The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1869-12-31

/ ''''h -" VIZ lolI VI VIZ HUuSc
lie said this quite graclously, as i
he were comforting favor, not re-
ceiving it; upon which I went VI
stairs and began to arrange my owI
room for him. 1t was a pleasure,
Gtorgic ! | wasjust such, a slaye
and nothing more! l brought ou,
my poor little hoard Of gre pret.
tincss, and laid them about the room
where they made the most effect;
hid away my own things, so that he
should not know whose room it was;
and when my brother took him up
stairs, even he scarcely seemed tt
know what had done, and really
believe imagined L had somehow
changed my room. and that I was to
be quite comturtablc myself for the
night. He did not see me again to
ask how | had mana gel-I am speak
ing now Of Jamcs--and neither he
nor Ashley knew that l had passed
the night sitting on wooden chair by
the empty kitchen hearth; for the
landlady let US have little kitchen
for my cooking and washing, &c.
1t had been originally the scullery.
and was dirty, damp old hole; but
it did we'll enough. We were, too
poor to be fastidi6us.
In the moraing took up Ashlcy's $
hot water and his boots, which | bad
cleaned with my d%n hands. He
thought it was the landlady's ser
want who had waited on him, and as
he passed me on the stairs he gave
her sixpence which the girl took
quite TRANQUILITY. as even less than
her due. Those boots let me into
the secret Of As!'ley's poverty. They
were old and worn, and | mendcd
them for him, must say. cleverly.
| often did this; for Ashley, never
dreaming that l had only hard wood
Ell chair for my bed when he slept
with US, continually now overstayed
his time. playing chess or talking
shop with my brother, and at last
got to ask for his room as almost a
matter Of course. james was too
proud and tiu'id, poor fellow ! to tell
the truth, and I was too happy to be
Of use to Ashley to murmur at any
sacrifice that | could make. It was
the sweetest time Of my life That
humble unrccognized self-sacrifce for
one you honor is almost more delic-
ious than gratitude
All this time Ashley took no more
notice IF me than before. / was
very young. James was only a pro
lection in name, not in reality; and
girl as | was, l could understand
something Of the motive Of his re
serve, and see into the value of it.
And yet used to think he might have
been just little more cogmsant Of
my existence! He need not have
made love to NE, or been uery atten-
tive, but just little--as I used to
say. just as much as to the cat!
One day Ashley came to us in
terrible state. Even James saw that
something had happened, and !,
studying his every mood and express
sion as | did. knew at once that some
distress was in the background. And
it was something new to see Ashley
meved-so strong and almost hard as
he was-that one felt it more in him
than if it had been any other man.
At least | did. .".
"Jumes, my good fellow" he said,
in an excited way, ''lend me five
pounds, can YOU. My mother is
dangerously i'll, and they have writ
ten t" me to 60 to her tonight. l
happen not to have as much money
Il about ME at this moment, and can
not. get any from old Campbell until
| have flushed my work. He as
good as bought my 'Icrodias Dane
ing yesterday, but still you know it
was not done out and out, so | could
nst very well ask him for the money,
could I?'' ~
Poor Ashley His +" Herodias
Dancing g'-one Of the most hideous
things you ever saw-was no more
sold to old Campbell than l was! If
Ashley could have got into tho hands
OF any plcturc-dealer whatsoever he
would have considered his fortune
made. James FLASHED and hesi,ated.
Five pounds! Ashley might as we'll
have asked him ar five hundred. =
We had not Eve sMllings in the house;
for we had had bad week, and I was
thinking somewhat ruefully OF tho
short commons we should have to 60
upon, and how We we're to get fed at
all for the next ten days or so; and
now Ashley was in trouble too, and
wanted US to help him. James look
ed at me in great embarrassment.
One BY one We had parted with all
our little valuables. but l had kept
back one, very handsome pearl ring
Of my dear mothers, which our faith
er had given her on her wedding day
This was emphatically the last Of our
treasures. and had struggled hard
and made many sacrifices to keep it.
When James looked at me SO wist.
fully. anawhen l thought Of Ashloy's
trouble-his mother perhaps dying,
and he her only son. and 50 fond Of
her!-l could not aelp crying; but |
could net hesitate. What had been
sacred to me for my mothers sake
should bc given to him for his. There
was no sacrilige in this; it was
righteous disposition of sacred
treasure.
Il will get the money from the
l.