North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1866-04-11


all this time for herself She questioned
with a sudden paug ofterror and self-re-
proach, whether ever iL her life she had
done one really unselfish act whether, if
the great harvest day were come she would
have one shea, to show to the Master. She
had given of her abundance now and then,
Of course, when charitable subscriptions
had been presented to her =; but she had
thought it bore and burden, not a
privilege. Of her own accord. what good
had she ever done what man, woman, or
child was there to rise up and call her
blessed?
"Here we are, ma'am said the child
breaking the silence. .... .......
1t was two story wooden house, before
which they stopped. They went up stairs,
and the little girl opened door.
Mother" she said, "a lady has come
home with me TO see you-a kind lady,
who has given me my breakfast, and
brought you yours"
Mrs. Lane stood moment on tle thres-
hold of the room, and took in such pic
ture as IN her young, happy life she had
never seen before. The apartment was
almost bare of furniure-no carpet was
on the foor--there was only the bed three
chairs and table But everything was at
neat as hands could make it; and against
the wall, at the foot of the bed, hung a
framed photograph-the portrait of man
with kind honest eyes, and the fe atures of
which the child Ellen's were almost copy
Il have come," Mrs. Lane said, with
the sweet grace which had made her
welcome guest in far different scenes, "to
see if | could arrange something fer your
comfort, but first Of all, you must have
some toast and tea," and giving her little
guide some money, she sent her out to pro-
cure fuel, and sat do wn herself in the mean
time. beside the bed where the sick woman
lay, with her baby asleep upon her arm.
That wan, pale face upon the pillows was
not beautiful-Annie Lane could not be
sentimental or romantic about this woman
she could by no means idolize her into
a heroine. Yet there was something good
and true in her expression, and when she
turned to place the baby more comfortably,
a light and glow of another love illumined
her features till they were better than pref
~, Mrs. Lane was not long in learning
her history. /.
She he'd been used all her days to self
dependence Before she was married she
had worked on a sewing machine IN shop
and she understood that business thorough
IL. But when James Stanton married
her she had given it up. He was good
mechanic a carpenter, and his wages kept
them comfortably. They had not,laid up
much. however, for during the eleven
wears of their marriage three children, be
Sides the two she had left now, had come
and oone-poor. feeble little things that
cost great deal for doctors and medicine.
Then. lust before the last baby came, a
scaffoldinr had given way where her hus-
band was at work, he had fallen from the
fourth story of house, and been brought
home to her dead She sold almost all
her furniture, and got along by that means
until she was able to be about, and then
she had left baby with Ellen, and gone out
to days' work of washing and cleaning. 1t
was labor for which she was not strong
enough. but it had been aii the occupation
she could get, and after while she had
taken severe cold, and had grown so ill
that she could not 60 out at all. They had
eaten up everything they had; and this
morning for the first time, she had seht
Ellen out te try and get something some-
where, to keep them alive till she could
work aoain. "And it must have been
God. ma'am, that sent her to you" she con-
cluded .- .ra ea.
Mrs. Lane, helpless, pretty little thing,
scarcely knew what to say. Her heart
beat with tumuhuous throbs of pity-her
ewes were full of tears; in all her sunny
| life she had never been brought in contact
with actual gaunt, misery and destitution.
At last thought occurred to her and she
uttered it eagerly a.r... .-.. -sa
If you only had a sewing machine now,
YOU could take work home when you get
better, couldn't you, and support yourself
and children nicely Z" G. s-,.s ......,s ...
The woman sighed-a deep unconscious
sigh of hopeless longing ., ...
"Yes, ma'sm, i could; but you know
that is an impossible II. | never can get a
machine. III be only too thankful If can
get we'll enough to 60 out again by the
dav. If can't don't know what will be-
come of the children" H'E -e9G
r"But God Knows whispered Mrs.
Lane, softly. " He pities us you know, as
a 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 galy into
the sitting room with his wife. lie had
pleasant surprise for her, and he laid it in
her lap, in the shape OF check tor two
hundred dollars.
| "There, humming-bird," he said lightly
''that's for your carpet. Business has pros
pered this year. and what is it good FOL
but to make home bright, and wife hap
Epy"i aza4,, ~. ,,ra, !.
She turned her face and touched her lips
| ,:lo,tIy +o the kind hands resting on hel