The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-07-26
MISS ARNOLD.
Another Story Of Love that was True,
but Didn't Run Smooth.
BY THE AUTHOR OF 1.-TWO OLD MEMS
TALES" ETC.
CHAPTER II (CoNTINUED.)


her shrunk into insignifcance. In hope
she looked forward to that day when
tears should be wiped from all eyes, and
the lost and severed meet to part never
again. In charity, in other words, love,
she filled that aching, desolate heart with
fresh affections, warm and tender, if not
possessing the joyous gladness of earlier
days.
Every sorrowing human being, every
poor sufferer, be they who they might, or
whence they might, found place in that
compassionate heart. No wonder it was
filled to overhowing; there are so many
sorrowng sufferers in this world.
She went about doing good. Her
whole life was one act of pity.
Her house was plainly furnished. The
smutton chops, with few greens and
potatoes" laughed at in a recent trial, as
If Indifference to ones own dinner were
crime, might have served her. She
often was no better served. Her dress
was conventual in its simplicity. Every
farthing she could save upon herself was
saved for her poor.
You must please recollect that she
stood perfectly alone in the world, and
that there was not human creature that
could suffer by this exercise of sublime
and universal charity. Such peculiar de-
votion to one object is only permitted to
those whom God has severed from their
kind and marked out, as it were, for the
generous career.
Her days were passed in visiting all
those dismal places in this great city,
where lowly want "repairs to die" or
where degradation and depravity, the
children OF want, hide themselves. She
sat by the bed OF the inmate of the hos
pital, pouring the soft balm of her con-
solations upoa the suffering and lowly
heart. In such places her presence was
hailed as the first and greatest of bless
ings. Every one was melted, or was awed
into good behavior by her presence. The
most hardened of brandy-drinking nurses
was softened and amended by her ex-
ample.
The situation of the young women who
have to gain their livelihood by their
needle had peculiarly excited her COM
passion, and to their welfare she more es-
pecially devoted herself. Her rank and
position in society gave her ready access
TO many fine ladies who had an immensi-
ty to be done for them; and to many
fine dress-makers who had this immensi-
ty to do.
She was indefatigable in her exertions
20 diminish the evils to which the young
ladies, ''improvers" l believe, is the
technical term, are in too many of these
establishments exposed. She it was who
got the work-rOoms properly ventilated,
and properly warmed. She it was who
insisted upon the cruelty and the wretch
edness of keeping up these poor girls hour
after hour from their natural rest, till
their strength was exhausted; the very
means by which they were to earn their
bread taken away, and they were sent
into decline and starvation. She made
fine ladies learn to allow more time for
the preparation of their dresses and
fine ladies' dressmakers to learn to say,
"No."
One of the great objects of her exer-
tions was to save the poor plain sewers
from the necessary loss occasioned by the
middle man. She did not say whether
the shops exacted too much labor or not
for their pay; with so great a competi-
tion for work, and 50 much always lying
unsold upon their boards, it was difficult
to decide. But she spared no trouble to
get these poor women employed direct by
those who wanted sewing done; and she
taught to feel ashamed of themselves
those indolent fine ladies who, rather
than give themselves little trouble to
increase poor creatures gains, preferred
going to the ready-made shops, "because
the other was such bore"
In one of her visits among the poor of
Mary-le-bone she accidentally met with
these two sisters, Lettice Arnold and
Myra. There was something in them
both above the common stamp which
might be discerned in spite of their
!, squalid dress and miserable chamber;
i but she had not had time to inquire into
their previous history-which indeed,
they seemed unwilling to tell. Cathe-
rine, preparing her wedding clothes, and
II well knowing how anxious Mrs. Danvers
X was to obtain work, had reserved a good
i deal for her; and Mrs. Danvers had en-
nj trusted some of it to Lettice, who was too
To wretchedly destitute to be able to give
anything in the form of a deposit. Hence
~ her uneasness when the promised things
did not appear to the time.
ID anu lleHce tHe TdlHer grave looks Oh
II Reynolds, who could not endure to see
Il his mistress vexed.
q "Has the workwoman brought her
/, bill with her, Reynolds? asked Mrs.
Il Danvcrs.
4 81 will go and ask"
d "Stay, ask her to come up; l should
like to inquire how she is going on, and
i whether she has any other work in pros
/ pect."
i Reynolds obeyed; and soon the door
i, opened, and Lettice, poor thing, good
V deal ashamed of her own appearance,
II was introduced into this warm and COM
u Portable breakfast room, where, however,
j as have said, there was no appearance
: of luxury, except the pretty neat break
I fast and the blazing fire.
/ Good morning, my DEAR" said Mrs.
j Danvers kindly; II am sorry you have
L i n