The Elk advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Elk Co., Pa.) 186?-1868, 1866-04-19
But Goo knows" whispered Mrs


Lane, softly. "He pities us, you know,
as father pities his children"
Then came Ellen with coal and kind.
lings, and the subject was not alluded to
again.
When their five o'clock dinner was
over, that afternoon, John Lane went
gaily into the sitting room with his wife.
He had pleasant surprise for her, and
he laid it in her lap, in the shape Of a
check for two hundred dollars.
"There humming-bird," he said,
lightly, d" there's for your carpet. Busi.
ness has prospered this year, and what
is it good for but to make home pleasant,
and wife happy?"
She turned her face and touched her
lips silently to the kind hand resting on
her shoulder. Perhaps John was disap.
pointed that she expressed her pleasure
so quietly. He had a merry exulta-
ton, her delighted chat about colors
and patterns. Her new mood surpri.
sed him. He sat down beside her
gravely, and waited for her to speak.
She told him the story of her day,
leaving out nothing. He could see how
deeply size had been moved, by the
color which came and went on her
cheeks, the tears which gathered unhee'
ded in her eyes. When she was all
through, she said hesitatingly-
"John we are happy, aren't we"
ayes, dear"
"And we owe something, don't We
to those who are less so? Think, John,
if had lost you as she lost her husband
And if l had not only lost you, but had
afterwards, no way to live ?"
She paused, as if for encouragement
but she received none. John Lane was
beginning to get a glimpse of new
phase in his little wifes character, and
he meant she should bring out her OWL
ideas unaided. She began to fear that
she could not interest him. She went on
timidly enough, but very earnestly.
"a part of two hundred dollars, John
would buy that woman the necessarie'
which would make her comfortable, and
she would soon be well again, for hel
disease is only the result of exposure
and over-work. Then the rest of il
would buy her sewing machine and
she could get along nicely with that
She wouldn't need any more help"
Still Mr.. Lane was silent, and she
drew little nearer to him, and bega1
smoothing his big fingers with her OWL
little ones.
81 know, John, dear" she said coax
, ingly, I" that TWO hundred dollars would
be too much to ask you for in any ont
charity but 1 have so set my heart OF
really and substantially helping this
poor bereft woman. Our drawing
room carpet really looks very nicely
, you know you thought it would do thi
7 morning, and if, just this once, nigh
have two hundred dollars to do thi
good deed with, and keep the old car
pet down, it would make me 80 happy
Just think, John, tina. poor widow, anC
D those little children would say you
name every day in their prayers, ant
they would be made comfortable fo
hiO' pioJ - oOhu
S John Lane bent down and kissed tn,
). tender, eager face. I'm afraid his eye
=, were too dim just then to see all it
brightness.
: care you sure, dear, that you woul
e be satisfied with the old carpet?"
"Quite sure, John. 1t shall last a
:, long as the w ilton would. Oh, Johr
Il l never did any good in my life. LIE
It me do this little now!"
g "Anli', you shall"
s "That great, Aanly heart was to
full just then for many words, but b
II the firm clasp which held her so tende
u ly, Annie Lane knew that her husban
II was not displeased.
T. She carried out all her plans. B
!, August Mrs. Stanton was we'll agai
g and the sewing machine stood at ii
n window of her comfortably furnishe
IS room. To her the face of Annie Lau
q seemed like the face of an angel-God
e messenger she has indeed been to tn
't widow and the fatherless. l thin
Y there is one woman whose heart wi
'r never be moved to envy by WiltC
II carpets or -bordered shawls, sin,
20 she has tasted the luxury Of doing goo
X John Lane loved her we'll when 81
u was his gay, laughing child wife b.
D. he loved her now with holier, deep
tenderness that reaches through tin
z, and takes hold on eternity.