Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1874-08-04

body in the place that you come for charity
to poor widow like me, that am in a case
rather to borrow myself than to lend to
others 2"
Can you lend us spare blanket ?'' said
the monk. .'These poor strangers have been
out in the storm, remember"
The widow started. WHAT meddling
busybody told him that the baroness gave me
new blanket at Michelmas :" thought she !;
but at last, very uuwillingly, she went to an
inner room to fetch blanket from her bed.
"They shan't have the new one, that's fat"
muttered the widow aud she drew out the
old one, and began to fold it up. But though
she had dwelt upon it's thinness and insuffi>
cheney to the baroness, she was so powerfully
affected at parting with it, that all its good
qualities came strongly to her mind.
dts very suitable size" said che to her.
self, ''and easy for my poor old arms to shake
or fold With careful usage, in would last
for years yet but who knows how two wan
deriug bodies that have been trampine miles
through the storm will kick about in their
sleep? And who knows if they are decent
people at all? Likely enough they're two
hedge birds. that have imposed pitiful tale
on the good fathers, and never slept under
anything fuer than q shock of straw in their
lives"
The more the good woman thought of this,
the more she felt sure it was the case and the
less willing she became to lend her blanket
to ga couple of chesting tramps" sudden
idea decided her. Ten 10 one thev bring
fever with them!' she cried '.and denr
knows [ saw enough good bedding burnt
after the black fever, ten years sgoi 1t
would be sin aud shame to burn u good
blanket like this - And repeating, "a sin
and shame" with great force, the widow re,
stored the blanket to its place.
The coverlet is not worth much" she
thought; but my good man bought it the
year after were married, and if anything
happened to it | should never forgive myself
The old Nhnwis good enough for tramps."
Saying which she took a ragged old shawl
from peg, and began to fold it up And
even as she had brushed and folded, she be-
gan to grudge the faded rag. at saves my
better one on bad day." she sighed, but
L suppose the father must have something"
And accordingly she took it to the monk.
"lt's not good it has been, hut there is
warmth in it yet, and it cost pretty penny
when new"
'.And is that all you can spare to the poor
houscess strangers ?" asked the monk
''Ah, Indeed, good father said she, "und
that will cause me many twinge of rhcu.
mHtics. Folks at my age can't lie cold at
night for nothing"
These poor strangers" said the monk.
are aged as yourself, aud have lost every-
thing"
But as all he said had no effect in
moving the widows compassion, he departed,
aud knocked at the door of her ncighbor.-
Here he tod the same tale, which met with
very d Fercnt hearing. This widow wss
one of those liberal souls whose posscssions
awsys make them feel uneasy unless they ore
being accepted. or used. or borrowed by some
one else; and she blessed herself that.
thanks to the baroness, she had blanket fit
to lend the king himself. ard only desired to
know what else she had with which she conId
serve the poor strangers. and requite the
charities Of the brotherhood.
The monk confessed that all the slender
stock of household goods in the monastery
was in use, aud one after another he accented
the loan Of almost everything the widow had.
AS she gave them he pnt them out through
the door, saying that he had messenger ont
side; and having promised that everything
should be duly restored on the morrow, he
departed, leaving the widow with little else
than the chair in which she was going to pass
the night.
with grerter fury tGSn oef"Ee. aud at last one
terrible flash OF lightning struck the widows
house and though 1t did not hurt the old.
women " set hFe t" the root and both cot..
ages were So0E "0i"ze. Now as the terrified.
o'o creatures hoonled out into the storm, they
met the m"nk' VINO, crying ''Come g ths'
monastery se'zed an arm OF each, and lhtts-
I'eo mem 5;5 up tho mn. IlI - - s'lH'e
pose old nc help them ths
ny. and arrived at the cony
Knew now.
9nIe. s"eo ny tne wan wers Tie SOD
anu cT'''e's OF me "Oet'i WIDOW