Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1876-11-25

bed of their mediating consolation
PrOvidential interpOsition was no longe
If u hopeful subject, since even the practical
maxim, GOD helps those who help them
selves" failed to bring work to her viii
ling hands.
1t was not the wall of an easily diScour
aged woman that uttered What shall
do. What will become of us!'' but thu
cry of heroic, but desperately triet
heart.
|, Notwithstanding the scene just lie
scribed, the little family dined heartily
on potatoes, with rice and bacon gravy
; for desert, while the invalid reluctantly
nibbled at her toast and pOached egg
and slipped her cup OF tea.
"TO-mOrrOw we shall have soup,
Julia promised the boys, as they marched
away to school again land Sunday you
snail have a pudding" she added. think
ing she could manage it somehow.
After the room was in order and the
dishes cleared away, Julia removed her
apron, and taking up the paper that had
been wrapped around the bread she had
: brought home. she CHANGED to notice the
''want column" and read under the head
of miscellaneous :"
Wanted-A person to read an hour.
' morning and afternoon; none but a good
reader need apply at-,etc. etc.
She looked ut the date-it was the pre-
vious day. Poor girl, experience had
taught her not to be sanguine, still a
thrOb of hope permeated her being and
lent a buoyancy to her step rs she caught
up her hat, and with some trifling excuse
to her mother. left the room and hasten
ed to the address she had torn from the
paper.
1t led her back into the aristocratic
portion of the city where her merry child
hood had been passed. Nothing like re-
greet for the happier days haunted her.
she hoped. Oh. if such fervent aspira-
tiOnS are not prayers, then none ever
fioated on high. that she might not be
too late TO obtain this place, and thus add
Il mite to the necessaries of existence.
She was ushered into an elegantly APP
pointed apartment, whose occupants
We're mother and son, as one glance suf-
| need to tell. The son, Il man OF 30 years.
reclned on lounge. his eyes were band
aged. The mother was seated near him
with copy of Henry Blackburns CAR
fists and Arabs; or, Sketching in the
Sunshine" in her hand. She received
her visitor with a winning grace that
placed Julia at ease to some extent, as
she stated the object of her call, her rea-
son for desiring the employment, and if
they were not already suited to permit
her 70 make the trial.
While she was speaking the gentleman
remained passive and silent, but the lady's
face gave evidence of intense interest and
sympathy. When she concluded the son
said:
Mother, have you aurora Leigh
lfandy?"
The book was at hand.
-Will the lady be good enough to turn
to page 81, and read from second book:
Times followed one another
Julia's heart beat so painfully, she i'm
agined it must have muftied her voice as
she read these lines, the simplest in the
whole volume. yet so replete withsan un-
der current of Specification to her thirsty
heartl The satire of expression was lost
in the tremOr of her voice as she read:
Il felt so young, so strong, so sure of
Godl
But it grew stronger as she continued,
for she was capable of identifying herself
with her author, and gained courage
from the sentiments that, to her, had Il
two-fold meaning. She had the elements
in her nature of proving worthy ''of
grand adversely"
Julia possessed low. musical voice,
and the faculty of transmitting her own
of what she was reading to
her auditors. She readily understood
trope. and by the magnetism OF her own
sympathy with an authors idea, her
listeners were enabled 10 catch it.
Mother and son appreciated this talent.
and, without further testimony, secured |
the services of the young girl to come
and read to the gentlemen two hours
daily. dividing the time morning and
afternoon, for which she was to receive
the, to her, magnificent sum OF $40 per
week.
Her good fortune seemed incredible,
her joy was mingled with emotions of
doubt, and only after she was seated at
the bedside of her mother, sObbing out
her story, could she realize that starva-
ton, bitter poverty was turned from
their threshold to earn $40 a week, and
still have so much time to devote to her
dear ones, besides the little sum her sew
ing brought them.
why, mother, it is wealth." she ex-
claimed, land buildings for the poor lit
tie boys! How delighted they will be
when can answer them our ship has
come in.'"
"Yes, daughter, God is good. Do you
recOllect what Carlyle says? Friend,
hast thou considered the rugged allnour-
ishing earth-hOw she feeds the sparrows
on the housetOp, much more her darling
MANI"
''Oh, you sweet mother" the girl now
said with gleeful laugh. SLOW nice
such sentiments sound, and how well
they set on a full stomach, as it were.
Voitaire says, by defying death the
brave escape That fits me better, for l
am ready to defy poverty, now that can
buy respite of this more cruel enemy
than DEATH"
Only think, MOTHER" she continued,
item dollars week for the luxury OF in
tercourse with such authors as know
shall find in that house"
Like a flower that had been perishing
i'm the drought, Julia freshened and de-
veloped under this pleasant change in
her lire. Her employers treated her with
gentle consideration, and uncOnsclOuSly
She disclosed to them all of her history,
and learned that the gentleman with 1.-The
eyes" had lost his sight about a {,
year previous, and was now under treat
ment, with out faint hopes of recovery.
One morning when the gray clouds OF
winter hung heavily on the earth, and
the frost king had no sunny smile for his
subjects, Julia was about leaving her
mother for her usual Literary hour" as
she called her readings, when the door
admitted the gentle visage Of her employ
er's mother, who advanced to the invalid
saying
"You mustpardon my intrusion, dear la
ly, but the weather is so disagreeable l
couldn't resist stopping on the way home,