The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-08-29
NUMBER 80.

air; some. indeed, in rags, and begging, Bat
even those l could not Imagine otherwise
than smiling, for were they not freei Ahl
we'll, all this 10 but wandering from my story.
The reason pick out that day 60 speak Of
here Is. it was thon the story pSoperly began.
For Ethel Esmond, happening to be riding in
the Park amongst the happy ones there. and
being watched by many eyes, and amongst the
rest by those of poor washerwomau cazryihg
homo her weeks work, oil that brought shout
the story came from this. The woman stood
back in the shadow Of some trees, hsr heavy
basket laid down beside her, and have been
told by Eugene, who saw her, unseen by her,
that she stood shading her eyes with her hand,
aud gaEing,on the young lady with hunger
ing and earnest look, very much to be won
dered ut by any one who might have noticed
it, While che stood thus, little bsggar girl
whose pinohed face alone implored sphaIity,
held out wan hand to Ethel Esmond, passing
in her elegant open carriage. understand 1t
| Is not usual for ladies In her position TO even
see such little hand held ont, ut which an
much astonished, but she saw IL, and with
tender pity on her face dropped into 1t piece
Of money. immediately boy, much larger
than the little girl, darted forward and
snapped it from her, running away then %
| fast rs he coald. I often see the picture
| Eugepe's words made for me Of the little CIR
| then. He said che did not scream, nor run after
him, but stood silent and very touching pic
ture of childish despair, clasping her hands, her
face turned towards where be had gone. that
face eloquent with silent and profound woe, her
slight and ragged little figure dropping in
every line, her very hslplessness about pursu-
ing her defrauder adding to the simple pathos
Of the whole. Eugene is poet. think can-
not say 1t in better place than ct this point
of my story.
The world, Of which am so ignorant, must
not be near so beautiful as the earth, that
keeps itself as God made it. For it appears
that to the eyes Of the world 1t was now very
eccentric thing that Ethel Esmond stopped
her carriage and stood mp, with indignant
crimson dyeing her cheeks, pointing after the
retreating boy, with gesture so queenly in itS
command, that TO see it might alone have ar
rested his steps, and saying to Der footman:
$50, bring him here"
Eugene said that no princess, on whose word
hung the lives Of Thousand criminals, could
have spoken with . more royal grace, or no
Judge, dispensing to them their deserts, with
more severe determination, yet, ss the man
went to do her bidding, she bent down to the
now silently weeping child with the sweetsst
and most womsnly pity, saying:
"Dear, you shall have your right! There"
as the tears fell faster at the kind Voice, do
not-vSG shall haze your right"
All this time the woman In the shadow OF
the trees watched with steady and eager eyes,
watched as If on the issue depended SOmething
greater than appeared to any Others looking
on, so Eugene said, and those anxious hunger
ing eyes were fixed on Ethel Edmond, not on
any other actor in the scene. Their gaze on
her was so intense it really might have drawn
her to the side of the Rsaer, IL there be any
thing at all in magnetism.
Well, the stalwart fOotman returned In few
minutes with the delinquent boy, kicking and
struggling as they came. By this time little
crowd had collected, mostly Of boys, and from
many carriages and buggies heads were turned
70 and out the end. Ethel Esmond did moi
Seom 70 see any one, hOwever, but the weep.
ing child and the author Of her tears. 70 as.
sor5sd was she in her object, that, iaaraindfal
OF any witness, she stepped froDr. the carriage
and stOod beside the little gid, awaiting hir
coming. When the foot man suecoOdSd IL
bringing him to the Or .Doh, she took that lIttl
hand, 90 thin and wan, from which he ha'
snatohsd the COLI, and held is cut towards th
now ShFinkiD, and blubbering coward
There" she said in ringing tonssi cps
: that No ,ney exactly where you got it| g
Re laid it In the poor II tie palm.
"Now. goP ~
{ The fOOtnan released him, and;; he ~. Aw
d faster than be had done befot&
o Because she spoke 10 hegssy> al
. heard her, az could have sas9' Hov ~ ~
9 half dollar instead, bcsyE ~ GSSeI 4
been seeing justice de 4as wOul s. sc