The Republican journal., 1872-09-26

| 1tSdII ClItc tiiC HtIIS evenings NltH
Maud conncd her lessons ut the teachers
side. and then repeated them to him,
Then Mr.. Phillips-or Paul, as the widow
called hin-read aloud. lie read history.
poetry and healthy romance-everything
that he thought would ennoble, expand
and strengthen that yonng mind, and
leave no stain upon it, The most Of their
reading was Greek to the widow: but
Maud sat on a low seat by the fire. with
! her cheek aglow. and her heart throbbng
True. the Young head was oftenest bent
low over her sewing for she knew that
Argus eyes were watching least she idled
her time But Paul Phillips was content
with I'm occasional flash of the gray eyes
content with the brooding happiness
and intense appreciation he read in their
misty depths. lie knew that she was 4
good listener; that She heard every wold,
and was storing them away in her heart.
| Though he looked upon her as almost L
child, she was vet Il beautiful study to
him. He read the passionate tenderness
of her heart in her eyes; and he thought,
ut times, how rare Il pleasure lay in wait
for him who should touch the calm pulses
Of that sleeping heart, awakening it to
| lie and love; teaching it 40 thrill to \
| new, sweet music. whose iltti iitttS tttt
sometimes like the apples Of Sodom. But
most often he Thought of her rs simply u
| lonely orphan Girl, which, in his common
| brotherhood with all mankind, he was
| bound to p.oect; for Paul Phillips creed
was. that eich and every one of us should
! try to Tighten the load pressing upon the
| shoulders Of our fellow-travelers = all
/ travelling the same weary road-al to
meet in the same "Father's house" F."
| Many hours Of sorrow Maud Alton had
| that no. human eve had ever witnessed :;
and now a plan was rapidly maturing in
| her Young mind which would enable her.
| when Il wear or two more had passed. Il
little moro precious knowledge had been
| CLEANED, To remove her and her pet sister
/ from the chill home which had been so
hegrudyingly given them Mrs Alton
did not now, rs she did year ago, in
tlict cruel blows upon the little Bette ;
she dared not; there was u gIeam in
| Maud's eye that cowed her; but she
| did all in herpowcr to oppress the childrcn
well knowing by so doing she could best
torture Maud.
| 1t was 4 cold. bleak day. Maud had
| gone into the village to do some shop
ping for her aunt 1t did moi matter that
| the snow lay thick on the ground, she
wanted some eggs exchanged for tape
| and needles, and the girl must 90. Mrs.
Alton was in particularly amiable mood
| that day, and, as usual, vented it all upon
poor little Bette. There was no end to
the chips and water needed, and the
potatoes and apples from the cold cellar
all Of which Bette had to bring. The
| child had been almost i'll with 4 cold
and was still troubled with hard, dry
cough, and should have been in bed
But no one ever had time for rest in the
widow Alton's house. SO when it drew
near night, Bette, the little tender thing,
was sent to fodder the cows 1t was Il
weary tramp for the little feet, for the
barn-yard was wet and slushy, and the
wind blew the snow in her face. Bette
was Il brave child so she waded patiently
through the snow-her heart beating pain
fully ut every step. She reached the barn,
ut last. and aterreSting amomcnt, gave the
patient COWS some hay, and then went to
work to pull some stalks down. She
had given sold Red her share but some
how the rest was hard to ret at She
brcathcd on her little, cold fingers, and
tried again; for the kind-looEne, mother
" '15loss" must have some too. But, oh.
dear! it stuck so tight and her fingers
We're 50 cold
SO Maud Maud! if YOU were only
lcren And she wrrmg her almost frozen
| fingers, and cried bitterly.
1t so happened that rs she looked mp u
| tall form, clad in u warm, iur-linrd over
coat. dalEcned the door way Mr Phillips
| had heard the sad wall rs he was passing
on his way home from school.
'Why, Bette, what on earth are YOU
| doinr?'
90 Mr. Phillips I can't gct any corn
fodder for poor BlosS and Aunt Rachel
will scold me for staying So long; and
my hands ache, and something hurts me
in my throat.'
The mans face grew black, and he
| fairly Wrenched the corn-feed from the
hole in the NOW, and flung it ut poor
Rloss. Then taking the child in his kind
arms he wrapt his fur coat about her.
and started to the house with mighty
strides.
''Mercy on US, Mr.. phllips where did
you find that child ?"
"Whcre She should never have been,
| Mrs. Alton, fodlcring yourcows. Il strong
mans work Never let it happen again,
madam, whilst | am under your roof, or
! Will expose YOU :"
! Mr.. Phillips was angry, and Mrs. Alton
| knew it; 50 She wisely held her peace
| Bette cried with the pain Of her hands
which the heat of the fire augmented but
her kind friend brought u basin Of cold
water, and lavod the little purple hands
| till Il part OF the pain left them. Then he
took her upon his knee, and rocked her
to sleep, before the widows very eyes, as
gently rs though she was baby And
what was she but baby? A little, frail
thing of seven years.
That night Bette was raving in de-
lirium, and her moaning and waiiing was
heart-rending Not an eye closed that
night, for Maud was in agony, and even
Mrs Alton was frightened.
The live-long night the child's voice
rang ont, high and shril
90, Maud It's so cold ont here cam
find any chips, any oh , oh ! my hands are
so cold, and poor Bloss IS hungry for her
supper Oh. Maud Maud =
Then shrinking under the bedclothes
she would scream:
ooh, the r,ts-the rats! Sister. come
home-comc home. Oh, Aunt Rachel
don't take the light away Give me 4 lit
tie piece of candle-just u little teenty
piece !"
1t was many days before the little mind
was clear, and many more before Bette
was able to move about the house and
then it was sad to see the little figure
creeping about, so pale and spiritless.
1t was Christmas time, and Mr.. Phil
lips gave his school the usual holiday
week. Maud was very sad, for Christ
mas brought no JOY to her; and Bette was
sad, too, for her kind friend vas going to
spend his holidays with his friends. Maud
was in the wood-house gathering the in
terminable chips, when the stage that was
to take Mr.. Phillips home drove up to the
door. Maud's eyes filled with tears as she
saw her kind teacher come out on the
doorstep, and thought how lonely il
would be without him. Paul Phillips went
into the dark shed, where the girl stood in
sorrow and tears:
'sGood-bye, Maud. Cheer up, and give
me one bright smile through your tears:
} | have no time to talk now; but when
come back l have much to say to you"
I Al.