The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-01
lyon came ont of tbe shop tI,en -

money since nave eVhOTOlUeTeO SD much.
But surely you have suffered more
than usual this SUMMER
oh, yes, ma'am. The ladies' | 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 | had not as
much work as usual, and this summer
we have not been very well of. had to
give up the comfortable room ! used to
have, because | could not earn enough to
pay for it, and ! suppose the dampncss
here has not just agreed with me.
She tried to smile, but the tears came
instead. Mrs. Sterling took her hand with
a comforting pressure
Don't cry. Better times are coming to
you now. am sure can influence YOU
good deal more work. You shall have
enough to do, and we must see that you
are moven out Of this damp, unhealthy
place
Sister Anne smiled sadly.
The landlord has seen to that, madam
can only stay here three days longer. -
He wants to let the room to tenant who
will pay more; and | have been troubled
for fear should not be able to 60 out and
tind another place.
well, YOU must not feel anxious. Just
leave that till TO- moSyow then if you are
not able to go. will find place for you.
1t cannot br difficult matter to find one
as good as this. At any rate, tomorrow
you shall certainly see me again; and in
the meantime the pay for the work little
Jane brought home will make you com
Portable
SO saying, she put into the girls hand
twire the customary price for Ulr embroj.
derry she had done, and without waiting
Hadly'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 win
dows gay with autumn goods, or to ex-
change her hundred dollar note on the Sui
folk Bark for silks or SatinS. She only
went in for moment to neat, respecta.
ble looking house on Myrtle street, AMI
then hurried home.
She met her husband, when he came to
his five o'clock dinner, with a b,aming
smile. The meal was well cooked and
neatly served; the wife opposite him was
young aud fair; and when John Sterling
rose from the table and went with her into
their cozy evening room, il is no wonder
he said to himself that this being in ones
own home wasn't so very bad thing al
ter all.
What is 1t, Nellie?' he asked, after a
while, in answer to "A questioning hrSita-
ting look in his wife's eyes. She drew
nearer to him.
You are sure, John, that you can spare
me that five hundred dollars without do
ing any injustice to yourself or yonr buSi-
ness-without putting aside any rightful
claims =
Il hope, Nellie, if had not thought so,
should not have given it to you, much
as love to please you
Then, what she spoke heSitatingly,
what il | wanted very much indeed to use
it for something elSe?'
4 don't understand what you can posi-
bly, mean
For answer she detailed to him the
events of the day; when she was through,
she said
1T seems so hard, John, for that poor
girl, minister's daughter, too, to he >uf-
tering for food; and living, or rather dying
by inches, in that miserable, damp, un-
healthy place. lean SEE how, with hun
drrd dollars, could make her so comfort
able. stopped in at Nurse Smcad'S, on
my way home to-day, and found that She
had nice, bright, good sized room, where
the sun lies half the day, which she will
let for seventy dollars year. There is a
stove in it already, and a carpet ON the
floor, and thirty dollars more would supply
it with everything needed for comfort
Now if could pay the rent of that room
year in advance for Anne Hadly, and fit
it up neatly, what 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. Sheis very Skillful with
her needle, aud with the work she could
easily do, she could live so nicely. and
Jenny could 80 to school. haze it all
planned; and there, with your permission,
goes the hundred dollars in my pocket
John Sterling looked at his wife, and it
seemed to him.; with the generous, unset
fish light Illuminating it, her face was as
the face of an angel. But he did not say
so then. He answered, in the tone of one
raising an objection.
But what would you wear to the party,
Nellie? | should not like you to look
shabbyr
Trust me for that can wear my
wedding dress; it is such a rich. heavy
white silk, and it is not soilcd at all. With
little different arrangement of the trim.
mings it will be as handsome as anything
| should get But are you quite set upon
giving the party, John?'
Are not you, dear ?
Il was
There was pause Of few moments, in
which Nellie tied and untied-the tassels ol
her little silk apron several times. Then
she looked up, an eager light shining
through the mist which had somehow
gathered before her eyes.
i suppose there are many people in the
city, John, just as worthy as Anne Hadly,
and needing help just as muchY'
without doubt, Nellie; plenty Of worse
cases, especially now that winter is coming
on
Gould you help me find them y '--...-
Il think could. Some cases Of desti
tuition, which he cannot afford to relieve
makes a business mans heart ache almost
every day
Then four hundred dollars extra which
you would not have given otherwise, will
do good deal, won't it?'
Yes, a great deal. 1t is large sum-
Nellie .---.--...-....
Yes, it is large sum, as you said last
night, John, to be spent on single eve
ning'S entertainment for those who do not
need it, but NOT large when we compare
it with the wants Of those who suffer-
John, | have no wish to give that party
Will you take the money for purposes o
goody'
But those who have invited us, Nellie,
The Hurlbuts. the GraysonS-all yonl