Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-07-11
daOttester 9ailg Spy.
Eyes Open.


ming, said Mrs. Beach, the wife of prosper
Gus wholesale dry goods merchant on Market
street, as she busted her mantel of porcelain
and marble on Monday morning, that he who
wanted to be good must be on the constant
look out for opportunities; that God does not
nnd our work and bring it ready fitted and
prepared to our hands, but spreads the world
before us, and we are to walk through it
Christ and the apostles did, with eyes open,
looking for the sick and suffering, poor and
oppressed.
Now l am certain, continued the lady, as
she replaced marble Diana in the center of
the mante, should like to do some good
every day-one feels so much better when
they go to rest at night, and I'll just keep my
eyes open o-day, and see if L come across
any opportunities that under ordinary cir
cumstances 1 should let slip.
Half an hour later Mrs. Beach was in the
nursery with the washerwoman, who had come
for the clothes.
wish, Mrs. Simms, said she, as she heaped
the soiled linen into the basket, that you
would get Tommys aprons ready for me by
Wednesday; we are going out of town to re-
main until Saturday, and l shall want a good
supply on hand for such careless little
scamp as he is.
Well, I'll try, ma'am, said the washerwo-
man; have got behindhand a good deal
since Sammy got the whooping cough; but
now he is better l must try to make up for
lost time.
''Has he had the whooping cough? Poor
little fellow. How old is he?" questioned the
lady.
''He was three last April, maam."
And Tom is four, unused the lady. "Look
here, Mrs. Simms, won't you just open the
lower drawer of that bureau, and take out
those four green worsted dresses in the cor
ner! TOMS outgrown them, you see, since
last winter, but they are almost as good as
new. Now, if you want them for little Sam
my, they'll do nicely without altering
think
''Want them, Mrs. ~ answered the
washerwoman, with tears starting into her dim
eyes-I haven't any words to thank you or to
tell you what treasure they'll be. Why,
they will keep the little fellow as warm as
toast all winter
"Well, I'll place them on top of the
Clothes" said the lady. smiling to herself as
she thought ''my eyes have been open once
to-day"
Not long afterwards Mrs. Beach was on her
way to market, (for she was a notable house
keeper,) when she met boy who had lived
short time in her family the year before, to do
errands, wait on the door, &c. He was a
bright, good hearted, merry faced boy, and
had been great favorite with the family, and
Mrs. Beach had become interested in him
but this morning she was in quite hurry land
would have passed the child with a cordial but
hasty, Glow are you, Joseph, my boy? Do
come and see u.s." had it struck her that Jo-
seph's face did not bear its usual happy ex-
preston. She paused as the memory of last
nights sermon flashed through her mind, and
she asked, SIS anything the matter with you,
Joseph? You do not look as happy as you
used to-"
The boy looked up for a moment, with
halt-doubting, half'confiding expression into
the lady's face; the latter triumphed. ''Mr
Andersons moved out of town, he said push
ing back his worn, but neatly brushed cap,
from his hair; $50 I've lost my place, and
little Marys sick, and makes it very bad Just
now"
$50 it does" answered Mrs. Beach, her
sympathies warmly enlisted. "But never
mind Joseph; l remember only night before
last, my brother said he should want new
errand-boy, in few days, for his store, and
he'd give a good one two dollars week
Now, I'll see him to-day, and get the situa-
ton for you if you like"
The boys white face frightened. 60! 1
should be so glad of it, Mrs, Beach,"
Sand see here, Joseph, Pm going to mar
ket, and, perhaps, / can find something nice
for little Mary" The lady remembered that
Joseph's mother, though poor seamstress,
was very proud woman, and felt that this
would be delicate way of presenting her
gift.
So she found some delicious pears and
grapes, and nice chicken to make some
broth for Mary, who, she learned, was ill with
fever, before she proceeded to do her own
marketing. But it was pity that the lady
dld not see Joseph, as he sprang into the
chamber, where little Mary lay YEARLY moan
ing on her bed, where her mother set busilv
sutchng In one corner, and held up the chick
en- and the fruit, crying. ''Good news! good
news! I've got all these nice things for
Mary, and place at two dollars week !"
U! how little Marys hot fingers closed over
the punches of white grapes while the sewing
dropped from her mothers fingers as the
tears ran down her cheeks.
1t was evening, and Mrs. Beach sat in the
library, absorbed in some new book, when
she heard her husbands step in the hall.
Though the morning had been so pleasant,
the afternoon was cloudy, and the day had
gone down in a low, sullen, penetrating rain
Now, Mrs. Beach loved her husband, with
the love Of a true wife, but he was not DEM
onstrative man, and the first beauty and poet
ry OF their married life had settled down into
somewhat bare, matter-of-fact existence
but her heart was warm to-night-warm with
the good deeds of the day, and remembering
her resolution Of the morning, she threw
down her book and ran down stairs.
Henry, DEAR" said the soft voice of the
wi1e, mas the ram wet you at all? Let me
take of your coat for you"
"Thank you, Mary; don't believe Pm
anywise injured, but you may help me, inst
for the pleasure Of it," and he stood still, while
she removed the heavy coat, with all the soft
ness of touch and movement which belong to
woman. She hung it up, and then the hus-
band drew her to his heart with all the old
lover tenderness.
'You are very thoughtful of me, Mary, my
wife" he said.
And there was music in Mrs. Beach's heart
as she went up stairs-music set to the words,
"Eyes open! eyes open"