The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1877-01-19

cllN anu. dNNpISt ldLc. llICIC llNtu
a poor withcrcd old woman in a
miserable shanty called the
''rookery.'
She was out every morning long
before the dawn Of day with her
basket and hook, diving into gut
tiers and barrels in search ofsome-
thing to exchange for bread.
She worked industriously at her
humble calling with a will; be
cause she hada motive, a motive
as strong as any whichmoves the
heart to action-it was love.
Yes, il was "a loving heart which
beat beneath those rags. 1tr.
TO watch her, Bending over 4
filthy barrel, searching through
its mass of rubbish, to note the
.scant faded dress and tie old rag
which stfvcdfor a shawl, and the
dirty hood drawn over the wrin-
kledfa face, bronzed by constant
exposure to sun and lwind-it
would be extremely difficult to
imagine The slightest degree Of
tender feeling within; in fact to
imagine that a human soul lived
under such an exterior.
But follow her home after a
DAYS work is disposed of, and we
shall find that self-sacriice and
devotion is sometimes found un-
der the low roof Of a hovel.
Before she enters the small
apartment she calls home; she dis
appears into some dark corner.
and diyesting herself of the old
tltlmpery, emerge6 fresh and
-clean. @ .,al a.....
"You are better o7day, Bonita.
See, my darling, I Ihave brought
you something NICE" she said,
holding up.a bunch OF tempting
purple grapesg.aHf W. .sa..
The person thus addressed was
afgirl seated in an easy chair, sup
ported by pillows, evidently an
invalid rconyalescent from long
sickness, for her eyes, foretOld re-
turning health. aga-
She was beautifnl-remarkably
so, andit was made still more APP
parent by her coarse surround
ings. ..l- .a.,
'"'Alwayg thinking and planning
for me, dear grandma, and never
for yourself,H she said, looking
gratefully at the Old tady-shall
we say! ,.5 .
Yes, lady, for if according to the
American idea, the elements of
true womanhood, unselfshnesS
land Boliteness. constitute a lady,
Irrespective of condition, then the
withcred. d.oIdE ragpicker was one
without doubt. She, however,
would have disowned the title,
| Being an Italian whose views of
| birth and station differ materially
from ollrs, 'iaG- Z .il.'.'t
When Young and comely, she
hn1ayried one 6f her own station in
| life, and togetherthey toiled hap
PLY: butwith the nimprovidence
tcommon to the race and-soil, they
| failed to lay by for a rainy day.
! Those "darK, and dreary days
came only too quieklyfo shortly
laftor the birth ola SON the youne
husband died, leaving his widow
| to battle with poverty, bequeath-
| ing to his boy a name only.
The little Antonio, in due pro
cess Of time, became aman Of fine
presence. with regular, handsome
features, and lars rgeluminous eyes
! These attractions gained for him
much admiration,J and at last a
sweetheart, far above him in so.
cial status,who beirg passionate
| ly in love, dissented all advice
and interference, and consented
to a secret marriage.
In company Antonio,s mother
the happy couple came tC
the New World, the FL Dora
do of the unfortunate, where
they were blessed with a daugh
ter, to whom was givenher grand
! mothers name-Benita.
She was a lovely child, gfull O
grace and sweetness, which every
lday deyeloped,into the formation
1of a fine disposition; and being
sent to the public schools Of New
York, she could hardly fall to ac
quire a smQttering at least, o
! knowledge. ~
At Are time we introduce her
she was in her eighteenth year
her parents both dead, her grand
mother being her sole supper
and protector. .GM5atI
= Perhaps it might be though
i strange that Bonita did not OBJ
tain employment Of some kind
and thus assistby d division Of la
: Dor. rr
Alas, poor girl, she was, upab Il
10 ln6ge any part of her body ex
cept her arms, for a fall received
years before, had weakened he
spine, leaving partial paralysis,
aButethanks to a noble charity
q apd tie skill Of Doctor Knigh
\ size swas rapidly recovering th'
4 use Ter limbs by aid of braces am
straps, and he prophasied a speed.
return ohcalth and strength.
Grandmother thought no tasI
d, too laborlous, no labor disgrace
ful, chat brought comfort to he
; darling, the only being She loved
, or who in return loved her.