The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1874-12-04
nj scelIan g ou S .
WHAT A WOMAN DID.

When | first came to New York, at the
age of twelve years, to seek my fortune, |
can call myself q precOcious chap without
danger of being accused of an unusual de-
gree of Interpretation. | was quick to
learn everything, the bad as well as the
good. My employer used profane language.
picked up the oaths he dropped with a
naturalness that surprised even myself
The boys in the office all chewed tobacco.
This was little the hardest job l ever at
indescribable stomach wrenchings, came
off victorious, and could get away with my
paper day with the best of them.
One afternoon l was sent with note
from my employer to house in the upper
part of the city. l hadn't anything to read
but l had plenty of tobacco, and with
that proposed to entertain myself during
the two or three hours must spend in the
passage. For some distance did not no.
tice who were beside me, but by-and bye
lady said very softly and pleasantly:
"Would you please, little boy, be more
careful9 am going to party this after
noon, and should hate to have my dress
spoiled"
l looked into her face. 1t was the
sweetest face ever saw. Pale, earnest
and loving; to my boyish heart it was the
countenance of an angel.
There was very little that could say. |
managed to dispose of the tobacco, howev-
er, and wiped my mouth very carefully, all
of which felt certain she saw and mental.
ly commented upon.
"Have you mother, little boy ~ she
next asked in the same tone.
mo ma'am," answered, and felt my
throat filling up, and knew l must swat
low mighty fast to keep from sobbing.
"You have a father, then, | suppose ?" she
kept on.
mo ma am, no father"
"Brothers and sisterss"
"Neither ma'am."
"Then the little boy is all alone in the
world2"
"Alone, ma'am."
SHOW long has your mother been dcad2"
and the dear woman looked away from my
face, and waited until could speak.
1.-TWO years." answered.
Sand you loved her ?" came next.
"Dearly," was all could say.
She was silent a moment, and then said,
so sweetly-oh, shall never forget it:
"And what do you think your dear mo-
ther would say-how do you think she
would feel-to know that her little boy
was guilty of such disgusting habit as
this 2" pointing to my check, where the
tell-tale quid had vainly tried to stand its
ground. II must leave now," she continu-
ed, "but here is my card, and if you come
to me most any evening, l shall be glad to
see you, and perhaps we can be of service
to each other"
She gave me her little gloved hand, and
to my dying day shall never forget the
sensation of that moment. | could not
bear to part with her: without her felt
that could do nothing; with her, could
grow to u mans estate-a man in the true
sense of the word. From that moment to-
bacco never passed my lips.
AS soon as | could summon courage
called upon that lady. Well do remem-
Der how my heart beat as l waited in the
elegant parlor for her to come down; and
how awkward / felt as followed my guide
to her private sitting room. Here she got
at every point of my life, and before babe
her goodbye it was arranged that should
spend two evenings of each week at her
house, and study on these occasions lust
| w llut BIC thouSlb DcSt' 4NO lONeT ever look
ed forward to meeting with the mistress of
his heart any more ardently than | did to
these meetings with my friend.
grew careful of my personal appear
ance, careful Of my conversation, and strove
in every way to be worthy of this noble
friendship. Two years passed in this de-
lightful manner-two years that made me.
My friend not only attended to my studies,
striving also all the while to SOW the right
kind ofspiritual seed, but she procured
me a situation with particular friend OF
hers, where remain to this day. Nobody
but God knows what owe this woman
During the last three months of those two
years noticed that she grew constantly
pale and thin; she never was betrayed into
speaking of herself. Sometimes when ]
would ask her if she felt worse than usual
she would reply:
"Oh, no am only little tired-tha
is ALL"
One evening she kept me by her soft
much longer than her custom, while sh,
arranged lessons and laid out work enough
it seemed to me, for months.
"Why SO much tonight 2" l inquired
conscious that my heart ached, and vaguel,
suspectiug the cause