The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1879-01-09
The Charities of a Poor Woman.


/ On a sequestered hillside of North
Seltuate, nesting among green hillsaDd
woods, stands an ancient cottage em-
powered with creeping vines and CAV
nowers, ana surrounded by fair or
chards, whose trees are red and golden
with delicious fruit. Here resides a
woman indefatigable and benefcent
always busily at work for somebody.
although she has neither husband nor
child, aud no means but this little farm
and its appurtenances. Her home is
| pleasant and tidy, sweet and genial, and
happy are the many recipients Of her
generous hospitality; but she is so busy
doing good deeds for the needy, her
time is too precious to waste on vain
superfiuities. She wears no gewgaws,
trails. or overskirts. But nearly every
week till cold weather comes, she may
/ be seen in her plain wagon, laden with
good things for the poor, driving into
Providence. In summer you may see
this wagon loaded with fresh whOrtle-
berries, with her own hands from her
own land, To make glad the Old Ladies'
Home; and the next week the poor
children of the Shelter are delighted
with a similar donation. In apple time
she is seen cbeerfully driving up to the
same institution, and the children shout
for joy as a generous bag of SapsOus Is
poured out before them. The next time
she visits the city, the old ladies at the
/ Home bless her with cheerful voices for
barrel Of the same delicious fruit. A
I little later in the season, the aged men
Of the Home are gaddened, their hearts
not soured, but sweetened by the acid
gifts, as she loads their table with
| plentiful supply Of fresh cranberries,
{ rf4Lad nv bar ogrr MI m ffa ffuuars frDu1
| her own prolific meadows.
The poor children Of certain institu-
/ tiOn seem to be dropping and puny. She
/ knows that nothing puts new life into
little children like joyful surprise. So
/ she goes to a genial confectiOuer aud
says, II want ice-cream and cake for
/ thirty. What is the cOstW He makes
la liberal discount and away with a light
heart, she bears the sweet burden to de-
light the little ones, whose sad lives
were so early beTeft OF childhOOds sweet
ness. She pays the bill, and takes it to
kind ladies with purses, who gladly re-
lieve her from the pecuniary part Of
this sweet work.
She is interested in an aged woman,
sick and helpless, who must not be
hustled OF TO the alms-house, for she is a
sister iu the church and must be kindly
cared for. SO our heroine, so fertile in
practical plans of relief, obtains means 70
board aud nurse her for three long years,
] tenderly as II she was an own mother.
+ One album bed-quiit which she devised
tor her support, and with the aid OF
friends. uobly executed, realized over
500. True it is, that where there's a
e Will there's way"
: Happy the destitute, hed-ridden Grip
pie, suffering and helpless, that en-
crosses her sympathies, so active aud
I warm, for ever afterward the pitiable
r invalid lacks no comfort that money or
r friends can procure.
Happy, too, the worthy mission, near
or remote, ready TO fail for want of funds,
= that she takes % her heart. Forthwith
e its needs are supplied and the good work
p prnspers.
In the olien time, before the art OF
printing was known, this efficient
Z widow, so indefatigable in doing good
- would have been cauonized as model
for sisters of charity aud her memory
. passed down through the centuries as
% Saint Amaraucy or saint Indefatigable,
r but in these latter days Of the news
, paper and press, her published example
: may perhaps meet the eve of some
croaker and grumbler, or he read by
{ some one who is sick, sour, and sad,
e because so selfish, and who may he in
- cited thereby to 90 and do likewise, for
get herself, bless others, do good as she
has opportunity, and as an ample re-
e ward here below, find herself WELL vigor-
r Gus, and happy.-ILrs r. C. Ndtber iH
8 Providence Journal.