be able
to find her. Her appearance, her face,
and the deep distress she evinced,
have made upon my mind an unetface-
able impression"
" 1t is certainly a little singular"
remarked the brother-in-law.
" So it Is" returned the old man.
" cannot myself understand why |
should feel, as do, 50 strongly drawn
towards that poor girl, but, the fact
is, as | have said. 1t seems to me as
if she must be bone of my bone and
flesh Of my flesh" 1901. ..'
The tea bell rang and broke the