Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-11-26

| had better steal than heg,'
Nearly year after this event, Lucy
Arle remained at the humbly anC
comfortable home OF Isaac, and she
had no reason 10 murmur At being
treated unklndly, tor tho good old
man was as bencllcent ~ ever, ant
Mrs. Sims was soon obliged, from the
continued good department OF the
orphan, to regard her with pity, grow
Ing gradually into even mothcrly
affection, 10 at length she even bintct
to her old partner that 1t might b'
well to will their little home TO her
Tor they were childless'
Ho answered benisnly, "Ycs, saral
I've long thought of dong this"
One morning, however, ms the
young girl sat reading newspaper
they vera surprised to SEQ her spring
from her seat with n pleased, excite(
~Uncle Isaac ! Aunt Sarah, she ex
claimed, "here is chance for me J
pointing to an advertisement on the
sheet. The old people were more
astonished as they read 1t.
"Mcrcy y they both exclaimed
"you would not leave here to become
a miserable theatre servant, would
youY'
"Wby not she said, cheerily, but
hers were fearful eyes as she
added, "Besidcs dear friends, 1 car
earn my own living then, and it kills
me TO burthen you when you have no
thing, as you say, but this cottage
which is already mortagaged."
They declared that was nothing ;
that they would not have their child
as they called her. leave them.
But Lucy persisted that it would
be a sin TO refuse this chance. "Oh,
! shall be an actress some day, perhaps
Il great one y she said with spark.
ling eyes, Sand then, YOU old darlings
l will build palace for you for being
such n good friend to poor orphan"
And so three mornings alter tho
girl of fifteen went out with n cheerful
heart from the little home with its re-
gretful dwellers, who had taken her
gently in from the storm Of disgrace
and DISSOLUTION.
"Well Dick, this house does not
look much as did when Isaac Sims
used to live here dose it p
"Hump, we'll it dosen't,' replied the
one addressed, as he paused beside
his friend They both stood looking
at the filthy yard and cottage by which
they were passing-"l WONDER" pur-
sued Dick, show the old man isl l
heard yesterday that he was very sick
and quite destitute.
W heard so too," responded his
friend, land it seems a sad thing that
the poor old fellow who was so kind to
every one, should be suffering in that
old hut down by the river, where the
mean mortgage forced him after his
wife died.
Il should like to see the old man,
have not seen him since | left this
place six years ago." said Dick.
81 would like to go down and see
if something cannot be done for him.
for he was always kind to me, and
used to give me many friendly
lift when l needed one. And then
only think what he did for that girl
that was put into prison for stealing
seven years ago. She has since be.
come a fine actress ] hear.
"Yes," replied Dick, "she is in
Europe now, I believe, and has been
here a long time. She must have
gained wealth."
"No doubt fit, and if she only
knew of her benefactor's situation, one
would think she would give him aid"
"She did send him some money
some time ago, I beard. But she
probably does not know how very
poor he is, for the old man was not
one to complain"
"She probably won't know the truth
till it's too late," added the other"
This conversation thus far progress
ed, the two men were about to start
upon their visit to their old friend,
when q coach drove up to the old
cottage before which they stood. The
driver of the railroad coach had been
surprised to receive an order from so
beautiful and we'll dressed lady, to be
taken to that place, and he asked as
he assisted her to alight, "were you
not mistaken in your order =
No, this is the place. replied the
lady but she added half aloud, "ob,
ho,v chonOad % M aha handad nm tho