St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1868-01-24
LOVE AND VAR.
A TORY OF Is 6 5.

no gay thoughts of the unfortunate dregs
OF humanity sheltered in the dilapidated
house on either side of me, my attention
was diverted by the appearance of sun
dry new sboys, who, frantically rushing
about with ''extras, were proclaiming
in their own peculiar vernacular, a
Northern victory. Stopping the nearest
urchin, | read with a beating heart how
Grant was driving Lee out of the Wilder
ness, when | was attracted by young
girl who appeared at a window on the
ground floor of the house before which /
stood. She too bought an "extra," and
| | could but watch her while she scanned
it, there being something pitiful in her
sweet, pale face which would have been
beautiful had not care and want LETT their
destroying marks upon it. Anxiously
| she passed her eyes over the ''roll of hon
or" and glad look OF relief fitted over
| her wan face as she came to the last
name on the lis. "Poor girl - thought
YOU have near and dear one in the
war. Il! is no idle curiosity nor even
patriotic interest that makes you an eager
reader of the papers" AS l turned to
rctracc my steps, a piercing shrek pro-
ceched from the room in which the girl
had stood. She had suddenly disappear
cd from tie window. Obeying strong
impulse i had entered the room before
giving my action SO much as thought :;
and il was well had not been held back
by the Observation-Disclosures theory
which, in the morals OF to-day, has grown
to mean passing by on the other side and
leaving victims to their grief.
The poor girl lay stretched upon the
floor with one hand clutching the news
paper. and her face the incarnation OF
horror. She had tainted. Ny entrance
was followed by that of several women
who were occupants of the same tene-
mcnt. Applying to them for aid, | sue
cecded III getting the girl on the bed and
then went to work TO bring her back to
consciousness. "Och hone and its
dead that she is exclaimed one whose
hands and arms We're dripping with the
Sutls OF nnumcrable wash-tubs. And
>hurc its her dad that's killed her, the
- drunken blackcuard :" Poor dear said
another rushing in, holding hot iron il
her hand which she brandlshed in painful
proximity to the subject of her wall. III
its dead ,he is, I'll lay her out wild al
NV heart. for shure didn't she tache Pa
:. his letters Of All evening when her back
was most broke stitchin' for thost
mi-erlv contractors down town ?
dead" shouted giantes. who stasgsr
= ed in with a whisky bottle i'll her hand
and supported herself against the door
dead drunk you mean. you fools Gave
= Ecr some whisky, That's what sh,
wants. and the wrctched creature tottcr
ed toward to offer the bottle. The scent
was sufficiently dramatic without the i'll
tervention OF foreign element, and 81
: by appealing to the tenderer feelings 0
Pats mother, who was warm III her ad
miralion OF what she persisted in calling
N' her beautiful corpse" the room wa
cleared, and was left alone to worl
over the patient as best | could. knew
a nurses business, however, and it wa
not long before | saw signs of reyiving il
20 Margaret Seymour, for such Pats moth
- cr had told me was the girls name. NJ
interest in the sufferer increased as
l. studied the delicate features of her face
- the Golden hair that fell in waves abou
her shoulders seemed like ripples of sun
shi;.c. and shed halo about the hunbI
bed.
As Margaret's deep blue eyes slowl
opcncd and met my gaze, she startet
wildly asking, "Where am | ? who al
you p
do not be afraid, Margaret" l It
re- piled. Il am friend, and you are ;
home"
What is it, then What has happer
cd ,"
Y ''Dont you remember, Margaret
Iou tainted"
80, yes: row it all comes back
me" groaned the poor girl. But yc
:. how is it ! surely you do not beiol
in this house ~
No, Margaret. While passing by
heard you scream and came in 10 off
IS my services in case ef need"
..IIow good of you," said Margare
10y pressing my hand as the tears came iii
ID. her eyes. Il am only a poor sewiI
or girl and now-and now he's dead-I
nothing, nothing :"
%. Oh, the quivering of that poor body
Oh, the spcechless agony of that viii
face Wives and maidens, loved Al
loving, take your happiness to your hear
and let it warm you into greater human
. tv toward the miserable of earth. Ga
ing on that poor wiihered flower, | it
VA: va how good God had been to me, that
Ter was not rs she, sweet unotfending thin
agi ,nd And | thought, too, of the little appa
1rg ent justice in suffering.
There Margaret lay, and | sat wo
deriug what was best 10 be done, wb
= On her history really was and what part
a in his sad drama would devolvc upon II
iat; luz l had not long 10 wonder however {
d. cumstanccs soon made present actl
sufficiently clear, for | heard heay
shuiillmG tread in the hall, which grad
ally approached our room until the ma
Tor man 1t unmistakably was, tried I
door, Finding it locked, he fell with |
whole weight against it, exclaiming wi
IS, an oath, "No tricks, Mag, know you
in. Yon needn't try to lock your fat
er out, for I'll get in if l have to bre
the door down so open, | say
et. Margaret sprang from the bed as c
electrified and clnging to me said st
. madame, for Gods sake take pity on 1
tell me what to do. 1t is my fat
-, returned dhome-drunk-as usual, ant
shall oo mad Oh. Heaven does sc