The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1878-10-02
AT THE GATE.

1t was a bright day in early November,
with clear skies and a very keen breeze rust
ling the few many colored leaves clinging to
the trees along the streets of the fine old
country town. A very quiet genteel look
ing street. lined with handsome residences,
it was; and from the handsomest of them all
lady came forth with slow step, as if her
only object was to enjoy as much as possible
of the bright sunshine and the clear and
healthy air
She was young and quite pretty, with at
tractiye, resolute features with blue eyes
dazzlingiy beautiful. Her fair complexion
was in perfect harmony with the rosette of
blue velvet on the front of her round hat;
and her walking dress of gray silk was neatly
fitted and stylish. This lady was Agnes Car
roll, the niece and heiress of the wealthy
solicitor, Mr. John Carroll, who lived in the
stately mansion she had just left
She came down the long garden walk
slowly and thOuehtfully, and paused at the
gate, looking over it with an exclamation of
surprise On the footpath a man was lying;
his face was turned away, and he was so mo-
tionless that Agnes fanced he was dead; and
hurriedly Enclosing the gate, she fastened
to him.
Evidently he had fallen headlong, for..his
clothes were great disorder, and his hat
crushed under tn side of his head, which
lay against the side OF the fence. His face
was pale and thin; his hair and long IN
kempt beard were bright brown; and his
garments, though much the worse for wear
and very i'll fitting, had once been of the
finest material. His shoes were old and
much worn, and Agnes could that he
had no socks. AS she gazed at the wretched
outcast tear trembled in her eve and fell
upon the hsggard face over which she was
bending; and then Agnes walked back to
the house and sent some OF the servants out
60 bring him under shelter.
The taole boy said he was drunk, but
Agnes felt quite sure he was mistaken; the
stranger could not be inebriated, she said,
and ordered them to carry him in and give
him comfortable bed.
When the doctor for whom she had sent
had arrived, he said Miss Carroll was right.
The man was not intoxicated, but in the last
stages of starvation, and had fallen in the
road out OF pure inability to take another
step.
When Mr.. Carroll came Agnes told him of
the occurrence, and made him promise that
the poor man need not leave the house until
fully recovered: and that IL hScould, he
would assist him to some other way of life
than that which had brought him to their
gate.
Having gained her uncle's promise, which
she knew would be kept, Agnes sgain dressed
and set out for her long delayed walk. Be-
fore she had gone far she was met by a young
gentleman, who stopped her when he saw
her, and remarked:
Il was on my way to call on you, Miss
Carroll, turning aud walking along by her
side.
How is your mother to day. Mr. Bell?'
asked Agnes as they walked along.
Quite we'll, thank you. We are expecting
my sister home from school, and she is all
excitement"
Fanny will be quite an addition TO our
circle this winter"
yes By the way, Miss Carroll, will you
lend your assistance in getting up those tab
leaux for our fancy fair?'
II am sorry, Mr.. Bell, but my time is so
fully occupied that can not undertake to
be anything more than spectator"
Mr.. Bell was evidently disappointed, and
left Agnes at her gate with parting request
that she would call when she heard of Fanny
Bells arrival.
Agnes, when she entered the house, in.
inquired after the strange man. He was
still in stupor, she was told, and they were
afraid that be would die. Agnes stole
up to the room where he lay, above the
servants hall, and her heart gave a great
throb of pain and pity as she gszed on the
white face and shrunken fingers of the poor
fellow.
His old garments had been replaced by a
clean and comfortable dressing gown, and the
room was warm and sunshiny, butt mattered
little TO the unconscious waif over whom she
bent Agnes had not always been the rich
and netted heiress: time was when she, too.
had known want, and care, and toll, and
bad been frlendless and forsaken Of all but
God. This was all ended years ago; but the
sight of the strai Ger carried her back to her
girlbood, and the friends of whom she had
lost sight when her uncle found her and bore
her away to his stately home.
There was one she remembered most of
all, poor. struggling law student, half
starved and half clothed, who supported an
Invalid mother from the miserable pittance
earned as a copyist; but not all the penury
and want which was his daily portion could
disguise the fact that be had talent and would
rise In the world il the laborious life he was
leading did not kill him; and in Agnes Car
rolls eyes he was a hero TO be worshipped at
o distance.
They had been friends-nothing more.
The blue eyes and prematurely old face of
the young girl bad found no entrance to the
frozen heart of Harry Morton. He was kind,
as he was to all created beings-nothing
more. From the misery of hopeless poverty
and hopeless love combined, he, at least, was
spared.
And Agnes Carroll went away to her good
fortune with the good wishes and q warm
pressure OF the students hand, that was all;
she and all women but his mother were as
mere shadows on the wall.
She went away and forgot him, for she
was young, and life offered her many de-
lights; but she measured all men by the
idol of her gIrlhood. and though she knew
that he had never cared for her, and that at
last his memory was Indifferent to her. yet
strangely, all men fell short Of her standard,
and eight years after she was twenty-five
and still Agnes Carroll.
Two DAYS after, when M. Percy Bell came
to tell Agnes that his sister Fanny had come,
she told him the story of the stranger she
had found at the gate, and added that he
was now dangerously i'll of fever; told him
also to beg Fanny to waive formality and
come and see her. There was nothing on the
strangers person to give the slightest clue to
his identity, indeed. Would Percy Bell
ike TO see him2
No, Percy did not care to see him. Very
likely he was some wandering scamp, much
beneath the notice OF respectable people.