The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1878-09-04
GIVE MEET TO PART"

and the Woman Forgot.
From Harpers Weekly.
One Wild clustering night not many
years ago a stage coach made short de-
tour through one of the mountainous re-
gions of Pennsylvania, and stopped at the
house of preacher. 1t was an old
brown house at the foot of a sterile rock,
seemingly as remote from civilization as
the heart of an Arabian desert. The Rev.
Paul Hume has already spent here, so far
as vitality went, the best years of his life.
He had been of late glad to find the old
rebellious longings, the fierce ambition,
even the fretting discomfort and talent
hope of the future, becoming more dim
and dull, and he began to believe, as the
years went by, he would be able to live
out those allotted to him hororably at
least, and in a measure resignedly. He
had given up to foolish fondness for put
ting fire and fervor in long Sunday dis
course. He was quite content that some
of his congregation should sleep quietly
through the sermon, and ruminate over
whatever aeshly aggreyation or joy that
was upper-most in their minds. Prob
ably his spiritual companion, even in the
degree suited to her capacity, was his
serving woman Hager-black, straight
featured, stoical and reticent, but given
to bursts of religious enthusiasm that i 4 a
measure relieved the dull monotouy Of
life they lived there alone together.
Hagar ought to have known her mas
ter better than to believe that he would
refuse succor to any helpless fellow
creature, and it was foolish Of her to
shorten the chain that barred the door
that night in March when the driver of
the coach begged that they would take
temporary care of a sick passenger. She
had been getting worse and worse, the
driver said, for the last ten miles, and
''seein' there was no hotel nor hospital,
nor anything handy he had made bold
to fetch her to the parsons house. Hagar
shook the crimson turban on her fine
Egyptian head, and declared it was not
the parsons business to risk his life with
pestilential fevers.
Even as she spoke, however, the par
son had Embossed the chain and gone cut
\ ia his scant gown and close cap to the
coach, and lifted the poor woman out in
his strong arms. Hagar followed him
and his burden up stairs, and, as the light
from her candle fell upon tangled curls
ant braids, bits OF ribbon, and a long
stri, of embroidered lace that hung from
the head of the sick woman, gold chain
abolt her neck and other personal gew-
gaws that appealed to the contempt of
, Hagar, she muttered to herself that her
master had had quite enough Of these
+; miserable fummeries for the rest of his
natural life.
The lady's trunks had been bumped in
after her, and presently they had to be
pr;ed open, for the lad US lips and eyes
were closed, and she could not tell Hagar
: whee the key lay to these fine treasures.
! But Hagar went to work with will, and,
ssfre the preacher had sadled his gray
cob and started off on his five-mile
joupey across the mountain for doctor,
Hagr had put aside the ribbons and bits
Of thveling adornment for long white
mus in robe, which struck the preachers
heat with chill somehow, and made
ksmlpeed the pony on his way.
II doctor had some broken bones to
set md told Mr.. Hume frankly that, so
far a fevers and disorders of that kind
went that black woman Of his was worth
dom such ordinary practitioners, and
that had long counted upon her in ex-
tremies of that sort; and, trotting over
to My Hume's the next morning on his
way bm the setting of broken bones,
the d tor lied out to the parson to
knoWf he we're not right about the cap
abilia of Hagar. The sick lady's wrists
and alkles were bandaged up with cool
ing h Tbs, and the strength Of some heal
ing daection of Hagar's reached the SUI
- geons hostrils. The pupils of the eyes
were dated little, and crimson flush
burned in the cheeks of the unfortunate
traveldb but the doctor declared that
Hagar Fas doing we'll, and, with good
care, ID a week or SO, the journey could
be pun aed. Then, with curious and
Involuntary air of admiration, the doctor
looked again at the patient and went on
- 4his way; it was not often, in a region
like til IS, one could look at pretty wem-
IN, sicf, or we'll, and the good surgeon
Z Iould scaneely be blamed for that lineer-
: re- si'T'' vi LID up0N poor mrs. Del-
~ IS yet the person had been alone con-
= ,rned for'issr safety; Gar many days it
- id not occur to him that the condition
his guest appealed to any tribute of
nature save pity and reverence. Ha-
II, however, strongly disapproved of
minnie charms, especially when the
7ner endeavored to ado to them by
jvolity of dress or demeanor. The poor
=. ly, who felt that she owed, perhaps, her
~ life to these good peoples care and
i'll, opened her heart to Hagar, and
d her all about her long journey from
] Pacific coast, where she had lost her
3band many years since, and had long
to come home to the East, but dread
, as we'll she might, the dreary waste of
Les between. Hagar knitted stolidy
and listened-apparently she listened
j not with that active, tender absorbed
: crest that the minister gave to the
8'y of the traveller. ...... ~ a
1rs. Delplaine was too i'll to be left
9 alone, and Hagar had her household
les to attend to. so that the minister
often compelled to bring his book
make the sick-room bis study. The
nber, which had been somewhat bare
desolate, suddenly became glowing
warm, and made sharp contrast
the room on the lower floor lined
moth-eaten volumes, and choking
Elaccumulating dust. Mrs. Delplaine
46s6as0e0 that q fow e+;o1,, ,..:ILA -