Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-02-16
of the friendIess little bov.

happen.
"Really and truly" repeated
Maud, smiling down upon him
"And if you will go now and be
washed, I will go home with you
and ask if l may have you. Who
owns you Jemmy?"
"Only mar, and she's got six OF
u.s."
"And can spare one easily" 4" laugh
ed Maud.
An hour afterward Jenny and
Maud made their way down Broad
way, through Worth Street to Bax
ter. Oh, the nauseous smells, the
sickening sights and sounds, the
lOathOsme horror of the placel Jem-
my led her into one of the rickety
old tenements and in the highest
story she found a wretched family
huddled together in one room, and a
haggard, sickly woman came for
ward, whom Jenny called ''mar."
The bargain was soon concluded,
the hopeless mother only too glad to
accept the kindness offered to her
child, for whom she could do so lit
tie.
AS Maud turned away and COM
menced the descent of the dingy
staircase, a tall figure in close-fitting
clerical uniform blocked the way,
and looking up, she saw the strong,
quiet features and beautiful eyes of
Howard Langly.
"Maud, what brought you hereT'
"Please, Sur, she came to get me,
and Pm her little boy" exclaimed
Jenny, who dreaded something
might interfere with Maud's arrange
ments regarding his small self.
Jenny has told you, Howard. l
am proposing to subtract this small
fraction from the great sum of hu-
man wretchedness;" and she laid
her hand gently on the head of the
boy. 'But what brings you to this
part of the city? Your parish is on
the west side of the town"
eyes, but was sent for this morn
ing by a poor creature here whom l
knew formerly. He is lying sick in
the room above US, wretched, suffer
ing and alone. 1t will be a hard
winter for the poor; so many are out
of employment, and early as it is, the
weather is bitterly cold. We shall
have a hard struggle to combat the
wretchedness and disease that cold
and hunger bring III their train, and
great efforts must be made to bring
assistance to the poor creatures"
"Could l help you, HOward?"
"Do you really wish to?" And an
eager, questioning look came into his
eyes, accompanied with glance of
admiration such as he had never be-
slowed upon her before.
81 will try,if you will tell me how"
"Was it kindness to that poor boy
that brought you to Baxter street
to-day, Maud?"
eyes, Howard" smiled Maud; ''it
was affection for Jenny, pure and
simple, that sprang into existence
upon an acquaintance of half an
hour, which made me forsake the sa-
cred precincts of the Avenue and
come to Baxter street to-day. Have
your approval, most reverend Sir?"
"God bless you, dearP'
What a wealth of tenderness went
into those four words! Then, with
a single clasp of the hand, he step
ped aside to let her pass, and Maud
went on, with Jenny clinging to
her skirts. What had happened to
Baxter street? Whence had come
the light that lit up the loathsome
tenement until it shone like palace?
What made the filthy sidewalk seem
path through fairyland? and
whence came the glory that gilded
the horrible surroundings with such
a strange and wonderful beauty?
Only Maud saw the illumination, and
she thought 1t came from the light
of Howard Langly's eyes.
Thus Jenny went to live in the
Fifth Avenue with Maud, whom he
worshipped with all the strength of
his grateful heart. He had a coat
now full of bright buttons, like that
of the wonderful Jeems, Joe used to
tell him about. His principal duty
was to open the great doors of the
vestibule for the entrance of Miss
Congdon's guests. And the one
who sought admission oftenest and
received the warmest welcome was
the Rev. Howard Langly.
Maud's first expedition to Baxter
street was not her last. The barri-
ers of Incidence and selfshness that
inclosed her heart had been shaken
by the appealing touch of Jemmy's
little hand, and melted away alto
gether through the ennobling infu
ence of Howard's grave and earnest
teaching.
More and more chilly grew the
searching winds, coming steadily
from the north; louder were heard
the sad stories of privatiOn and suf-
fering among the poor; and cold
and grim and bitter the winter set
tied down upon the city. Faithful
ly and earnestly Howard worked
day by day, endeavOring to alleviate
so far as lay in his power, the mis-
cry he saw around him; and Maud
shook herself free of the many
claims that society made upon her,
to follow him in his wanderlngs and
assist him in his arduous work. Side
by side they breasted cold and sleet
and snow to carry comfort and con-
ISOLATION to the wretched homes
where disease and destitution were
holding their horrid carnival. To
gether they set themselves to work
to arrest the progress of the war of
destruction waged against their
helpless fellow beings by starvation
and sickness, stalking together hand
in hand. Many a hungry mouth
they fed, many a shivering form
they clothed, and many bitter and
despairing heart they cheered and
comforted. But to Maud and How
ard it seemed as if little had been
accomplished by their earnest efforts
in comparison with all there was to
do. and their hearts were often heavy
with the thought when they return