The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1879-07-19

TALE or THRILLING INTEREST.
off you please, sir, Mrs. Maginnis SAYS
she can't come to wash windows today,
because she is sick, aud wants to know
would you be kind enough to come and
see her, and please keep the job ill she
gets we'll"
The little figure standing 10 the doorway
of DIR, Howards office, gazing wistfully
into the doctors face, was a study.
She was clad in somewhat uncouth
dress, originally Of some grayish material
but pieced, darned and patched with yari
GUS kinds of goods, until it resembled u os
eph's coat Of many colors." A red hand,
kerchief was pinned under her chin, which
heightened the briliancy of pair of spark.
ling black eyes, and mass Of jet black
tangled curls were pushed back from q
pale face that under any circumstances
would be pronounced one Of rare beauty
Her stockingless feet were encased in 0
pair of old rubbes which she confessed Il
having picked from scayenger barrel.
DR.. Howard gazcd at the wan little OBJ
ject and wondered if life could be worth .
great deal to such as she.
"What might be your name ?" he in.
quired.
swell, they call me "0dds.and Ends
mostly, but my right name is Margaret.
"Odds-and Ends Well declare Blu
upon my word, 0dds.a nd Ends, you are l
queer-looking genius. Where do you liver
"Down there in Crazy alley, rear of No
8, second door, up four flights, thro' long
entry, turn TO the left"
"There, there That will do, Mis-,
Odds-and. Ends But now tell me. little
one" he asked kindly, "are you imperyi
Gus to the cold, or do you prefer to e
without stockings in December Do you
know that you are inviting Group, dipthe
ria, pneumonia, rheumatism, cramps, anC
what not, by dressing in that fashion ?"
81 don't know, sir but this is all have
! never was sick in all my life, only once
when ! had the humps, and once again
when ] had the measles, or guess tn,
measles had me Everybody thought ID
die, | was so very sick-1 didn't" she
added, archly. ave did not live in Crazy
alley them she continued, "but we were
boarding in large hotel where there were
ever so many servants"
"Who do you mean by we?
"Why, papa, mamma and l. But papl
died, and mamma says since then we dc
not live Of all, we only stay"
GLOW old arc you ?" inquired the doc
tor, with strange and sudden interest.
"Ten, sit"
BY this time Odds and Ends, or little
Margaret, was seated in the doctors com
Portable Office and paying her respects Il
handsome apple that the good man put
into her hands.
At this juncture Mrs. Badger, the doc
tors housekeeper, came busting 10.
"Well, il | shan't give it upl Here il
that strange child, and sitting here as co
lilly as you please. Are you sick, you
little rag-tag and bob-tail2"
"SoW Mrs. Badger, interposed the doc
tor, "do not call too many names. The
little one has brought me message from
airs. Maginnis, who is not very vol to-day
and requires my services. Hun on now
Odds and Ends, and say that will be
there directly"
ayes, sir r.
"a strange child that, Mrs. Badger
truly. How long have you known her ?
ooh, for nearly year, of and on. She
has been in the habit of coming here fol
cold pieces every now and then. Hei
mother, | believe, has known better cir
eumstances, but became reduced, like many
others in cities, and is now, think, very
poor indeed. The mother is sickly too,
believe"
"When she comes again, Mrs. Badger
it is my desire that you see sho Ia properly
clothed. II is simply proposterous 10 send
a child out so thinly clad on such raw,
Indictment day as this" and the doctor
buttoned his great coat about him and
stepped into his carriage to make his daily
round Of calls; but first of ALL he drove to
the squalid abode Of Mrs. Maginnis, fol
DIR. Howard was meyer known to neglect
the humblest child of oaith, when such
were sick and suffering.
But all that day, and for many subse-
quent days the good doctor was haunted
by the wistful eyes Of the strange child
whose way in life seemed to him so hard
and unnatural. He inquired of Mrs,
Badger many times to know IL she had
seen or learned any more Of quaint little
0dds.and Ends; bni Mrs, b, declared she
had not seen hide nor hair Of her since the
morning she brought the message from
Mrs. Maginnis, aud that hard.working wo-
man lost the run Of her entirely.
1t was a whole year from that time
When one evening Dr. Howard was hurry
ing along 0 crowded thoroughfare, he was
startled by . sudden cry and confusion
Of voices, as runaway horse, dragging
the remnant Of earripge, came leaping
and plunging along the street, One glance
showed the excessive danger Of child
who was midway upon the crossing, and
directly 10 the path Of the furious animal.
Another instant aud DR.. Howard and
the child we're both down in the mud Of
tho street, aud the dangerous creature was
at bay. The doctor had snatched the
child from beneath the very hoofs Of the
horse, and with the other hand seized the
bride of the foaming, wild-eycd animal,
and tho next moment, as assistance came,
fen with the rescued one prone In the
street. Recovering himself in a second,
he looked into the face Of tho burden that
Law quite unconscious on his arm and be-
held the eountenance Of little Odds and
Ends