Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1873-09-06
No Friends.

" no tAltS SdiQ AAhAAht AAAAN"ff'7Nf N'f
ting down one dirty dish and taking up anoth-
er. Nobody ever did for me. was bundled
off to service before was ten years old, be-
cause mother was dead and aunt wanted me
out of the way. Then was knocked about
from pillar to post-out of one place into an
other; might have broken my leg any day aud
nobody would have minded. That's what !
almost always say-who cares ?"
God cares" said the grave, weak voice OF
little Tom, the errand boy-a sickly, frail lit
tie fellow, who somehow contrived to make
will and skill supply the place of strength, and
SO succeeded in the great object of his ambition,
and 8" kept his place"
Good 2" said Martha; "how do you mean,
Tom ?"
"Why, lie must care, you know. Don't
you care about things when you've made them
YOURSELF"
"Somctimcs / do, and sometimes don't "
said Martha Depends upon what they are"
"But fyou could make something alive, you
would be fond Of that, wouldn't yon ?"
"1 suppose SO. But what rubbish you can
talk Tom, when you once give your mind to
TT"
"Wls it rubbsh-all ofit?" said Tom, not
resenting the assertion. He was rather accus-
toned to finding himself out of bis own depth,
as well as other peoples.
Rubbish? l should think " said Martha.
" But have you done masters boots p
ooh, Il forgot. I'll do them now. I
suppose master would care about me if didn't"
said Tom, running of with a rognish laugh.
"Carcl Yes; just as they would about the
clock if it stopped. Just about as much feel
ing for one as the other"
Martha was in dismal mood, there was no
doubt about that. She was tired, and it was
very hot, and Martha's kitchen was not exactly
the place one would have chozen to cool ones
self in. An uncomfortable, soreish feeling over
the eyes made her glad to sit down and rest
them by five minutes nap. But her head
resting against the wall ribbed of the coloring
so she got up again, saying:
However them rootmen stand being pow
dered can't think Bother it my head feel.
like a sand-martin"
Martha had no very definite notion as tc
whether a sand-martin was fish, flesh, or fowl
but she picked up the word with Londoner',
relish for rural phrases, aud supposed it mus
mean something sandy. Perhaps it was as
well that Just at that moment she was not tan
taized by the thought Of the COOL breezy lifc
Of the bird she had named.
ooh. dear | wish ! was dead p she sale
presently but sudden, sharp pain through
her temples reminded her Of the near possibili-
ty Of death; and, with shiyer, she turned hol
wish into Il wish ] was a better girl;
wish had learnt in my bible or something
/ I wish-oh, wish there was anybody in al
the world to care if was dead or alive ~
Then she stopped suddenly; her throat seemed
to dry up, and, with a terrified sense Of falling
down unknown depths, she eauk upon the
floor Poor Martha had a fever.
Many days and nights Martha lay uocon-
scious When She awoke she was in a white
bed, cool and son, with an unaccountable ia
yor Of strawberries in the air.
"I suppose it's heaven" she thought cor
/ else dream. Anyhow, I'll keep still, less
missuss bell should ring"
But some one said, Won't you wake up,
dear ?" The voice was a gentle, mothcrly
voice. such a voice rs bad never addressed
Martha since she could remember.
"Yes," she spoke again, that's just the
way they talk in heaven; it's very nice. l
wonder was afraid to-day"
She spoke the last sentence aloud, and the
motherly voice, this time with a shade OF trou-
bic in it, said: "Ah she's little lish,-head-
ed still, poor dear But she'll soon come
round. See" she continued to Martha, " only
just look at what your friends have brought
you !"
"'Tisn't me-" said Martha; al haven't got
any friends"
"Woll, that's pretty" said another voice
so cherry and so thin, it reminded her Of Tom S
grown older. "Not got any friendsl" the
voice went on, "when they've been aud sent
you this"
"This being put close to her, was so ex-
coediugly fragrant that Martha opened her
eyes, and found out where The strawberry odor
had come from It was a found, deep basket
Of British Queens" which slight, pale wo-
man, in widows cap. was holding toward
her
Don't you know wba, to. DO with them,
dearie2' said the motherly body, whose clean
precision Of dress somehow told Martha that
she was a hospital nurse
"Uh, yes" said Martha, with 4 sigh Of de-
light as the first one melted in her mouth !
/" but never saw such monsters"
"Yes," said the widow, looking pleased,
they wanted them to look frst-rato, aud
there's been plenty of time to get them. To-
day is the first day the doctor said you might
have them"
"But such beauties (" said Martha again.
" They must be rich people that sent them"
Rich enough" said the widow, with a Gu
r;,,,s emilio And Martha feaste1 in silenco