Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-10-24
VEN Us.
4 BIOGRAPHIcAL SKETCH.


ptrsonal property of Prof. Douglass, and
wagon, containing his wife, yOnng friend of
the family Alexander M'Shane, and quantity
OF l"Ose articles too numerous to mention
daughter Madeline.
Mrs Douglass glanced nervOusly at the hste-
IGgentous mass OF familiar articles piled up be-
Tore them, and, signing heavily, looked at her
.sIf only Madeline has put A few things away
ont OF thar first load, Aleck,' she SAID, visit
fully-"got out the tea-kettle, you know, aad
wiped on a few cups and sIucersi I'd so like 70
have a cup OF tea Tor the Professor"
Aieck turned upOn the poor lady so loving
smi'e, 80 bright and CHEEKY withal, that 1t
lighted up bis plain face wonderfully.
THAT win be all right, Mrs. d., be said.
oven have up that stove in the twinkliug Of
an eye, and ven make those old cups and sau-
GERS jump. had Al eye on the tea-caddg my
self; ard before you know where you are the
Professor shall have a cup Of tea tbst'H make
his hair stand on end. ito Maddie, you know
We can'teXpect her TO bother with these things"
Mrs. Douglass was silent awhile; then she
turned her sad brown eyes upon Aleck.
"Its great change for Madeline" she said,
ga very great change She's been used to so
much excitement, adulatiOn, and amusement,
don't know how she'll get on; but it was al
We could do You see, it Wac ruinous living in
the city; the rent was SO high, and there were so
many incidental expenses, and the Professors
sight becoming impaired, he has not yet made
up his mind how to place himself"
Aleck listened as respectfully as if he had
been a condensed drawing-room OF afternoon
callers; but Mrs. Douglass at last came back 70
the consciousness that she was not talking to
Mrs Grundy, bat only to poor Aleck HcShsre-
ait was all we could do, Aleck, - she repeated;
I'VE should have starved in that great hungry
'iOh no, Mrs d. cried AIeck, hastily; ''not
quite; no, indeed. assure You Tn humble
individual in my way, bat / could have kept
TIE wolf from the door with this red right hand
of mine"
he hourished the puny, blooIess hani Of
CITY clerk IN the air, and Mrs. Douglas laughed,
and put her hand lovingly on his shoulder.
"You're such good fellow she said; ''it's
after Madeline. She's so spoiled you can never
tell whether she cares for you or not; aud I'm
sure, the way we are situated now, I don't see
"Ah, Mrs. Douglass" cried Aleck, sit Is the
situation now that has the charm for me. Mad
die, being deneediy lofty, has given all her
puTse-prOud friends the slip; the rat has gone
forth that neither Iich nor great shall be allowed
10 enter our humble dOmicile, and sheer AZ its
pnfreSceed walls, may thank the good God
dsss OF Poverty for the privilege Of sharing your
retirement"
A turn in the road here brought the cottage
ID view, aOd they found Madeline enthrcned
upon pile Of mattresses upon the porch. and
the Professor bOtanzi1g in q neighbOring field.
What a lovely view we've got!' said Made
line. 81 have been hoping you'd get here be-
fore the light leaves the shores yonder; it was
wonderfully beautiful an hour or 50 ago, but
lis been fading gradually ever since. There's
ONLY remnant OF 1t glory LETT. Come and look
a. IL while IL lasts
"Td be delighted, - said AIeck, 'sbut I'm in
deuce OF hurry just now 10 get up the kitchen
stove. just persuade il to stay TIL tbs fires
lighted, and some cups and saucers washed,
and the tea put to draw, and III be on hand"
Aleek followed Mrs Douglass TO the kitchen.
When he got back 10 the porch his hanis were
rather sOOty, and broad black bar rested on
ms nose but II had grown TOO dark Tor Made
lire TO see these imperfections, and she was
persuaded TO 60 in and have cup of tea that
was warming the heart Of the Professor.
THE next morning Aleck jumped out OF bed
at sunrise, and ran down the Stairs two steps at
atime. He had determined that the Old kitchen,
which had looked rather cavernOus AMI gloomy
~Naa r4rrNNH GNz a
mistress with welcoming hre. What was MS
surprise, his horror, to fnC Madeline standing
IN helpless attitude upon the hearth-stone?
"Why, Maddie,'' he gasped, "What's 10?
You're never awake at this bOur!'
"BUt mean 10 be-" said Madeline, turning
uTOn hun savageIy. "DO you think I'm made
upOf seltsbness, and greedIn and mean
ness, that i will let pO0r mamma toll like
slave while lie at ease in bed? mean 70 get
MP every morning, aud do tue work, and all that
sort OF thing, only don't know what 10 do or
where 70 begin" Here her voice faltered. al
think II would be so much better, Aleck, if We
40 Lordi no, Maddie, j" said AIsck, collecting
all the loose sticks from the packing, and max
ing blaze upon the hearth. sob no. You'll
think better Of yourself presently. There are
capabilities IN this old house that don't shine
out on the surface. Here's this old fireplace.
Tor instanee-you don't see this sort Of thing in
modern dwelling. Allitwants Il WOOD, plenty
Cft,"
Gan expensive luxury" sneered Madeline.
"HOw sre we to buy it?''
.'Bless your soul, Maddie! We don't want to
buy II. The common kind OF wood that can be
bought wouldn't suit Us at all. III tell you
my admiration upon the scenery 1 came
along; lett that for brighter eyes and hand
sGmer ones to enjoy. l was prospecting,
ehance-and really it seems like Providence.
Aou know, people are building, and pulling up
trees, and the lots hersabouts are died with
huge boulders of wood. just the thing for "a.
you see, 70 saTrepttiOusly cause these boulders
70 disappear from their present abiding places,
they reach our premises, then to lever them them
into that capaciOus Fireplace, and, inserting a
teW precious pine knots under them, cause
tremendous blaze TO radiate the darkest corner
81 The Old Kitchen; all this Maddie, will be my
delight.
"Ora shiny night
In the season OF the yesri7
Madeline COndescended to smile, the kettle
began TO boil, a sunbeam stole in at the window
and shOne upon the newly swept door. When
Mrs Douglass came down breakfast was smok-
ing upon the table.
Ewhy, Madellne, ;" she cried, in surprise, s.and
Aleek! thought you were both asleep"
"Madehne says you're to be a lady" said
Aleek, "and she's to be Cinderella"
And YOU the Prince, perhaps" said the good
lady with happy tears IN her eyes.
"A fortnight sfterwsri Madeline, becoming
alsgusted with rural joys, declared again TO
Al5Gk that it was her settled conviction 1t
would be better If they were all dead.
III body had any saSing TO amGsa one,-sTen
parrot would do" she added, "or a monkey
.,.l u Pri1g you home parrot to day" said
- Nhlte one, please" said his tyrant, Ian
guidly.
"CeTtsinly,-any color YOU like said Aleck
and be strobe away TO the store.
But Aleck did not know what a rara avis a
white parrot was. Leaving il till after business
hours, he went down In search OF parrots, and
found that such q thing as q nice white one was
not 70 be had for love or money; the green ones
were cilapidated, belligerent, and profane; so
he went home bordering over the awkward
les Of persuading Msddie that even this miser-
able little request was an inOrdinste one. he
thought Of his love for her, and the hopelessness
OF hls ever having money enough 70 offer him
sell 70 Madeline, even IL she'd have him, which
she wouldn't; OF that horrible tread-mll OF a
store that was devouring him body and soul;
sno Nhetoer he hsdn't better 90 to South
AmeIca and Ind his uncle: when suddenly be
hen1 low, whining cry. Itwas 50 human
Ah0 20 tlteos that Aleck stood still and list
entu. ~ came from the direction Of the wharf,
Az We Is Iepeated again and again, till Aleck
nsHe DIS way 10 the very verge of the rotten
Cid Piles, and discovered that one of them had
been olslodged, and in falling had eaught and
pinned fast the little leg OF a Scotch ferriar
that had no doubt come to grief In the pursnit
OF rats Ii was good hours work TO eItricste
the leg from its captivity, and when 1t was taken