Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1877-03-09

On, Joanna, am so sorry Tor you.
"Sorry Say thatagan, lass People
have mostly left of being sorry for me-"
said Joanna, with hard laugh.
"But listen, Joanna. Do be serious.
Won't you try to do difFerently2'
Il am not so bad as folks Think me,
Dora Oxgate, except for the horrd crav-
ing for drink. | have been nothing worse
than wild and willful Believe me,
child, for it is Gods truth. Only when
a girl once gets on the down hill every
Christian man or woman thinks it their
duty to give her yet another push p
Then will you try to retrieve your
old self?'
"Ilow can I? What is there left for
me 2"
your superb voice, Joanna2"
"You would have me sing myself into
responsibility, eli? And in the mean
time | should starve."
"You need not starve, Joanna.
Here
Quick as lightning, she drew small
gold chain, with gold locket shaped
like heart dangling at its end, from her
neck
Dear Joanna, take this. It is worth
money, | know; and it is all have in
the world to givel Sell it, and use the
money for your needs"
Joanna Elfeld stared vaguely at the
cleaning trinkct.
care you in earnest, Dora 2"
"Of course | am. Hush mother is
calling me. | must gov
"God bless you for this" said Joanna,
huskily. "And, Dora-one word more
| am only Joanna Elfeld, buff you
won't, let me kiss you just once
by way of answer Theodore Oxgate
threw her arms around the tall girls
neck, and pressed her soft red lips close
to the others cold mouth. And as she
did so something FLASHED on her neck
hot, round tear.
The next minnie Joanna Elfeld dis
appeared into the world of shadows that
was lowering over all the autumn land
scape. And as she went she murmured
to herself, unconscious that she was
speaking aloud:
"Some one believes in me yet? In
me. It's strange sensation, and vet
it gives one something to live for, after
all p
Il
"Dora Theodore Why don't you
answer? But no one thinks it worth
while to pay any attention to me now a
days p
II was Mrs. Oxgate's shrill piping
voice +; and Mrs 0xgate, helpless from
paralysis, sat in her cushioned chair by
the sunny doorway.
"What is it, mamma 2" Dora asked,
coming to the door.
The Oxgate farmhouse had drifted
sadly to decay. Fences had fallen ;
gates hung creaking on one hinge; sun
ny pasture lands were neglected; grass
meadows had toppled over with their own
weight of harvest. And Mrs. Oxgate
herself looked, as she sat in the doorway,
like the very genius of decay
"The carriage with them grand peo-
pie that has bought Glenwood Place. -
A gentleman dressed like the Prince of
Wales, and fine lady whose diamonds
flashed fit to blind one. All me it's
fine to be young and rich Look the
carriage is stopping! Perhaps they've
dropped something Sure's ! live, the
lady's coming back, trailing her purple
silk dress in the dust like it was domes-
tic gingbam. Oh, dear me, wish I'd
had my best cap on p
She gave her apron twitch and tried
to settle her scant skirts over her poor
useless feet as the tall, stately figure
swept up to the door =.
"This is the Oxgatc place, is it not 2"
the lady asked, in deep, sweet voice
that betrayed her at once. Dora an-
swercd, promptly:
"This is the Oxgate place and you
are Joanna Elfeld !"
"Not Joanna EIield now--but Joanna
Avenel," she rejoiued, smiling and flush
ing. Here is my husband George,
this is the friend | told you of whose
hand, ten years ago, lifted me out of the
darkness aud set me in the right path -
Oh, George, you know how much | owe
to her !"
Mrs. Avenel was weeping softly now,
yet the smiles shone brightly through
her tears.
Dora" she added, chat night was
the turning point in my life. See /! |
have your little gold chain with the heart
yet. | knew then that one human crea-
ture lad faith in me still, and it removed
the fountain of life within Inc Dora,
Dora, you we're my guardian angel, God
bless you for it !"
People wondered much that those rich
Avencls Of The Place had an insignifi-
cant chit like Dora Oxgate so much with
them, TO say nothing Of that trcsome,
pressing old bore, her mother. But Mrs.
Avenol was great lady, and could Of
course be excused for having her whims,
one Of which was always to wcar a thread
like chain Of gold around her neck, with
a heart-sbaped locket hanging from it.
"When she could have diamonds in
stead !" said Miss Comfort Peabody, who
had Of late observed that she always
had thought Joanna Elfeld TO be ge-
MUS.
And Dora Oxgate, although she had
settled into a solitary, hard working old
maid, knew that her apparently purpose
less life had not been in vain.
"For there is joy among The angels Of