The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1872-01-26

] we could not take any poor, plnlng
souls off on glad journey to noun
tains or sea-shore we could not put un.
expected purses into poor widows
hands, nor pay for any struggling
Youths education we had not even a
carriage TO take invalids and neglected
people out for lovely little drives. There
was Fred hard at work all day in. the
office, and at home busy as a bee from
morning till night with the housekeep-
ing, sewing and BERTHE. But there must
be at least one little talent, hid away in
our opportunities somewhere, that we
could bring out and use in the Master S
service.
AT last we thought of something. |
can remember almost the moment. We
had such good little supper that even
ing-light biscuit and butter, Jelly, hot
oysters, and remarkably good tea. Fred
was tired and hungry, and enjoyed
everything. But when we had done,
there still remained a goodly portion of
oysters steaming in the dish, and plenty
of everything else.
"Pity we hadn't had company TO tea, 7"
said Fred, refectively.
"Oh, dear - said |, if we had invited
company, should have had to bake all
day, making cake and cookies and
tarts, and all such things. That is why
! | never have tea parties. | should be
all tired out by the time the folks
came"
Just so" replied Fred "Cake is a
folderol and dyspepia attends tea par
ties. But suppose, grille, | had brought
poor Nevins, our overworked clerk,
| home to supper with me, or suppose old
Mrs. Wynn had been here, or one or
two tired young teachers or seamstresses
had dropped in, don't you think they
would have heartily enjoyed just what
we have had, and been all the better for
it, and for one of our happy evenings in
our little parlor?n
Eyes, indeed" l cried, catching his
idea in the instant. Fred, you are a
blessed boy. Well do it,"
And this was the origin Of our Tues
day and Thursday evenings. There
was no hard work or fuss about them at
all. We just got up a good, relishable
little supper, such as we might have had
for ourselves, only more of it, and then
called in whomsoever Providence threw
in our way-sometimes not more than
one, sometimes three or four. Fred
often brought home poor, careworn
Nevins. who starved at a fourth rate
boarding house. and it heartened him
up wonderfully. Now and then | had
Kitty Larg help me sew on Bertie's
dresses, and told her 10 invite any three
of the most tired sewing-girls she knew
to come to tea and stay the evening.
] 4 - ,-la 70 hoo N
those pale girls plates with strengthen
ing oysters and chicken, and see them
sip the delicious tea and chocolate 1t
fairly brought color into their poor
faces. And then in the evening we had
games, or | played some OF my half-tOr-
gotten music, or Fred read poetry aloud
10 US all: and we coaxed some Of the
girls to read to us too. We found out
way that one of the girls had a beauti-
full. clear. sympathetic voice for reading;
and when | told Mrs. Royal about it,
she found a delightful old lady
vino wanted Just such a girl 10 20 with
her TO the sea-shore for the whole sum-
mer, to be company for her and read to
her. Now wasn't that a pleasant thing
to happen 10 that worn, delicate girl?
and didn't one thing grow out of an
other beautifully? | don't know what
should have been done without the
Royals. They put a bright finishing
touch 10 so many things
Sometimes it was a few Woodworking
teachers we had: and then in the
course of the evening Mrs. Royal and
Mary Rush were pretty sure to come in
upon Us, with glowing cheeks and shin
/ ing eyes, bringing fruit or flowers, or
/ great dish of ice-cream and so on, one
way or another, our little evenings
were a great success. We had teachers
pretty often such young girls, many of
them oyertasked, and working for such
small salaries-brain-w work, too, the
most exhausting Of al. Do YOU know
how many such teachers there are?
Reckon them up IL your own town !;
look at city statistics. As many times
as have done it, it always takes me by
surprise. And then 10 think what mum
bers of applicants there are for every
vacant situation so many girls strug
Cling Tor ways 10 support themselves
as many fainting by the way, like Sarah
and Mary Rush
Fred, keeping his eyes open, made
/
! beginning on meagre salaries, many of
them strangers in the place, and with
/ absolutely no society. 1t did them as
much real good as any one, he argued,
TO get taste of home pleasures so l
WIS never surprised, when our evenings
came, to see Fred bringing in with him
ssme bashful clerk or pale student.
| Then | began 10 want a romance; why
couldn't some of our young clerks fall
/ in love with some of our young teach.
ers or seamstresses But Fred laughed
at the idea, begged me not to mix in
sentiment with our little schemes of
/ good, and desired 10 know what sort Of
figure poor young Stebbns, for instance,
would cut, getting married 10 one of
our bright young teachers, on six dollars
a week
One Tuesday, when had Kitty Lang
to sew, she told me she had invited a
new friend TO come to tea-not sewing
girl nor teacher; in fact, girl with
no business whatever.
I" But that. we hope, won't last long,"
she added between "A SIGH and a laugh