Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-03-02

this bell. LII was more IKE Il VOICE tHan
a bell. Sometimes the little cripple
thougot it cried. Sometimes she
thsught it prayed. But she never heard
it laugh. The streets, the river, the
the crowd, weddings, funerals, church
spires, all the strange things that Deb
in the daytime saw with her eyes shut,
came. or seemed to come, at night,
when her eyes were open, and talk to
hcr-and always prayed or cried and
never smiled--out of the solemn An
droscoggin bell.
The solemn Androscoggin bell was
ringing the mill girls in by broad sun
light one noon, little testify, when
there came a knock at the door, and
behind it the yoang lady of whom |
heard. Deb was startled by the knock
and frightened by the young lady. 1t
was not often that visitors came to
Brick Alley, and it was still less often
that Brick Alley, had a visitor who
knocked.
This was ayoung lady for whom Deb's
mother did fine washing. Deb's moth
"a wiped her hands and chair, and
the young lady sat down. She was a
straight young lady with strong feet,
and long brown feathers i'll her hat, and
soft brown gloves upon her hands. She
had come, she SAID, with that Cluny
set which she had found that she
should need that very night for
party; indeed, she was IN so
much haste for it that she had hunted
Deb's mother up; which was a matter
of some difficulty, as shehad never had
the least idea where she lived before,
and how crooked the stairs were; but
the lace was very yellow, AS she saw,
and would she be sure and have 1T
done by nine O'Clock tonight? and
And there, turning her head sudden
". the straight young lady saw poor
crooked Deb in her high chair, with
the wonder in her eyes.
"Dear mel! 4" said the straight young
lady.
II wonderif ! frighten her." thought
Deb. But she only wondered, and did
not speak.
us this your"
Eyes" said Deb's mother, 9 the old
est. Fifteen. III try my best, ma'am,
but / don't know as I'd ought to prom
Use. " She spoke in q business like tone.
and turned the Cluny lace--a dainty
collar and pair of soft cuils-about in
her hands, in business-like way A
breath of some kind of scented wood
struck, in little gust, against Deb's
face. She wondered how people could
weave sweet smells into a piece of lace,
and if the young lady knew; or If she
knew how much pleasanter it was than
the onions that Mrs. McMahoney cook
ed for dinner every day in the week but
Sunday, upon the first floor But it
gave herquite enough to do, to wonder,
without speaking,
Fifteen - repeated the young lady,
standing up very straight, and looking
very sorry. GLOW long has she been
I lize-that
Born So said Deb's mother.
"She's Jest sat in that chair ever since
she's been big enough to sit at all.
Would you try gum on these, Miss y
But you never told me that you had
crippled child" The young lady
said this quickly. "You have washed
for me three years, and never told me
that You had a crippled child!
lyon never asked me, Miss" said
Deb's mother
The young lady made no reply, She
came and sat down on the edge OF Deb S
bed. close beside Deb's chair. She took
Deb's hand up between her two soft
brown gloves, and her long brown
feathers dropped and touched Deb's
cheek. Deb hardly breathed, the
feathers and the gloves, and the sweet
scented woods, and the young lady's
sorry eves-such very sorry eyes were
so close to the high chair.
"Fifteen years repeated the young
lady, very low " In that chail-and
nobody eyer-poor little girl, poor little
grill
What was the matter with the straight
Young lady? All at once her bright
brown feathers and her soft brown
gloves grew damp in little spots. Deb
wondered much over the damp little
spots.
But you could ride!' said the
young lady, suddenly.
"a don't know ma am, said Deb. Il
never saw anybody ride but the grocer
and the baker. amt like the grocer
and the baker,
"You could be lifted, I mean" SAID
tho young lady, eagerly. There is
somebody who lifts you2 "
Mother lifts me gener'lly," said
Deb. ''Once when she was very bad
with lame ankle jim McMahoney set
me. He's first floor-Jim McMa-
honey"
Il shall be back here said the
young lady, still speaking very quickly,
but speaking to Deb's mother now, "in
just an hour. [ shall come in an easy
sleigh with warm robes. If you Will
have your daughetr ready to take aride