The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-10-04

early and soundly.
Many times, in the first few weeks,
the gay silks and feathers foated in a
bewildering confusion before the weary
blue eyes longing for a sight of the
buttercups and daisies of home; but
mother aud daughter had only brave
words for each other, and hopeful
prospects to picture of the return to
| the farm at the end of two years of
trial.
But, in spite Of brave hearts and low
ing words, Mrs. Gresham's white cheeks
and heavy eyes were perpetual witness
to her hours of lonely toll and the sor-
rows of her widOwhoOd.
Alice was not so easily borne down
even while shaling both work and
grief.
Eben was faithful, and came often
for cup of tea, leaving ever the sun
shine of his bright presence behind
him, and Alice was becoming favor
ite in the house.
] And Mrs. Greshman, after being a
month in her new home, had also a
story to tell.
"You have met the feeble old body
who lives in the next room, Alice ?''
she said one evening, as they worked.
GOTTEN! I've run back in the morn
ing many time to carry up her basket. "
"She spoke to me to-day, and came
in a minute for cup of tea. She is
more to be pitied than we are, dear, so
miserably poor, so old, and entirely
alone. We have each other"
"And Eben," said Alice, blushing
brightly.
"And Eben. But she has no one ;
she told me so to-day.
"What supports her?"
"She mak1 bags. She is a pleasant
old body, and l asked her to bring her
work in here, when I'm alone.
Mrs. Kaighn, the poor old bag-maker
was very often a welcome visitor to the
rooms.
But she never offered to return the
hospitality, keeping her room rigidly
closed against all intruders.
1t was very soon apparent to Mrs.
Gresham and Alice that saving would
be but slow work in their new home,
Wages were not high, and the two peO-
pie found that their own support nearly
consumed all their earnings.
Winter settled in, and the farm
seemed even more distant than it had
in the spring. Only a small sum had
been saved, and the prospect of in
creased expenses was disheartenlng.
Mrs. Kaighn, now almost one of the
little family, was very often present at
the discussion of future plans and pros
poets, and knew quite well how the
hearts of her friends were bound up in
the hope of one day redeeming their old
home and returning there.
"And when we gO," Mrs. Gresham
would say kindly, "you must come and
see how strong you will get with our
country air and food"
And the feeble old woman would
smile and say
"I've lived so long here, my dears-
thirty long years-I'd never feel at
home anywhere else"
"But you must come to my daugh-
ter's wedding" Mrs. Gresham said,
smiling, and the old woman sighed
wearily-
"I'm too old and feeble for gayety,
dears; but I'll send an old woman's
blessing to her and her bridegroom, be
sure of that"
The winter was half over, when, one
evening, coming in tired and chilled,
Alice found the room empty, the table
not prepared for tea, and her mothers
work hurriedly thrown into corner.
She was looking around her, half
terrified, when her mother came in
lTOll mTS' hdlSHl IooHl'
"Alice, dear" she said, "Mrs.
Kaighn has had fall upon the ice. |
heard the men bringing her up the
stairs, for she begged to be carried here
and not to hospital, and went in to
er at once. I've not dared to leave
her since, for she's badly hurt"
"Has she comfortable room mOther|
''The barest place ! ever saw, and
not one scrap of fuel, this bitter day
Her bed is hard straw mattress with
poor coverings. I've done what could
for her."
elias she doctor?"
eyes"
"Did she break any bones, mOthcr?"
"No, the injuries are all internal,
but they are serious, fear, for She evil
IDENTIFY suffers dreadfully, though she
says very little"
"We must take care of her."
eyes dear ~
So, with those few simple words they
took up their new burden Of care and
responsibility,
1t is an old trite truism that the poor
are the best friends Of the poor, and 1t
was so In this case, The old woman
who lay groaning with pain in her
wretched room, was tenderly nursed
by the mother and daughter, whose
only tie to her was the common claim
of humanity and mutual poverty,
II had surprised Alice, on first enter
ing the room, carpetless, miserably fur
nished, to notice near the window a
large box in which was growing SUI
perb oleander, the only object of beauty
in that wretched place. 1t was like
/ hrnnth of hnmn mir IN har IN eno urnon