The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1877-02-08

little Teller yer might he bowed away,
and yer've got mar to fret about YER
amt. HullO! there's cove goin' to
stop at that house wonder. Wonder would
he like Teller 10 hold his hOss? Think
I'll ask him. 1t don't do to let an OPP
pOrtunity slip such times as these.
Look out and don't freeze, young un-
there's good time COMM"
So Joe swung himself off the stOOp,
and little Jenny, left all alone, strained
his ewes more wistfully than ever to
catch the CLEAN of the fire that warmed
Miss Maud COngdon's elegant breakfast
room.
Bonnie, beautiful Maud! What would
envious little Jenny have thought if he
could have seen the lovely mistress of
that wonderful great house, with all its
stately grandeur and luxurious elegance,
as she lay, not fifty yards away from him
only u street and a massive stone wall
separating them-her sunny head buried
in the soft blue cushions of her chair, cry.
ing and sobbing with a passionate sense
of pain and misery beyond the reach of
reason to control!
| Auntie! auntie!" she called out, as her
gentle friend and relative entered the
room.
My child, what is the matter? Have
you seen Howard again."
The only answer was low moaning
cry, as the sobbing girl wound her arms
round her faithful friend, and buried her
face in the gentle bosom that had sheltered
her so often.
Where did you meet him!"
Last night at Mrs. Stevens, where we
went after the opera. He only came in
for moment. l was dancing at the
time. He gave me one look as passed
him, but there was something in his eyes
SO kind and gentle that all my old love for
him came back with redoubled power,
and such sense of misery poured itself
upon my soul that I wondered why God so
formed His creatures that they can endure
such torture and still live. Oh, auntie!
did he ever love meg"
No, darling, do not think he ever
did. He certainly admired you-as who
does nOt?-and circumstances threw you
much together; but what has Howard
Langly, the Woodworking clergyman,
whose parish is in the poorest portion of
the city, whose life is spent among tho
poor and suffering, listening to their COM
plants and ministering to their neccssi-
ties, to do with Maud Congdon, whose
talent, wealth and beauty place her in
| pOSllou WIFI WuiCn HIS lllc Vi Cillc dilu
toll and sacrifice can have neither contact
nor sympathy?''
." And yet, auntic, I would fling houses,
lands and jewels to the winds if by so do
ing could secure one glance of love and
tenderness from Towards eyes, such as
fancied he used to give ME during the
happy days gone by"
| But, Maud" continued the gentle
lady, with all this passionate love for
your cousin, with all this wild longing
for affection from him, what have you
ever done to show Howard that you sym.
pathized with his efforts or understood his
labors? You have never attended his
church or offered to assist him in his
work."
"Oh, auntic, stop! My money has been
his to distribute as he liked, but cannot
stOOp to tricks and artifice to win his
love. Would you have me emulate the
admlring spinstcrs of his congregation,
undertake district visiting, seek inter-
views with him in his vestry- room, fol-
low him about among the poor, and sur
felt him with mawkish sentimentality
under the cloak of charity and religion?
Oh, no, no; cannot do that. But how
can live without him!''
| sob, Maud, how wrong, how wicked
You are! How little you understand life,
with all its responsibilities, its demands
for patience, sclf-sacrifice and unselfish-
ness! Can you never learn to look be-
yOnd yourself, to shake off this terrible
egOtism that pervadcs your whole exist
| encc, and in endeavoring to understand
and ameliorate the woes Of others, find a
medicine for your own? Lift up your
head now, darling, and look out of the
vu,in dnvpv N HAT
| shivering boy who is shrinking behind
the shelter of that opposite door post, and
looking so wistfully over here? Let us
call him in, and listen to his story, and
try to help him. 1t is what Howard would
do"
"Call in your, ragged boy, auntie, ii
you will. Is there more pain in cold and
hunger, think you, than / am suffering
now?"
In few minutes Jenny was standing
in the midst of the beautiful room, gazing
first into the brilliant depths of the Won
derful sea- coal fire, and then ut the bright
loneliness of its youthful owner. The
little street Arab was bewildered by the
warmth and luxury into which he had
been SO suddenly drawn, and irresistibly
attracted by the beauty of Maud, as she
asked his name in her soft, low voice.
Then he went over to where she sat
looking at him, and laying his hand very
gently on her delicate dress, he said,
looking earnestly into her eyes, lis you
got any little boys:''
Maud reprcssed an involuntary shrink
ing as the dirty little paw was laid upon
her knee; but as she saw the piteous look
in bis eyes, the tears came into her own,
and she answered him very gently, "No,
Jenny; why:'
Zoos they'd be so happy;" and great
sigh broke from the quivering lips OF the
wretched little fellow.
"Auntie," said Maud, II think l
would like to kiss him if he were only
clean"
"Well, Maud, have him washed.
Jenny, would you like to be washed:"
"I'd ruther not" said Jenny, with a
frightened look.
why not, you dirty boy:"
eve isn't used to it, yer see, down
where I lives. They does it to US somc-
killed little Teller that way last week
ed, and it's so nice here!" and the tears
began to roll down Jemmy's cheeks. The
prospect of being washed appalled, his
very soul but when he looked at his dirty
hands and solled clothing, and at Maud's
sweet cOuntenancc as it bent over him, he
reconsidered the matter, and said, IF
I'll be washed. will you kiss me!"
"Yes, indeed, Jenny" replied Maud;
land we will have no cold water either.
Would you like to be my little boy, you
poor little thingy'
Maud's heart was melting toward Jem-
my very fast, and when she saw the ra-
diant expression that illuminated his face
at her suggestion, she forgot her weari.
ness, pain and passion for the moment, in