The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1872-10-19

y Stcp, out as time wore ON her BJep D0C4U'
! slow and undecided. She wandered on
on, apparently in search of something,
. Which shc found not, principally becaus'
! she knew not what she sought. Every
thing appeared to her like the unreal, mn
T defnable sequence Of q dream. The lamI
: lighter, with ladder and torch III hAnd
fitted rapidly in a zig zag manner through
the streets, leaving behind him q faint line
; Of Pickering lights, that grew. larger And
larger As the king Of darkness lowered hi
mantle closer and closer to the earth. -
) Still the nameless, homeless girl wandered
) unceasingly on but As it grew darker she
evidently felt alarmed, and OccaAionally
stopped and looked wistfully around, but
! nothing met her tear dinmed eyes but the
ever surging impetuOus rushing crowd. The
, same clatter Of wheels, and confused hum ol
voices ever assailed her ears. The mer-
chant, the laborer, the mechanic, the
WAGNER, pushed by regardless Of the sad
} countenance and weary heavy heart Of the
} now terror stricken Grace, who though
alone in her misery, was nevertheless not
unobserved. A woman Showily attired,
middle aged, with q forbidding, ibidmous
} look, stealthily wathed and stealthily fol
! lowed close upon her The poor girl, un-
SphSCAOuH VI LII kCAAuhlS unAA&C1, COlIhlucu
to wander ON, unmindful of the basilifk /
orhs that SO closely followed her every
movement.
She finally left the busy thoroughfares
and entered a street ON which very few
people were moving, and thest mostly me
chanics, who were fast hurrying to their
homes after the labors Of the day Before
she had proceeded two blocks ON this
street, her feelings overpowered her, and
she burst into tears She drew her shawl
partly over her face to shield from the pas
sers her uncomfortable emotion. She
wept, not for the home she had voluntarily
left, but because Of the vacuity or terrible
sense Of utter loneliness in her heart. Her
grief, though subdued, was intense. She
cast her eyes heavenward with longing
supphcating expression, as though she
would penetrate the ilimitable starry space
Of Gods eternal abode. She prayed for
consolation and protection, and Immediate
ly her troubled soul grew calmer. With
renewed hope and lighter heart she was
about to move on, when hand was laid
lightly on her arm. She started and turned
suddenly around.
Good evening, Miss, said the woman
Who had watched and followed her for the
LIST half hour, the woman spoke kindly,
and in the indistinct light Of the street,
Grace even thought her look was kind,
pleasing and sympathetic.
Good evenine madam, said Grace in
return.
You appear in trouble, said the wo-
man. She then added by way Of inquiry !:
" Perhaps you are stranger in the city
and may have lost your way
Grace looked at the woman, doubling
whether it would be safe to trust her, but
her look was met by tender re-assuring
smile.
. am looking for respectable board
ing house, answered Grace, very adroit-
ly evadnG the pointed questions Of the
woman
"Why my dear, how lucky you are,
keep very select boarding house, only
short distance from here. None but the
most respectable, and might say refined,
persons are taken in my house i have
been down town making some purchases
and am Just returning home, and if you de-
sire it | will accommodate you with room,
although it is entirely contrary to my &C
customed, and might say heretofore un-
broken rules, to take strangers under my
roof without the best Of recommendations,
but see you are d stranger and evidently
in trouble and can never bear to see one
Of my own sex suffer while it is in my
power to relieve them.
4" You are very kind and good. Indeed
you are and yet | hope you will not be
offended when say ! am almost afraid to
accept your generous SHer, for know not
whom TO trust
/ m 1 Aor,ff hlapa0 he
woman, but she added, You can ask any
Of the neighbors about my house if you
think am not telling you the truth =
The poor defenseless girl again looked to-
ward heaven but answered not. Seeing
which the woman changed her tactics She
put On an offended appearance and said
rather repfOachfully
81 beg your pardon, Miss. thoxght
was doing you favor by making the offer,
but see you do not 30 regard it. would
scorn to further push my friendship upon
you. So good evening and she turned
t. 90.
.'Oh, don't GO Do not leave me.
am sorry if offended you. will 60 with
you and trust you Why should I fear r.
she added +" i know God will protect me. y
The woman bit her lips but answered not,
and in silence they proceeded together
down the street
Beware, Grace, beware 1t were better
for you, or any woman in misfortune or
distress, to seek protection or consolation
from the untamed tiger than from one Of
your own sex. In woman's darkest hour,
when the hand of sorrow 10 heaviest upon
her, when all seems desolate, she may re-
ceive sympathy from man, but from her
own sex, never
The above conversation, OF the greater
part Of it, was accidentally overheard by a
young man returning from work, who, in
passing, noticed the tear-stained face Of
the girl, and whose more experienced eye
detected the true character Of the woman.
Pprompted by an interior impulse he
stepped into the shadow Of q large tree and
overheard most Of the conversation, and
when Grace had concluded to accompany
the woman, he emerged from the shade and
followed at respectable distance.
CHAPTER VII. m
Richard Arbyght had no difficulty IN Sc
curing work, although trade was rather dull
and hands anything but scarce at the time
He entered the employ Of a man gene
rally considered one of the "soiidest :" in
the Chicago Board Of Trade. Mr.. Relvs-
son, such was the name Of Richards new
employer, was an extensive packer and had
large interest in several oil refineries. -
J He employed, directly and indirectly, som.
} three hundred coopeD. He had also .
} controlling interest in several grocery and
dry goods stores, on which he freqnentl,
: gave orders 10 nis employees in partial ol
, entire payment for their services.
: Richards first acquaintance in the great
metropolis Of the West was the foreman q
! the shop in which he was 70 work. Fell
Rulless, the foreman, was q man of rather
pleasing manners, but very scoentrie ant
! vscillaaine, traits Of character by no mean,
} nssural 30 the man. They were doubtles,
acquired or grew upon him through year,