The weekly herald. [volume] (Cleveland, Tenn.) 1876-1888, 1879-12-11
THEIR HEARTS OPENED.

South Down, though charmingly stu.
ated in one of the eastern counties Of
England, is not place of general re.
sort,
Here and there cottage or two may
be found, making pleasing variety in
a landscape rich in natures loveliness;
but as our narrative has only to do with
that part of South Down in the imme-
diate vicinity of the chalk pits, we will
briefly introduce the reader 10 Adam
Rawley and his wife, an old couple oc.
cupying one Of the little dwellings near
to this locality.
Adam spent most of his days in cart
ing away mud and rubbish from the
roadside, and at other times he would
work in the pits, earning enough to keep
himself and his wife in comfortable cir
cumstances.
These old people lived on from day to
day, from season to season, without
change in their mode of life. They we're
quiet and orderly, causing neither trou-
BILE nor annoyance to their neighbors;
but for all this they were no favorites.
The fact is, Deborah Rawley and her
husband lived only to please themselves
Possessed of every comfort for, be-.
sides the bread-winner's earnings, they
had little income of eight shillings q
week coming in regulsrly-and, en-
crossed in their own concerns, they
never troubled themselves about being
neighborly; thus much of the sunshine
of life was unknown to them, through
the unapproachableness of their own
characters.
They were certainly striking CON
trast to the rect of the inhabitants Of
Lime Cottage--as the collection OF little
dwellings was called-amorS whom
there was feeling Of friendliness, and
msEy helpful deeds made life's day
brighter to many Of them.
Mrs. Higgins, their next door neigh
Dor, whose husbsnd was down with
brain fever, and required constant
watching day and night, had three of
her children laid up at the same time
with Inflammation of the lungs; yet in
her domestic difficulties she never ven
tured on asking aid from Mrs. Rawley;
but Mrs. Keen, bony matron, with
half a dozen little ones Of her own, and
engaged nearly every hour of the day il
ministering to their wants, proffered the
necessary help even before it was SO.
licited.
The whole community, with the ex.
ception OF old Deborah and her hus-
band, wed with one another in helping
poor Mrs. Higgins through her trouble.
The faculty for performing kindnesses
certainly did not belong to these old
people, All their lives they had closed
their hearts TO works OF benevolence,
and now, in their declining years, no
gentle promptings from earth or from
heaven seemed TO arouse them to deeds
OF love.
What is it to us if they do want new.
laid eggs2 Let them keep fowls of their
own and theyllg got some
SO the communication which he had
overheard Mrs. Fig ms make to friend
concerning the requirements of her sick
family was blotted from his mind, as he
convinced himself that it was not need
full TO bother himself with other peo-
ple's troubles.
Nevertheless, he repeated what he
had overheard to his wife, and as q wo.
mans influence, in whatever rank OF
life, is powerful, Mrs Rlwley's reply,
had it been in favor Of charitable
action, might have done much toward
it's accomplishment, instead of which
her verdict, Let them get eggs for
themFolves il they want them, strength.
tned her husband in his opinion that
The matter was no concern Of theirs.
The Rawleys were not in ignorance as
10 the feeling OF disiavor with which
their acknowledges regarded them
but what cared they