Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-01-10
MUtester Badly Spy.
MRS srERL1NG's RECEPTION.

Every now an then spasm of coughing
seized her, which compelled her to lay down
her work, and clasp both hands on her side,
while the paleness of her thin cheek flushed
into hectic. Mrs. Stirling had not seen her
before since spring-the work returned that
morning having been sent 10 her by a servant
She went up to her and sat down in chair
which stood near.
your sister said you were sick and so
came TO see if 1 could be of any use to you 4"
said she, in gentle tones, which of themselves
carried certain comfort with them. you
have changed terribly since spring. l must
hear all about it but want you should eat
what have brought you-here is some wine
jelly, and bit of cold chicken-they will do
you good"
The poor girl looked at the viands with the
involuntary greediness of hunger. Then she
blushed deeply, and said in low voice
81 am very grateful, Madam, but if you
please, will wait until you leave me. Allow
me at present to attend to you"
''No, indeed ?'' Mrs. Stirling spoke in her
pretty absolute fashion. 81 am not going yet
want to talk with you awhile and shall not
do so until you have taken something to
strengthen you. Little Jane has uncled al
ready"
So the gay, bright lady sat and waited, feel
ing i'll the new prospect OF being actively use
full, genuine glow of delight. When the girl
had flushed her generous meal and taken up
her work again, Mrs Stirling be Jan to talk to
her.
"Is this consumption, Annie 2" she asked,
gently. "Your cough alarms me-"
mo, marin, am very sure it is nothing of
the kind yet. There is no consumption in our
family. My father was a country minister,
and had a strong and healthy constitution
He died young, but it was from violent fe
yer, caught in attendance on sick stranger.
/ think it was grief which made my mother
follow him in three months. She had always
been delicate, though not sickly, and she lack
ed the strength it requires TO live and suffer.
1t is seven years since she died, on the very
day little Jane was born"
'How old were you then 2"
Fifteen, and there were no living children
between us two
"And you have supported yourself and her
ever since 2"
ooh, no ! My fathers books and furniture
sold for enough to keep us some time, and my
aunt, who lived here, brought us to Boston.
We both lived with her. She took care of
Jane, and l worked in a shop and earned
enough to buy our clothes and help Aunt
Martha with the living. 1t is only since she
died, three years ago, that l have been alone
with Jennie"
gu CAME out o the SHOp then
eyes, because could not have Jenny there
with me, aud she had no one else TO see to her,
and indeed l have made more money since, |
have embroidered SO much"
"But surely you have suffered more than
usual this summer 2"
ooh, yes, marin. The ladies that work
for are mostly out OF town in the summer
always, and so winters try to save something
to help us through. But last winter was SO
hard that l had not as much work as usual,
and this summer we have not been very well
of. had to give up the comfortable room l
used to have, because | could not earn enough
10 pay for it, and l suppose the dampness here
has not just agreed with me.
She tried to smile, but the tears came in
stead. Mrs. Stirling took her hand with
comforting pressure.
"Don't cry. Better times are coming to
you now. l am sure can influence you
great deal more work. You shall have enough
to do, and we must see that you move out Of
this damp, unhealthy place"
Sister Annie smiled sadly.
"The landlord has seen to that, madam. |
can only stay here three days longer. lie
wants to let the room to a tenant who will
pay more and l have been troubled for fear l
should not be able to go out and find another
place"
leave that till to morrow. Then If you are not
able to go will find place for you. 1t can
not be difficult matter to find one as good as
this. AT any rate, tomorrow you shall see
me again ; and in the meantime the ay for
the work little Jane brought home will make
you comfortable"
So saying, she put into the girls hand tw ice
the customary price for the embroidery she
had done, and without waiting for The thanks
which trembled on Annie Hadlev's pale lips,
she went out of the room, down the stairs, and
returned home after this, her first charity
visit.
On the way she stopped but once, and that
was not to look into any OF the windows, gay
with autumn goods, or to exchange her humid
red dollar note on the Suffolk bank for silks
or satins. She only went for a moment to
neat, respectable looking house on Myrtle
street, and then hurried home.
She met her husband when he came to his
five O'Clock dinner, with beaming smile.
The meal was well cooked and neatly served
the wife opposite him was young and fair
and when John Stirling rose from the table
and went with her into her evening ROOM ii is
no wonder he said to himself that this being
in ones own home wasn't so bad thing after
all.
"What is il, Nele?" he asked, after a
while. in answer to a questioning, hesitatng
look in his wife's eyes. She drew nearer to
him.
"You are sure, John, you can spare me that
five hundred dollars without putting aside any
rightful claim 90
81 hope, Nellie, if had not thought so, 1
should not have given it to you, much as l
love TO please you"
"Then what" she spoke hesitatinply.
"what il l wanted very much indeed TO use it
for something else?"
81 do not understand what you can possibly
mean"
For answer she detailed TO him the events
of the day. When she was through she said
at seems so hard, John, for that poor GIRL
a minister's daughter, too, to be suffering for
want of food, and living, or rather dying by
inches, in that miserable, damp, unhealthy
place. / can see how, with five hundred dol.
lars, could make her so comfortable. |
stopped in at Nurse Smead's, on my way
home, to-day, and / found she had nice,
bright, good-sized room, where the sun shines
half the day, which she will let for seventy dol
lars year. There is astove in it already, and a
carpet on the floor and thirty dollars more
would supply it with every thing more needed
Tor comfort Now if / could pay the rent for
that room year in advance for Annie Hadley,
and fiji it up neatly, what Il fine start it would
be for her 1t would give her such a rest
such freedom from care She would have
time to get well. She is very skillful with her
needle and with the work she could easily do
she could live so nicely and Jenny could go to
school. have it all planned, and there, with
your permission, goes the hundred dollars in
my pocket"
John Stirling looked at his wife, and it
seemed a him with tho oonorouq uuenlGsh