Montgomery County sentinel., 1879-09-05

ODDS AND ENDS.

eff you please, sir, Mrs. Maginnis
says she can't come to wash windows to-
day, because she is sick, and wants to
know would you be kind enough to come
and see her, and please keep the job till
she gets we'll"
The little figure standing in the door
way of Dr. Howard's office, gazing wist-
fully into the doctors face, was a study.
She was clad in a somewhat uncouth
dress, originally of some grayish mate
rial, but pieced ,darned and patched with
various kinds Of goods, until it resem-
blcd "Joseph's coat of many colors" q"
A red handkerchief was pinned under
her chin, which heightened the bril-
liancy of pair of sparkling black eyes,
and mass of jet black tangled curls
were pushed back from pale face that
under any circumstances would be pro-
nounced one Of rare beauty. Her stock
ingless feet were encased in a pair OF
old rubbers which she confessed to hav-
ing picked from scavenger barrel.
DR.. Howard gazcd At the wan little
object and wandered if life could be
worth a great deal to such as she.
"What might be your name ?" he in.
quired.
"Wcll, they call me 'Odds-and- Ends
mostly, but my right name is Margaret"
"Odds-and- Ends Well declare But
upon my word, Odds-and- Ends, you are
a queer-looking genius. Where do you
live p
"Down there in Crazy alley, rear Of
No. 0, second door, up four flights,
thro' long entry, turn to the left"
"Thcre, there That will do, Miss
Odds-and-Ends p! But now tell me, lit
tie one" he asked kindly, "are you i'm
pervious to the cold, or do you prefer to
90 without stockings in December ? DO
you know that you are inviting Group,
diphthcria, pneumonia, cramps, rhema-
tlsm, aud what not, by dressing in that
fashion Z"
Il don't know, sir; but this is all !
have, | never was sick in all my life,
onl y once, when had the mumps, and
once again, when | had the measles, or
guess measles had mel Everybody
thought I'd die, | was SO very sick-I
didn't" she added, archly. ave did
not live in Crazy alley then," she con-
tinued, "but we were boarding in a
large hotel where there were ever so
many servants"
"Who do you mean by we p
why, papa, mamma and |. But
papa died, and ma says since then we
do not live at all, we only stay"
GLOW old are your" inquired the
doctor, with a strange and sudden in
terest.
"Ten, sir"
BY this time Odds-and-Ends, or little
Margaret, was seated in the doctors
comfortable Office and paying her re-
spccts to a handsome apple that the
good man put into her hands
At this juncture Mrs. Badger, the
docters housekeeper, came bustling in.
"Well, if sbaB't give it up! Here
is that strange child, and sitting here as
cozily as you please Are you sick, you
little ragtag and bob-tail p
"Now Mrs. Badger" intorposed the
docter, "do not call too many names
The little one has brought me a mes
sage from Mrs. Maginnis, who is not
very well to-day and requires my SER
vices. Ron on now, 0dds-and- Ends,
and say that / will be there dircctlyP
"Yes, sir"
"a strange child that, Mrs. Badger,
truly. How long have you known her 2"
ooh, for nearly year, of aud on.
She has been in the habit Of coming here
for cold pieces every now and then. Her
mother, / believe, has known better cir
cumstances, 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 Bad
ger, it is my desire that you see she is
properly clothed II is simply prcpos-
ferrous to send a child out 50 thiuly clad
on suc' a raw, inclement day as this"
aud tho doctor buttorea lis great coat
about hiu and s'eFped into Biz carriage