Connecticut western news., 1879-11-26

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 l was forty-fve years of age when left the Pullman Refuge for service witl the Mayfelds. They had been forty five strange, wicked years to me, and ] was glad to turn my back upon them l had been more than once in prison and had been more than once sorry fol the sins which had committed. ''Thi. is the last time," I had always said when my prison days were over; and ''This is the very last," I protested when the Refuge had given me a good word, and there had come to my un. profitable life another chance. At forty. five I had learned something of what was right before then I had guessed al it, and followed wrong as easier work for me. -----. .-.... -...
 Arthur Hay field held e responsible post as ''buyer" in a wholesale city house, and on the strength of his position. his future, he married for love. He had been four weeks on his wedding tour, when the news came that his firm had failed" smashed up'' for hundreds of thousands, carrying away other firms in the great crash, and sending little army of old servants adrift on the world.
 Arthur Mayfeld had saved little money-a few hundreds-and this sum came in handy, and enabled him to keep np an appearance for while, and to wait more patiently than clerks less lucky than he had the power to do.
 The Mayields took ne away to their honest home, saying, " Come with us, Martha; we know what misfortune is, and we sympathize with it, especially with such hard misfortune as yours"
 l went with them, and month or two after this their little baby boy was born.
 The baby had been christened Paul. In the mothers delicate state of health it had become necessary to wean it a few weeks after it's birth, and the greater portion of the care of the child deyolved upon me. a.
 Tley were not afraid to trust me : they would not have known what to do without my love and forethought, they said they hoped the time would come when they would be able to show sub- stantially their gratitude to good, hon. est, faithful Martha, as they called me.
 They called it Martha's baby" jestipgly, whilst tho mother lay weak and strange it was, perhaps, that to my innermost conviction came the assur. ance that I was most loved by the baby, most needed-the only one, thank God, with power to soothe it's restlessness, and change it ilto smiles.
 The boy grew brave and strong. With the odds against him from the first, Paul fourished and waxed fat for one year and eight months of age he was the hand somest, brightest, healthiest oi children. Oh, how loved him {! How jealous was in my heart even of his mother, and yet loved the mother too and would have died for either of them willingly-for the boy too will. ipgIy, to save him an hours pain or g days sickness. had the choice been of. fered me.
 He was twenty months old, I have said. In all those months luck had moi come to the Mayfelds; the husband had not earned penny piece, ard the wife had remained an invalid, eternally propped up by pillows in her chair, feigning to wear bright looks and happy smiles, and prophesying still of faire, times, to keep her husband from wholly giving up.
 knew the money was nearly all gone. Arthur May field had pitched some of il away in mad dash at the Stock Ex change, and had bought the wrong stock, I think they said, and lost by it misfortune glowered upon them stead. fly. Tradesmen were more chary oi trusting them there was heap of un, paid bills upon the mantel- piece, and ] missed things out of the house that never came back again, and upon which 1t had become necessary to raise money for immediate requirements.
 It was said at last that I must 20 they were unable to pay my wages, and my mistress-my poor sick mistress hardly able to crawl from one room tc another even yet-thought herself stropr enough to do the household work. did not leave them because there was nc more money to be paid me I begged hard to be allowed still to stay il the one home I had ever known. prayed hard not to be cast adrift. brought them all the money I had hac of them, and saved for them, and sskei them to take it in earnest of my grati tude. I moved them to tears and to , consent that I should stay whilst it wal possible.
 The boy was invariably we'll dressed there was still money for him. I say to that myself. When I gave up m, earnings to the Mayfells, and bough their gratitude by the sacrifice, I kep something back for Paul, and there wal always ready smart ribbon for hi peok, bright steel buckles for his shoes