The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-05-01

badness of boys, there should ever be
any good men in this world"
After while, l saw her in earnest
consultation with the doctor, who had
just set the broken limb.
"He is uneasy lest he should be
trouble to you," heard the doctor say,
land is anxious to be taken to his lodg-
ings, but to movehim is simply impossi-
BILE as yet"
"Of course" said Aunt Hillary,
promptly, Il don't dream of his being a
trouble, poor man; and am sure he is
welcome to whatever can do for him.
1t is fortunate that he is, in my house, as
] have no family to take up my time,
and so shall be able to pay him proper
attention. Just tell me what l can do
for him, doctor"
AT present" said the doctor, in n low,
grave voice, he needs only quiet and
nourishing food" -. -
significance of these words until q few
hours later, when Ephraim returned
from Mr.. McLean's lodgings, whittier he
had voluntarily gone for certain articles
of clothing, and to see the schoolmaster' s
effects properly secured during his
absence. And then he told Aunt Hillary
pathetic story of bare walls and straw
bed, chair and table; the latter with the
schoolmaster' dinner set out upon it.
"Pea-soup and corn-bread, as [ live"
said Ephraim, with brown sugar and
coffee in a cupboard, and no butter
And the shoemaker's wife, who lets him
the room, says he cooks his own victuals
and don't eat enough. to physic snipe,
and mends his own clothes occasional. ~
Aunt Hillary burst into tears. She
knew, rs did everybody in the place, that
the schoolmaster was very poor; but
she had not dreamed of poverty such as
| this. And then he was stranger, with
no friends near to do him a kindness, or
to looksafter him in his illness. What
wonder that her tender heart was
| touched
Thereafter, despite his helpless eondi-
| ton, considered Nh Mclean fortunate
man. I never entered the house without
finding in Aunt IIillary's kitchen Ga per-
feet model of kitchen, by-the-bye), vari-
Gus dainty dishes, the very sight OF
which caused my schoolgirl mouth to
| water.
| Such fragrant tea and delicate waff1ee,
served on the French china that had
| been a wedding present to her mother.
! Such savory beef-tea, and fresh straw
! berries and translucent .iellies ! Such
! omelets-such broiled steaks - such
white, feathery 70 lis; and all so tempt
| ingly arranged on the large japanned
tray, ready to be carried to the invalid's
bedside, where stood round table al
ways adorned with the very choicest OF
Aunt Hillary's flowers-not in big
bouquet, but simply a blossom or two,
| fresh and sweet, in little Dresden-china
vase that had been longer in the family
!han Aunt Hillary herself,
And then, how neat and cool and
pleasant was the room in which the in
valid lay. Kind neighbors supplied him
with papers and books, and Aunt Hill
larry sometimes read to him; and | more
than once heard her singing in the twi-
light in n low voice. much as mother
might sing to her tired baby.
As he grew better and could sit up ir
bed, Mr.. Mclean began to make himself
of use to his hostess. lie retouched {
faded crayon portrait of her father; ht
repaired and renovated much -priZeC
workbox; he instructed her how to clear
gilt picture-frames; how to fix colors il
carpets and dress goods by chemica
combination, and best of all, he tool
charge of Jackey-the cause of this un
expected change in Miss Hillary's house
hold-and, subiecting him to course
Of careful training, transformed him int
a tractable, intelligent and well-behavet
member of the household.
1t was wonderful, Ephraim declared
how changed the beast had become, anC
how implicitly he obeyed the least wore
or sign from the schOOlmaster who wa
the only person for whom he ever mani
tested the least respect.
Aunt Hillary did her best, by mean
Of feeding and petting, to win his regard
but he appeared to look upon her with
certain contemptuous Indifference, some
times expressed in his conduct, excep
when sternly rebuked by Mr.. Mclean.
And so the sweet fiowery June passed
and one day, Mr.. Mclean, with tn
assistance of crutch and Squir
Sanders arm, limped out of Aunt Hill
lary's rose -wreathed porch to a carriag
which was waiting before the door.
saw him turn to Aunt Hillary and tax
her hand, and say something in loy
voice about her goodness and his graft
tude; and l thought his eyes were mois
and his voice somewhat faltering.
And when he was gone (not to his oil
lodging, but to Squire Sanders hosp
table home), Aunt Hillary went back int
the house and wandered about in a los
kind of way. and finally sat down in Nj
McLean's armchair, and then. witliou
a word, began TO CRY.
When | asked what allied her, sll
wiped her eyes and laughed, and sal
that she felt at loss, as if her occups
: ton was gone-and she must get al
other patient 10 attend to or go into
: hospital RS nurse.
, After this / used to occasionally st
Mr.. Mclean seated in Aunt Hillary
front porch, or leaning on her gate. (;
7 she gathered a rosebud for him. Ont
| heard him talking about his little gir
Lillie-he was widower-at scho
| somewhere away in the South, and
l his longing to see her; and then / kne
that it was for this child-to dress h
! nicely and give her a good education,
4 that the schoolmaster had saved his lit
t earnings, to the sacrifice of his own con
s fort.
lie did not go back to his little schoo
Though Squire Sanders influence
= obtained the position of principal
0 c. Academy, with good salar
r and now he began to dress well and lo'
n so handsome that the single ladies
It c. began to take quite an interest
him. They invited him to society met
: ings and quilting suppers; but it W
It very seldom that he accepted an invit
+ ton, and it came to be understood til
7 he was not marrying man, rs they e
q pressed it. ....
! One day. on my .return home trC
/ school, my mother desired me to dr'
IS myself very nicely, as she wished to ia
a me out with her. We went first to Al
Hillary's whom we found attired in