Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-12-22

w I'LL IuSSc WuEuS sue SaIDSTeu 6er thin
shawl about her aud hurried away.
The gentleman, who had carried on this
conversation with Lucy, took the arm of his
companion again, aud said,
"How all this brings back the past to me /!
You have often heard ne speak of Hetty
Moss / suppose she is dead long ago." he
added, with a sigh, cor married, which, for
me, is worse. But at sixteen she was the
loveliest creature had ever seen. I never
shall forget the day, after my father and
mother had been buried, that went to see
her; intending, even then, to go away and
try my fortunes, but expecting that she
would bid me God speed, and that her father,
who had always been kind to me, would do
the same. All, Charley we must all, sooner
or later learn hard lessons and learned my
first cruel one that afternoon. The old man
met me himself Well, 1 won't dwell on it.
He declined to let me see Hetty; called mo
a 'beggar's brat, worse, the child of bank
rupt, and bade me begone. Ever since then
have had less faith in human nature"
"No, you haven't" answered his friend,
bluntly. 'You think you have. But old
fellow, you are too good to talk such nom
sense, and, please God you'll be happy yet
though not with Hetty."
''My first task, now that I am rich, and
home at last, answered the other, "will be
to get on the traces, if can, of poor Lucy.
After left America, continued to write
for years, but never getting any answer,
finally gave it up. Christmas once over, |
shall start for the old homestead; but fear
all clue to her is lost"
Meantime, Lucy was hurrying home, feel
ing herselfa new being. In spite of the snow,
her bare feet, her cold, numb fingers, we
nuestion if fharn woS child in tb
the city.
'See, mother oh, see !" she cried when
she got home, with great sob of happiness,
1--WE shall have some Christmas. after all;
gentleman gave it me, and said it was five
dollars. Oh, mother mother I'm so happy
five whole dollars to spend for Christmas i
Why, never heard of such a thing" and
her face fairly glowed. isn't it IA mira
Gle, mamma"
"My dear child, it seems like one 2" said
her mother, holding out her wasted hand,
and regarding the money.
The sad, sweet, wasted face lighted up with
a glow of thankfulness as she listened to the
little narrative,
"Oh, my darlingw she cried, "it was sent
for shoes and stockings for your poor feet
I cried to see you go out into the snow to-
day and L prayed in agony to the dear Lord
to help us; and this is the answer.
"But 1 don't want the shoes, mamma,
want Christmas" said Lucy, with q disap-
pointed face. "He told me to go in and buy
toys. We never did have Christmas, and
wanted to see how it seems"
Very soon there was u loud knock at the
door; and when it was opened, in came two
stout men with an enormous basket between
them and put it down and there it sat look
ing up in the widows face, with great round
eyes of potatoes and squashes, and bulging
packages that told of plenty.
"Who is this for 2" asked Lucy's mother,
quite pale.
"It's for a widow by the name of Petit
grew"
"But who sent it?"
81 don't know who sent tits paid for,
that's all care about"
The door shut, the men had vanished.
cob, mother! we're dreaming-just as sure
as you live we're dreaming!" cried the de-
lighted child, dancing about the basket
"Why, there's everything there; why, the
Lord keeps working miracles, don't he ?"
"Call Hetty Moss, child" said her mother,
sinking back in her chair, quite overcome !;
and presently Hetty came in, staid. sweet
looking woman mot over thirty, with soft, dewy
blue eyes, and lips that always looked smiling.
"Why, Lucy, you've been your mothers
good angel to day." said Hetty, STOPPING over
the basket and lifting the packages. "Sure
enough, here's Christmas for you;" and she
took an enormous turkey from the basket.
There was another knock at the door, and
tall man entered, and stood there on tho
threshold. The sick woman looked up, and
a great cry, the cry of uncontrolled joy, rang
through the room.
Pobart
The man was on his knees beside his sister,
his arms about her, kissing her eyes, her lips,
her forehead.
Explanations came brokenly. In spite Of
his first appointment, something kept telling
the stranger that ''little Lucy" might, after
all, be his sisters child. He could not rest,
therefore, until he had come to see. And
Lucy told how she had married, but her hus-
band and she had always been poor, and how
her husband had been killed at Antietam.
"There is my guardian angel" said the
fearful woman, at last, pointing to Miss Hetty;
''you may thank her that am yet alive"
For the first time, now, the stranger saw
there was another woman in the room. There
was silence for the space of moment. Miss
Hetty Moss looked him straight in the eye,
her color fitting and returning, the breath
coming quick through her parted lips.
"It is you, Hetty-but you do not remem-
Der me" he said, hesitatingly, yet appealiugly.
'Yes, l do, Robert" came with quick
grasp. "0h, Robertp' and as he rushed for
ward. her hands were in his, her head upon
his shoulder
Then came Hetty Moss story She had
always been faithful to her love. Her father,
after some years, had died insolvent Hetty,
after his death, had left the village where she
had been born, and had come to the great
city in search of employment. Here, by one
of these inserutable DEGREES of Providence
that the ignorant call chance, she had come
across Roberts sister, now widow, and almost
penniless. They had thrown in their lot