Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1876-12-23

not only the money volunteered, bu
my hand to help you in any aid for th'
two OF whom you speak"
"Ah sec you are the same gener
ous hearted boy you always were," 70
piled Mr.. Briggs, taking Jacks ont
stretched hand; lyon may come will
mo now and see where they live. an
going to see about some work ordered
maybe You would like something, too.
=" Yes. OF couse would. I will ge
right along with you, but I'll stop out
side; they may not care to see strangers
You may order me dozen Of anything
at all, don't care what" and Jacl
walked on quickly beside his old friend
They reached tho place at length, 9
little court Off side street, the house
an old, rickety wooden affair. Mr.. Briggs
went up the stairs, leaving Jack down il
the hall; presently he called ont &c
him "Mr. Somers, If you please, Miss
Cardwell would like your measure; will
you walk up stairs for n moment9" Jack
felt half guilty OF u pleasant satisfaction
in having his curiosity gratifled, rs he
followed Mr.. Baiggs voice. The room
he entered, he noticed at once, was very
bare and scantily furnished, but exquis.
itely clean and neat in its appearance.
Mr.. Briggs introduced him as "the gen.
tleman, Mr.. Somers, who would like q
dozen shirts, and Jack found himself
bowing to slender, girlish figure, in
deep mourning.
On the lounge lay the still, pale. sick
mother, whose sufferings could scarcely
last but few more days. "Every inch
a lady; not really pretty, but very in.
teresting face, and good figure"
thought Jack, as Miss Cardwell stood
beside him to measure his great, broad
chest.
"Charity," whispered faint voice
from the lounge, and jack started when
the young girl answered to tho name,
and assisted her mother to rise.
What physician have you for Your
mother, may l ask, Miss Cardwell 2
You are a stranger here, Mr.. Briggs tells
me, and thought perhaps -
"We have none at PRESENT. do not
I could not, knew none here could
call upon," was the hesitating answer.
How could she say she knew of none
she cared to call upons A stranger,
and with no money to pay o physician's s
fee.
elf you will allow mo 1 will send one
know to be good man and most ex-
cellent physician. Briggs, will you ask
DR.. Agnew to call upon Mrs. Cardwell
You will see him at the college imme-
diately, will you nct9"
"Certainly, Mr. Jack, but 1 thought
your mother4was under medical care,
Miss Charity. Why didn't you tell
me9" And Mr.. Briggs looked little
surprised and hurt.
"Mother had her old medicine still,
and you were already so kind, I could
not trouble you with everything, Mr..
Briggs" and the girls voice trembled
and her brown eyes filledas she spoke.
Jack thought it was time to go, for he
felt like taking the little hand in his,
and bidding her trust her trials to his
onro. He only gave her his card, how
ever, saying III frank, manly way
Here is my na!neand address /; l hope,
if there be any reasor-if there comes
time when you need any assistance. be-
ing strangers here-tllat you will call
upon me as we'll as Mr. Briggs" Upon
which the girl thanked him, and they
took their leave.
"And to think their name is Gard
we'll too! Charity Carlwell what re-
markable coincidence p and Jack broke
out into little laugh as they walked up
the street.
"In what way9" asked Mr.. Briggs,
completely mystified at Jacks hilarity.
"Why, don't you know9 that is the
name OF the cameo party, tho man who
gave me the ten dollar reward for restor-
ing to him his lost pendant, figure
Charity Charity Cardwell." And
Jackseemed to take delight in repeating
over the name.
We'll, upon my word, Mr.. Jack, if
that isn't q strange thingl" exclaimed
Mr.. Briggs, intere ,tcd directly. "Per-
haps the families are related; it is o
Philadelphia name; stranger things than
that have happened. I'd study the
thing up if were you. 1t would almost
be like a story"
81 WILL" answered Mr.. Jack. And
before the day was over he wrote note
to the "cameo party" rs follows:
" M1.. OARDWELL:
"DEAR SIR-The reward, which you
insisted upon my taking, las been, as
you suggested, "given to neither "a
church, nor mission school, however,
but family who are at present in great
need. L do not doubt that you will be
as interested in their behalf, were you to
see them, as l have beon, and 1 there
fore inclose their address and name,
which, singularly enough, is the same as
your own.
Respectfully yours,
JACKSON SoMERs."
To his proffer of assistance toward |
Miss Cardwell and her mother, Jack re-
ceived no reply nor demand. tIr.
Briggs said they had suddenly left their
old quarters and gone, no one knew
where. He did receive al answer, how
ever, to the note he had written TO Mr..
Uardwell, the cameo party" 1t came
one morning in May, when Jack had
almost given mp the hope Of ever hear
ing again anything about the young girl
who had interested him SO deeply in the
winter.
"DEAR SIR 1.-THE note ran you have
unconsciously been the restorer of
another figure OF Charity to my home
and heart. Not cameo one this time.
however; and if you will call at my house
any evening this month, viii reward
you-with formal introduction
every truly yours,
"CHARLEs CALDWELL.
Jack felt his heart beat quick as he
OWNED at once what all this meant.
'' It must be as Mr.. Briggs surmised,"
thought lie, "aEd the two families were
related and this figure of Charity is the
one which has haunted my dreams"
He did not wait very long before he
called for his reward, and he found it