The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1875-07-30

chine, and whoever was there was so busy
over it that they did not hear me knock,
so [ opened the door softly and looked in
upon as sad a scene as | shall.ever, | dare
say, see.
There in the bare sat, asleep in her
chair, the widow lady who came about
the machine, and | could see that in her
face which told plainly enough that the
pain and suffering she must have been
going through for years would soon be
over, and, situated as she was, it gave me
a kind of turn.
Its no business of yours" | said to
myself roughly; and | turned then to
look at who it was bending over my ma
chine.
could see no face-only a slight figure
in rusty black; and a pair of busy white
hands were trying very hard to govern
the thing, and to learn how to use it well
$50 that's the gal, is it?' | said to my
self. "Ah, Luke, my boy, you've got to
the silly calf age, and dare say"
[ got no further, for at that moment the
girl started, turned around, and turned
upon me a timid, wondering face, that
made my heart give a queer throb, and L
couldn't take my eyes off her.
"Hush!" she said softly, holding up her
hanGS and [ saw it was as thin and trans
pa ent as if she had been i'll.
My names Smith," | said, taking out
a sore w-driver. My machine: how does
it go? thought I'd come and see."
Her tace lit up in a moment and she
came forward eagerly.
Pm so lad you've come" she said,
Z" L can't quite manage this"
She pointed to the thread regulator, and
the mex minute L was showing her that it
was too tight, and somehow, in a gentle
timid way, the little witch quite got over
me, and | stopped there two hours helping
her, till her eyes sparkle with delight, as
she found out how easily She could now
make the needle dart in an out of hard
material.
"Do you think you can do it Lowe" l
said.
"Oh, yes, | think so; { am so glad you
came"
$50 am l." says L grufly sit will
make it all the easier for you TO earn the
money, and pay for it,"
"And | will work so hard" she said
earnestly.
THAT you will, my dear" l says in
spite of myself, for [ felt sure it wasn't
me speaking, but something in me. "She
been i'll long?" | said, modelling towards
her mother.
Months" she said, with the tears start
ing in her pretty eyes but" she added
brightly, Il shall have enough with this
to get her good medicines and things she
can fancy - and as | looked at her, some
thing in me said
God bless you, my dear. hope you
will )" and the next minute | was going
down stairs calling myself a fool.
They thought L didn't know at home,
but | did; there was the wife going over
and over again to Benefits place ; and all
sorts of little nice things We're made and
taken there. l often used to see them
talking about it, but took no notice; and
that artful scOundrel, my boy Luke, used
to pay the half-crown every week out OF
his WI pocket, after going TO fetch it
from the widows.
And all the time l told myself didn't
like it, for | could see that Luke was
changed, and always thinking of that girl
"a girl not half good enough for him. L
remembered being poor myself, and [
hated poverty, and [ used to speak harsh
ly to Luke and the wife, and feel very Bit
ter.
At last came an afternoon when L knew
there was something wrong. The wife
had gone out directly after dinner, saying
she was going to see a sick wOman-l
knew who it was, bless you! and Luke
was fidgeting about, not himself; and at
last he took his hat and went out.
They might have confided in me-" [
said bitterly, but all the time | knew that
| wouldn't let them. They'll be spend
ing money-throwing it away. | know
they've spent pounds on them already"
AT last [ got in such a way that | called
down our foreman, left him in charge,
and took my hat and went after them.
Every thing was very quiet in Benefits
place, for a couple of dirty, dejected-look-
ing women, n of whom was in arrears
70 me, had sent the children that PLAYED
in the court right away because of the
noise, and were keeping guard so that
they should not come back.
went up stairs softly, and all was very
still, only as | got nearer to the room |
could hear a bitter, wailing cry, and then
| opened the door gently and went in.
Luke was there, standing with his head
bent nv the seWinp-machine : the wife sat