The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-12-13

her destitute anu alone win one rcIhaiilibg
child-a little daughter. Too weak to work
and unwilling to beg, she then resorted to
street vending, and by twelve hours Of daily
toll, managed to support herself and bring
up her daughter. At twenty the latter mar.
ried worthless fellow, who broke her
heart, and then cast her penniless upon the
world, with a young son, the little boy who
was setting the table. The old woman took
them in. and about this time also adopted
the little girl, who was the orphan child Of
poor neighbor.
"And were you able to support them
all by vending apples 2" asked the gentle.
man.
"No, sir" she answered. ii tried to |;
but couldn't. My darter was sick, and
couldn't do nothing, and we soon got into
deb, twenty dollars. Then, as if to make
bad worse, was taken down with the rheu-
mates. was down with them fortnight;
aud when I got up, I couldn't get round
as did before SO, not knowing what to
do, went with my basket onto bench
near the Frog Pond. Folks came to me
amazin' that day, and at night ] had two
dollars clean profit. Then i saw the
Lords hand he knowed couldn't make
a living going round, SO he gave me the
rheumatics, to show me Il was best to
open stand on the Common"
@Aud since then have you made both
ends meet?
ayes. sir; since> then I've been pros
pered wonderful. I've paid Of the debt,
and now when want to can lay In
stock Of ten dollars. and that, you know,
brings apples cheaper"
"But have you no fear for the winter?"
"No. sir. It's two months off; ! can
make thirty dollars afore it comes. and
that, with what sewing and washing ]
can do, will take us round to warm wealth
cr."
"And how old are your" asked the
gentleman, looking at her fdrrowed face
and white hairs, which seemed to say Il
century.
"Seventy next Christmas. But you
wouldn't think it to look at mo. l feel
almost us pert Us when was thirty"
"And ut your age, and in such poverty
can you always look hopefully at the fu.
ture 2"
eyes, sir, The Lord Is my shepherd, !
shall not want. lie maketh me TO lio down
in green pastures. He leadcth mo beside
still waters"
The stranger looked at her with won.
der. He had heard those words before,
bu, now they had to him new sound and
meaning. All at once it dawned upon
him that "the poor are blessed" because
of their faith which, of itself, Is the liking.
dom of Heaven" Drawing roll ofbank
notes from his pocket he. handed one Of
them TO tho woman. She took 1t, held 1t
up curionsly TO the candle, aud then said
with smile that made her ugly features
absolutely handsome.
"lt's more money than l ever saw at
once aforc; 'twould take us clean through
the winter. Ye is good gentleman, and
I thank ye; but we can get along, and
while we can I don't like to take money
from YOU"
This she said in gentle way, rs if sllo
feared to wound his feelings. lie made
no reply, hut putting the note back to his
pocket, rose and bade her "good evening"
When he reached the door he turned and
said, 81 forgot the children" took both Of
them up in his arms and kissed them.
Then he went down the long stairs, and
walked slowly homeward. Hc had CROPPED
in the dark for thirty years. and this old
woman had given him his first living rev.
elation.
After this he kept his eye upon her Ev.
cry morning and evening he passed her
stand on the Common, and he never went
by without saying cheerful word, or
pausing to ask after her sick daughter and
children.
"The children is well, thank you, sir, and
Eliza is rs well as could be expected" twas
her almost invariable answer. But one
sultry day in August she said: "She seems
to be sinking fast, sir. Wny up where We
live we don't get none hut hot air, and tho
sun don't come in ill in the afternoon.
Pears to me we need sunshine rs much as
the plants and the flowers"
The next day tho gentleman went home
earlier than usual, and as he came near
the old woman's stand no caught sight Of
the invalid daughter, seated in hand-wng-
OIL, proppcd up by n pillow, and shaded by
n big umbrella. The attention Of the old
woman was engrosscd by Juvenile Gus.
toner but the daughter noticed his ap.
proacl,, and called to him us he made US il
he would go by without speaking.
"Sir, sir" she said, "plensc to stop.
want you to see shall soon be well for
now can so on, every day In fine wealth.
er"
"And who got you down stairs, and upon
the Common ?"
"Thc man that lives on the lower floor
he carried me down; and Tommy drawed
me here before school time"
"And ,cho sent us the wagon?" asked the
old woman, her ugly face lighting up with
the smile that, to this man. always made il
l,andsons.
"The Lord, I suppose. All good things