Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1866-01-27

keen them alive till She could work
agaIf. Aud it must have been God.
ma'am, that sent her to yOu," she con-
Guided
Mrs. Lane, helpless, pretty little
thing. scarcely knew what to say. Her
heart beat with tumultuous throbs of
pity-her eyes were full of tears; in all
her sunny life she had never before
been brought In contact with actual,
quaint misery and restitution. At last
"a thought occurred TO her, and she ut
tered it eagerly
eli yOu only had a sewing machine
now, you could take work home when
yon get better, couldn't you, and sup
port Yourself and the children so very
uicely?"
The woman sighed-a deep, uncon-
scious sigh of heartfelt longing.
Yes, ma'am, could, but YOU know
that's ain impossible If. L can never
get one. III be on Y too thankful if /
can get welt enough To go ont again bv
the day. Ii don't, 1 don't know what
will become of the children
'But God knows" whispered Mrs.
Lane, softly. ''He pities us, you know
as IA 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 land it III her lap, in the shape of a
check for two hundred dollars.
a.
lightly, there's for your carpet. Bu-
slness has prospered this year, and what
Is 1t good for but to make home bright
and wife happy?"
She turned her face and touched her
lips silently to the kind hand resting on
her shoulder. Perhaps John Was dis
appointed that she expressed her pleas
ure so quietly. He had anticipated her
gay lau " of merry exultation, her de-
lighted chat about cOiOrs aud patterns.
Her new mood surprised him. He sat
down beside her gravely, and waited
for her to speak.
She told Kim, then, the story of her
day, leaving out nothing. He could
set how deeply she had been moved,
10y the color which came and went on
her checks, the tears which gathered
unheeded in her eyes. When she was
all through, she SAID, hesitatiDgly-
John. We are very happy. aren't
we?'
Eyes, dear
And We owe something, don't we,
30 those who are less so? ThiDk, John,
f had lost you as she lost her hus-
bandl Aud If l had hot only lost you,
but had, afterwards, no way to liveI'
She paused, as ii for some encour-
agemeEt, but she received none. John
Lane was beginning To get a glimpse of
a new phase III his little Wife's charac-
ter. and ne meant she should bring out
heT own ideas uBaided. 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 necessaries
which would make her comfortable,
and she would soon be well again, for
her disease is only the result of over
work and exposure. Then the rest of
1t would buy her "A 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 began
smoothing his big fingers with her own
little ones.
IT know, John, DEAR" she said,
coaxingly, ''that two hundred dollars
would he too much to ask you for, in
most cases, for any one charity; but l
have so set my heart on really aud sub
stantialy helping this poor, bereft wo-
man. Our drawing room carpet really
looks very Dicely-you know you
thought it would do, this morning.
And if, just this once, might have the
two hundred dollars to do this good
deed with, and keep the old carpet
down, il would. make me so happy.
just think, john, that poor widow and
those little children would say yonr
name every day in their prayers, and
they would he made comfortable for
life. May /, John" i 9 cea -
John Lane bent down and kissed the
eager, tender face. I'm afraid his eyes
We're too dim just then to see all its
brightness.
'.Are you sure, DEAR" he asked,
gently, ''that You would be satisfied
with the old carpet?"
"Quite sure, John. 1t shall last as