Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-10-01
CHARITY.

CHARITY. ..-....
"And now abidcth Faith Hope, Char
ity, these three; but the greatest of these !
is Charity"
1t is Il hopeful sign in young man
when his meditations on heavenly virtues |
are so deep and earnest as To cause him.
almost unconsciouSly, to repeat aloud to
himself passages of Holy Writ, as did DR. |
Norton, riding slowly home in his sulky |
one clear Juno afternoon, thoabove quoted |
verse. But when wRconiide to you that
he had lust come from well-to.do Farmer
Ahbotts, whose three blooming daughters
were sevcrally named Faith, Hope, and
Charity, it may reasonably be doubted
whether the handsome young doctors
mCditatiOns were us much on heavenly
virtues as on earthly.
1t was rather pretty tablcau that he
interrupted when he stepped into the
A5bott's coy sitting-room that afternoon
and somehow its memory haunted him
still. The wheels of his light sulky made
no noise as they rolled over the grassy
lawn in front of the house, and with all
the freedom of an intimate acquaintance
he sprang lightly to the steps, then in
through the open door without knocking,
and was intheir midst before they knew
him TO be anywhere near. Now Charity,
the youngest of the ssterly trio, had that
very day purchased pair of new gaitor
boots and ut the very moment when he
darkened the doorway, was exhibiting
them for the opinion of her mother and
sisters. SO she stood in the middle of the
room, her dress raised ju,t far enough to
show the trim boots, Rlittle strip of snowy
stocking, and, above all, the faintest suspi-
cion of dimity ruilling. Down went the
/ dress, however, when she suddenly saw
her trio Of spectators changed to quar-
| tette, and up, up to the very verge of her
brown hair mounted the rosy bushes
but the burst of laughter from her mother
and sisters at her discontinue, restored
her composure.
"Td like 30 know your opinion of my
new boots, DR.. Norton?" said the little
puss, saucily, walking up to him, deter
mined to face it braycly out, and thrusting
forward one dainty foot.
"Hum, we'll" said the doctor, with as
much gravity as though he were pronounc-
ing on case of malignant typhus, "let
us see. Cloth, but that's no objection if
you always remember your rubbers in the
damp. Heel rather too high; if / were a
perhaps you'll stand it if you've been used
to that sort of thing Don't pinch any,
| where do they? Consumption soled2 No
as live, good, honest, half inch soles |
think they'll do, Miss Charity" [.
"What is your consultation fee ?" said
Charity, gravely, pulling out neat port
monnaie.
"Five dollars in so important q case al
this" replied the doctor, subsiding into q
| COSY rocking chair, "but don't pay me the
money; I'll take this chair for Il few mo-
mcnts and a glass of water, and call Il
even :" so Charity went for the water
When she came in with it he was just
making known his errand. -
"Ive heeH to see old Mrs. Wells. She
is very low, won't last much longer; bu
the family are all worn out, and | agreed
to send watch for tonight. SO | callet
to see if one. of you ladies wouldn't go"
81 can't Pm sure said Mrs. Abbott
4 promptly /" l haven't been able 70 watcl
Tor years; but one of the girls could go.
81 shouldn't like to ogointo such place,
said Faith, "they are so poor, and every
thing seems so disagreeable there anC
her handsome face expressed such Lofty
disdain that for moment DR. Norton fel
quite ashamed that he had ever made suel
suggestion TO one so gracefully tastidious
al Should be really afraid to CO." ant
Hope raised her soft blue eyes timidly t,
him "What if the poor creature shoulI
die in the night" Hope Abb0tt locke,
Just what she was, a gentle, cOnfiding girl
and we must pardon our young hero if tn
thought did pass through his head, what
pleasure il would be TO cherish and protec
one so lovely all his life. ..yr-
"I'll go,n said Charity, quietly, I'm NO
, afraid, and if the place is dlsagreeable
: can endure II for one night Even If til
t poor creature should die, l can call th
family" .Hre,.r
! "Yes, certainly" said the outer Dl
e Norton, while the inner man was CON
1 menting q "Mpst sensible. of the thre
r sisters Behold true Charity r. I'niver
+ glad TO have found suitable watcher tC
D the night, and also much obliged to yot
I Miss Charity" said he, as he took his leav
4 q few moments after. The family WI
G tell You all about the medicine and drink
D and shall be over myself in the mornin
unloss l hear OF her death previousl.
v Keep up good courage, and take good car
i of yourself GOOdday." And with
It wave Of his hand to the whole family i
l. whirled away in a cloud of dust, the nobl
preposseseing young DOCTOR whom LA
h the girls We're breaking their hearts 10
but who, as they Indignantly ayerre
p seemed 10 have not the least bit Of a hea
II to give anybody excep his patients,
'. whom he made himselfYery dear, no ma
Y ter who they were, or how old and repu
i, sye. His breakneek pace, however, su
3 sided into a slow walk as he rode up u
d bill beyond, and it was then that his T
" Election gave rise 70 the scriptured quot
tlon which heads this story.
IL That evening just at sunset, Chart
a Abbott went leisrrely down the meado
ID path across lots from her pretty home
or the humble cottage of the Wells famil
ID The grass waved and surged around
Ig the evening breeze, asea of billoWy gree
gemmed with tall nodding buttercuI
ST The delicious breath from the crimsC
m clover on the hillside came waited TO h
r, like purest incense, and little further o
III hintdelieate odOr from tho iqylanc
le told of Strawberries ripening 10 luscio
5. sweetness down among the rank grass al
ct weeds. The bObelnks nodded their sau'
n black caps qt her az they followed along
n, friendly proximity trilling forth, mea
ri while, their unintelligible jargon, ri