Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1873-01-11

and then, settling back amid her warm
cushions, she remarked that she would
pay me when | had finished all.
| ventured o remonstrance, but she
cut me short at once. "Sle had no
change" she said; "and, moreover, it
was a rule Of hers never to pay for part
of a job"
hurried back to Charlie with an
aching heart, and found him moaning
with pain, the kour for his medicine
long past, and the prescription in my
pocket. In desper ton, rushed to the
bureau, and drew out my quaint little
ewel.case. 1t contained some tritlng
articles-a brooch that belonged to my
mother, and few other trinkets. ! Sc,
lected two, and hurried out again, down
the snowy street, to the one iewelry
establishment of which the little sea.
side village boasted. 1t was a hard
task to prevail upon the dealer to pur,
chase my trinkets, and when at last he
he consented, he offered me few pal
try shillings, which | was forced to ac-
cept.
Charles medicine was purchased, but
the few dimes that were left were barely
sufficient to obtain a small modicum of
coal for the morrow; and where was
the chicken for Charles broth to come
from?
paused in the snowy street, with the
i g}ittering winter stars above my head,
and the brilliant show windows haunt.
ing on each side. just then merry
ch me o. bells clashed upon the frosty
air, and for the first time, remembered
that it was New Years Eve.
A pain as sharp as death pierced my
heart, as stood there, thinking of my
far away friends, and wondering what l
should do. A srocers shop, brilliantly
lighted, stood just across the street.
flew over the slippery hag-stones, and
entered. The grocer hurried forward,
all smiles and bows.
"Would he let NE have chicken
and bottle of wine?" | asked, with my
heart in my mouth. "My husband was
ill; and-and-would he be good enough
to trust me till next week."
His countenanca fell on the instant.
He hesitated, and stammered, "He was
extremely sorry" he said, shut it wss
rule of his never to credit strangers"
John, Johu, .hat's her." spoke a
woman's voice at my elbow at that in
slant.
| turned, but the speaker had averted
man, with bronzed face. and the kind
lest brown eyes | had ever beheld.
Blinded by tears, | hurried away
home to poor Charlie and the babies.
| gave Charlie his medicine, and hushed
the little hungry mouths with a scant
enough morsel of milk and bread, and
then tucked the children away in their
bed. Charlie fell into doze, and sat
down before the smouldering embers, to
indulge in the sole comfort that re.
manned to me, of hearty cry.
But | had scarcely begun, when |
heard the crunch OF footsteps in the
snow, and directly after, rap at the
door. | opened it with a bounding
heart, hoping that some good neighbor
had come with help. The tall man,
with the bronzed face and kindly eyes
i knew him on the instant-stood on
the STEPS with q huge hamper on his
brawny shoulders. lie set it down at
my feet and extended his hand.
"We've been hunting you the last two
days, madam" he began, abruptly, his
kind eyes flashing with happiness; "and
glad enough we are to find you. You
done nae good turn when you kept my
boy out of prison; and the lad was in
nocent of the charge, too, I'm proud to
tell you that. Brontons found out who
stole his money; and my wife couldn't
rest, and we couldn't ind you nohow,
till we CHANGED upon you at the grocer's
to night, and-well, we thought
And he broke down, stammering and
embarrassed, and stepping back, gave
place to his wife, who stood behind
him
1--WE thought" she said as she rails d
the cover from the hamper, "we'd bring
you some little things for New Years.
You W MT refuse to take ;em | know
aud u ~ the good God forever bless you
for WI at you've done for me! Oh, mad
anil and she threw her arms about my
neck, while the tears rained down her
face, 81 should a gone mad if they had
taken my boy from me that night; but
you saved him and me, while your own
was suffering. ] never was so happy in
my life, as | was when we found you to,
night. Johns come home rich man
this time; he's had better than good
ucl, and we're able to help you. I've
brought little of everything, and some
| New Years pretties for the babies. |
knew you had 'em; no heat but a
mothers could a felt or me in my
trouble, as yours did; and now III help
you to put em by, while John looks in
the sick-room; he's capital nurse,
John is. But first take this-don' look
at it now-slip it in your bosom till by
and by, and let's get the things into the
larder."
did as she bade me, slipping the lit,
tie parcel into my bosom, and while the
sailor laid off hat and coat, and crossed
over into the room where Charlie lay,
we to?k out and arranged the bountitul
supplies they had brought-bottles of
wine, and chickens, and rounds of beef,
and golden rolls of butter, and tea and
white bread, and cakes, and toys and
dolls that would set my babies wild with
delight.
The New Years dawn was breaking,
when they left me. Charlie slept qui
city, his shattered arm newly bandaged
by the sailors skillful hand, and the
babies were beginning to stir and fiutter
like restless birds in their nest.
| replenished the fire, and while the
fragrant coffee boiled, and the chicken
Drowned, sat down, and drew the lit,
tie pack age from my bosom.
Twenty bills, OF five dollars each,
crisp, and fresh, and new-one hun
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