The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1874-01-10
OUT OF THE DROSs.
BY EMMA NJ JOHNSTON.

wandering anOuC tne SUBURBS OF Jne
city, I found myself upon some open
commons, where heaps of dust. ashes
and rubbish we're piled up. At one of
these heaps thought saw some liv-
inc object moving about. and drawing
nearer, / found an old woman. UPWARDS
of seventy. lean, wrinkled and grizzled,
digging into the dirt bv means of a
piece of stick; hut in her ea"rrness
often discarded the stick. and using her
claw-like fingers. Her bent and hat
tered old figure was trAmulous with
excitement. and she kept up mumbled
conversation with herself.
Drawing near. spoke to her. and
she started. raising herself. and shak-
ing from her eyes some gray locks
which had fallen over them.
"You are busy" said; "what is 1t
all ahout?'
"I'm a-lookin' for a jewel honey"
"a jewel =" echoed, thinking the
Cld woman wandering In her mind, he
cause Of the weakness of old age. "a
Jewel IN heap of dirt! !"
eyes. bless you, thev do find 'om
here sometimes. Leastwavs, Big Jim
found rare diamond onct.'
"And how long have you been search
ing ?" asked.
ooh, not long: only these three
months goin' on four. | come every
dav and hunt spell, and then 60
home and rest nv old homes"
/ "And Won really think you will find
a iewef?" said to her; pitv. amuse-
ment and incredulity all blending in my
voice.
"For sure will. honey; I'm Just
bound to hunt till git it,"
looked at the eager, tremulons old
creature. spending her little all Of
strength in the vain hope Of finding
some precious thing. Should / make
any effort to reach her higher nature ?
Could it be possible that she wonld un.
derstand an appeal to her soul /?
While / hesitated was condemned
and there came to my listening, throh-
hing heart, borne on the stiffness Of the
June day, these words: "Out of the
drOss I"
"Hear mel" I said to the woman
"I want to tell you about a jewel thai
is of more value than any that has evel
yet been found. One such as your OLD
eyes have never seen, nor your ole
heart ever dreamed Of"
"Yes, yes, honey, | hear you. Tel
me about it," ..,.t
Then spoke that talismanic name
Jesus! And unfolded slowly and care
fully the whole blessed plan of saliva
ton, which included even such as she
| T.. l. nI ixr
81 think kind O. heerd o. him ono
before"
"He Is here" replied.
She started and looked about ol
every side.
Now was the time to fix the impress
sion so that the work might he perfect
I sent up sudden prayer for wisdom
and strength, which brought an lmme
diate answer; and then, with delicat
choice of words, so that all might b
simple to that simple comprehension,
explained how Christ might be near us
even in our hearts by faith, while W
, could not see him in the flesh. toll
her how the single, sincere cry of
i sinner would bring him to the sinner
side, quick to forgive and quick TO com
fort. t
, "Honey, it's all very nice to talk thl
ere way when you've got good clOthe
> and plenty to eat. But look at me-
only rags to cover me, and my ol
bones all twisted with rheumatic"
"Were you always so poOr?"
/. "No; time was when l was u likel
enough woman; but got into bad eou
: pany. and then kind O. sloughed of
But II / could find jewel in this er
heap. why I'd git all right agin."
"Tell me, was Big Jim all right afte
A.. he found his diamond ?'
she looked at me suspiclously for
moment. "Now how did you knO
that jim dldn' do we'll? He didn't d
well. that's a lact. He sold that dii
> mOnd and got lots o. mocey, but !
drunk hard aud quarreled, and at la
he was worse of than ever; hadn't
cent. and died in my cellar"
Many times. after that 1 saw old III
, s0melimes hunting the ash heaps, som
time ia her wretched collar. -.4"
% Th,n left the city for time an
OH ms. return received mrafEge: |: l.
NeA dying r70he wanted 10 $50 l1e.g