The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-01-29

Thought. - 1t Is MAGG1O ILL AN me
She must be very poor when she calcu-
erocer's bill. Bread, milk, brown sugar,
Cheap tea-everyt of the meanest
kind and in smallest quantities. Poor
Matte I Little children, too! Oh I
must find out about her, and-let me
see. owe her father many q kindness,
andsI am a rich man. I'll begin q new
year with a payment of Mr.. Hunters
goodness to me, if I find it is his
child"
He opened his pocket-book, and
taking crisp bank-note, folded it in
paper, upon which he wrote, Matte
Hill, from an old friend, and put it in
the shabby pocket-book Then he
glanced at his watch, and whispered:
"Only little after 10. Everything
will be open late tonight, and I can
find this grocery store and make some
inquiries"
Before he left the house he lowered
few minutes over the collection of toys
in the nursery, selecting few, and then
he hurried on his errand, to find the
grocer just putting up his shutters.
"Can you tell me" he asked, any
thing about Mrs. Hill, who deals with
your"
motioned the questioner into the store.
His round, good-natured face wore
troubled look, as he asked
"What do you want to know for
She's in sore trouble, every way, and if
its bad news"
est is not" was the emphatic reply,
" I want to do her kindness.
Poor soul, she needs it. She is
very poor, with a consumptive daughter
dying by inches, and two little ones.
Five she's buried, SIR
"Where is her husband ?"
s'Dead, sir, the Lord be thanked!
He went off three years ago in delirium
tremens.
s'How does she live 90
From hand to mouth, sewing by
hand for tailor's store, and that is
poor pay, now machines are so plenty.
She did better while Miss Matte could
work too, but now she has her to nurse
and feed. Tonight, poor soul, she was
to get ten dollars for some work, and
she came in here an hour or more ago
to tell me that she had lost her pocket
book and the money. Her hands were
chilled and it slipped out"
Charles Haughton looked round the
little store and his eyes frightened as o
kindly idea came to his mind.
You could fill large order?"
t'Oh, yes sir"
Sc Fill this one for me, and send it to
Mrs. Hills address in the morning.
What is the bill ?"
Never, probably, had SO large sum
for one order passed over the little
counter, as the grocer consented, in
happy excitement.
I'll send them in, sir, he said, tax
ing the money, 'and I promise you
they shall be the best can buy"
VIII you give me Mrs. Hills ad-
dress ?"
"Three doors above, sir, on the third
floor. You go in at the open Aaoor
next the Clothing store.
Goodnight.
Goodnight, sir, and God bless you
for kind-hearted gentleman.
It was very narrow door that Charles
Haughton entered, and o narrow fight
of stairs that led him to the third floor.
Quiet reigned in the miserable house,
and he could hear quite distinctly the
voices of women conversing in the room
he sought. One was broken by sobs
the other weak and often interrupted
by hard, dry cough. The latter voice
was saying:
"Don't cry so, mother some honest
person may find the money and return
it."
ct can't advertise it, Mattie-I can't
even buy a paper to see If it is found.
And promised the children q piece OF
meat and some candy and toys for New
Year, because we could give them no
Christmas gifts. !"
Was Mr.. Hart angry about his
bill p"
"No, he was very kind. But there
So ao~ n&k 30
for the rent, and not cent to meet it,
and cold.
Charles Haughton drew from his
pocket the shabby pocket book, and
knotting it fast to the string of the
package of toys and candies he carried
put it before the door of the room.
Mattie's weak voice greeted him as he
stopped, saying:
" God will provide, mother !"
A rap at the door startled both
women, but the widow, candle in hand
opened it at once. Nobody greeted
her, for Charles Haughton was hidder
behind curve in the wall, but her foo
struck the bundle and she looked down
With cry of JOY that thrilled tn.
heart of the hidden listener, she iftee
il, saying
MAbLl6 MAIIl0 IL Is ucE6
"Your money, mother ?''
"My pocket book-tied to o bundle I
ssIn her excitement she left the doc
open, and from his hidden place he
old lover could see and recognize her
She was very thin and pale, and he
hair was thickly strewn with gray, bu
it was the shadow of the face he hat
loved twenty years before. The opel
door showed him the wretched room
the two children asleep upon mattress
upon the floor, and the pallid womal
upon the bed.
With trembling fingers the mothe
and daughter united the pocket-b book
ssIt is all here, Matte" the mothe
cried, and q folded paper Matti
Hill, from an old friend, and inside
am awake Matte it can't be true
A hundred dollar bill"
Mother r.
ssIt is here-look Now, Matte
you shall have q fire at night, q blanket
and some nourishing food. You vii
get well, Matte r.
And here happy sobs came too fas
for words. Matte drew her mothe
into close embrace.
| "Come, you forget your bundle,
she said gently. "Oh, only look, Ed
dy's ball, and such beautyi A do
for Miunik and n l0valv one fn0as a Ia