Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1862-02-12
HRS. STIRLING's RECEPTION.
ICnNnLuDED.l

always, and 30 winters l try TO save some
thing 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 we'll off, l had to give up the COM
Portable room used to have, because could |
not earn enough to pay for it, and sup I
pose the dampness here has not just agreed |
with me-"
She tried to smile, but the tears came |
instead. Mrs. Stirling took her hand With |
q comforting pressurel
"Don't cry. Better times are coming to |
you now. am sure l can influence you q
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.
1.-THE landlord has seen to that, madam. |
can only stay here three days longer. He |
wants 10 let the room to q tenant who will |
pay more; and have been troubled for fear |
l should not be able TO go out and find |
another place."
DWELL, you must not feel anxious. Just |
leave that till tomorrow. Then, if you are |
not able to CO. l 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 mean time
the pay for the work little Jane brought
home will make you comfortable"
So saying, she put into the girls hand
twice the customary price for the embroid-
cry she had done, and without waiting for
the thanks which trembled on Annie Had
ley's 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 Suf-
folk Bank for silks or satins. She only
went for o moment to q 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 even
ing-room, it is no wonder that he said to
himself that this being in ones own home
wasn't so bad thing after all.
"What is it, Nellie ?" he asked, after a
while, in answer to questioning, hesitating
look in his wifes eyes. She drew nearer to
him.
"You are sure, John, you can spare me
that five hundred dollars without putting
aside any rightful claim? ?"
81 hope Nellie if | had not thought so
l should not have given it to you, much as
1 love to please you"
"Then what" she spoke hesitatingly,
"That if 1 wanted very much indeed to use
it for something else?'
~ do not understand what you can pos
sibly mean
For answer she detailed to him the events
cf ba Whap oha Ibrn ph che
ssid-"It seems so hard, John, for that
poor girl, minister's daughter, too, 10 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 dollars, | can make her
30 comfortable. l stopped in at Nurse
Smeads, on my way home to-day, and
found that she had nice, bright, good.
sized room, where the sun shines half the
day, which she will let for seventy dollars
year. There is stove in it already, and
carpet on the floor, and thirty dollars more
would supply it with every thing more
needed for comfort. Now, if | could pay
the rent for that room a year in advance
for Annie Hadley, 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 we'll. She
is very skillful with the needle, and with
the work she could easily do she could live
80 nicely, and Jenny could go to school.
have it all planned, and there, with YOU
permission, goes the hundred dollars in m.
pocket"
John Stirling looked at his wife, and i
seemed to him, with the generous, unselfsl
light Illuminating it, her face was the fac
of an angel. But he did not say so then
He answered in the tone of one raising al
bjection-"But what would you wear Il
the party, Nellie / should not like you Il
look shabby
iFTrust me for that. l can wear my wed
ding dress. 1t is such rich, heavy whit
silk, and it is not soiled at all. With littl'
different arrangement of the trimmings /
will be as handsome as any thing coulC
get. But are you quite set upon giving tn
party, John?"
care not you, dear"
II was"
There was q pause for few moments, il
which Nellie tied and united the tassels o.
her little silk apron several times. Their
she looked up, an eager light some
how shining through the mist which had
somehow gathered before her eyes.
~ suppose there are many people in the
city, John, just as worthy as Annie Hadley
0hO hSShlhk hSlplhB Juob 90 AhuSh'
"WithOut doubt, Nellie; plenty of worse
cases, especially now that winter is coming
on"
"Could you help me find them?"
~ think | could. Some of the cases Of
destitution, which he can not afford to re-
lieVe, makes a business mans heart ache
almost every day"
'Then four hundred dollars extra, which
you would not have given otherwise, viii
do a great deal, won't it2"
ayes, great deal. 1t is a large sum-"
eyes, it is large sum, as you said las
night, John, to be spent on single even
ing's entertainment for those who do no
need it, but not large when we compare il
with the wants of those who suffer- John
have no wish TO give that party. Will yo
take the money for doing gOOd2'
"But those who have invited us, Nellie
the Hurlbuts, the Graysons-all your man
friends. One wouldn't like to be though
mean"
ave can ask them all, a few at time
all those we care for. Your ordinary hous
keeping allowance is liberal enough for tha
If that does not please them, after a
John"-and the little woman hid her ia
on her husbands shoulder, for che was Of
who seldom uttered her deepest thoughts,
mentioned even to him the emotions whi
she held most sacred-'if they should n
approye il. il matters so much more VIII