The Morning herald., 1877-05-04

WCiIs
Yes, am quite we'll, she answered for
giyingly, as another wave of the everlasting
despair rolled over her and swept from
her forever the delusion that this friend
was to give her the bread oflife.
You idealize too much. You must adap
yourself more perfectly to prosaic condi
tions of every day existence, said another
Prosaic iiddles.icks! she exclaimed t(
herself. contemptuously; what | want il
sorae thought, some philosophy, some spir.
ilual food, that will reconcile me to til,
world and enable me to play my part vel
in every day existence. How stupid peo-
pie are! They have certain phrases they
utter that may mean something or nothing:
but so far as they are concerned, are used
to save themselves from thinking: Ideal
ize to much! what convenient, utterly
meaningless phrase that is! Shall try
anybody else?
She went over in her mind yet again the
people she knew, and then she said des.
perately, | will make one more trial. !
will 60 and see Ir. Swanson. Whatever
he says will be sensible, to say the least,
and it will not be contemptuous.
DR.. Swanson was man who had moi
achieved any sudden or striking success;
but he was man Of solid culture and
deep spiritual experience. He was never
SO busy" to say word to fellow crea
ture seeking guidance. The atmosphere
OF his presence was the sympathy that Is
:uscperabe from greatness; and lie re-
ceived Miss Streiter in The matter OF course
way that made it seem easier tur her TO
tell him her perplexl,ies.
e talked long and sympathetically to
her, but this was the lhous ht that fastened
itself into her soul and anchored it TO the
everlasting peace: have often thought, he
said, that if | could order things, there
are some people that | would hire just to
live; not to think, or talk Or work, but
simply TO live and help other people by
he res,ful atmosphere of their serene and
sympathetic existence There is great
need for such people, Miss Streiter; more
need, if possible, than for the people who
work and fret and crlticise and desplse
and seek or scorn to enlghlen other
people.
Miss Streiter's angry protest against
lite's hard and bitter conditions went Out
in tears. Surely this is worth while, she
said, to be the sort Of person whose very
presence will ditiuse delight. Hereafter l
will act as if / we're ust hired TO live. She
And after this everybody said: What a
change has come over Miss Streiter!
sn / IKE the same person.
And she was not She had been born
again into newnes5 Of purpose, and old
things were passed away.
There comes Mr.. Barlow, she said, one
afternoon, as she glanceu out OF her bright
little window. lie has not been near me
tor long time, but he is coming now.
suppose his teeth are on the edge with the
thoughts of the sort of things used to say
o him. Poor man! He is looking worn
ately. i
Then she opened the door and welcomed
,im cheeriIy, and chatted TO him about
he weather, and her birds and flowers, and
ne acted like man in a dream.
Do you know Miss Streiler, he said at
length, somewhat abruptly, that one of us
has changed amazingly in the last few
months?
Perhaps both, she rtjoined; but why and
how?
/ cannot explain, he replied, only that
you used to effect me SO differently from
what you do now. Why, tire time wa:
when ! dreaded to met you; when a
church sociabIe became formidable if
Isuew you would be there, and when the
very expression Of you discon
certed me even while ! was
preaching / always preached better
when you were not at church. But
Of late your effect upon me has been ex.
acty the reverse. Your face ha' grown
50 tolerant, so sympathetic and SO full Of
that it stimulates me to do |
my bet. Will you tell me if you are
conscious Of any change taken in your
self?
Yes, very great change, she answered,
with humanity that once would have |
seemed impossible. l used to be always
,etting people and things to right, as
/ was goaded by an Insulated
Ie,ire to do some useful work, and ren.
lered desperate by conviction that moth
ng was worth while. Now, | am not
;eeking work nor pay for work. feel as
f had been hired to live; simply to be
serene and sympathetic and satisfied, that
10 perhaps my presence may light the
pathway of those who can work. 1t was
DR.. Swanson who taught me to consider
myself just hired TO live, and not hired to
10 anything el.e.
Miss streiter, said Mr., BARLOW, with
udden tremor in his voice, it is noble
hing to light hepathway of the humblesl
worker; yet l do not know how far you
nay reaIzs this; nor do | know how pre-
ump.uous my approval Of you may seem
o you. -,
Miss Streiter's eyes filled with tears.
She had lived thirty years-and long