Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1874-05-14
WOODSTOCK, VT, THURSDAY, MAY a. 1874

ashes, and new city has risen from
the ashes of the old. The novels and
houses on Jackson street, like all the
other buildings on the East side of the
river were swept away, and among
them Mag's old house, but Mag had
long before left for parts unknown
On the West side ofthe river, beyond
Washington Park, the fire fiend failed
! to reach, and here, as at the beginning
of our story, the house of Mr.. Deane
stands.
Mrs. Deane, who is always busy,
sits with her crotchet work, while
Annie reads from Idyls of the King
and Abbie, better known to our read
ers, as Jennie Woodworth, is busy
making a little dress for some poor
child she has come across in her daily
rounds through the streets of Chicago.
Abbie Deane is the friend of the poor,
and many are the poor, half starved
children who bless hervery name. She,
herself has known what it is to be
poor and a beggar, but now those
days are in the dark past. She
has found her home. When Mrs.
Deane tenderly raised the fainting
beggar from the floor that day in the
distant past, and had her bathed and
placed in a clean, neat bed, she found
the mark that told her she had found
long lost daughter-stolen from her
carriage in the Park, while her nurse
left her moment this mark was a
mole on the shoulder, which all her
family carried, and scar on the wrist,
made from deep cut when an infant
When she was so far recovered as to
speak Of going home, Mrs. Deane told
her whose child she was. She wept
tears of joy, "For you won't whip me
as my other mother did, l know said
she.
And now as she sits sewing on that
little garment, we can but think how
much happier she must be than those
who dare not step down from the
height of wealth and aristocracy to
minister to the wants of the poor
Abbie's father was wealthy, and when
Abbie told him of the privations and
hardships she had been subject to, he
promised her that he would ever open
his purse freely to the poor, and we'll
had he kept his promis, and many a
family whom Jennie Woodwork had
known were made comfortable through
the kindness of Abbie Deane.
"Mamma, would you like to 90
with me in the morning and see
Mamie Desmond, the little one told
you of yesterday 2"
eyes, Abbie, I will 60 with pleasure.
Is she your little angel, you have
spoken of?"
yes, mamma, she will shine as one
of the brightest of Gods angels, l am
sure Poor Mamie never complain
ing, always bearing with patience,
pains that would rack much stronger
frames"
II shall always thank God, Abbie,
that l have such kind and generous
daughter
'Dear Mamma, l am only doing the
the Lords will. He put me here to
fill the place have chosen to show
me the sutferings of the poor. He
made me one of them, and when my
lesson was learned He gave me back
to you, to whose kind nursing I owe
my life, and now with dear Papa's
ready purse, l can fulfill my mission"
The morning dawned clear and
bright and at nine o'clock Abbie and
her mother started on their mission a.
mong the dwellings ofthe poor. Attheir
first stopping place was poor woman
with small children to support the faith
er having met his death by fall fron,
a staging. Here Abbie left the little
rock she was making yesterday and
hen they sought out Abbie's little An
gel"
GAS patientIas ever, this morning
title one?" said Abbie imprinting
Kiss upon the wan cheek.
"Yes, miss I firld the more patient :!
am the shorter the day is, though
sometimes the pain is so hard y
"Poor child! I have brought my
mother to see you this morning"
"You are very kind, ma'am, to come
o see poor thing like me, and you
must feel very glad that you are the
mother of my good Miss Abbie."
81 am glad, my dear, and l wish
here were more like her. | cannot go