Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-12-24

t forgotten them. She was no longer eve
the petted daughter. The father had bee
that he had died a few weeks after they ha
D been forced to leave their mansion on -
avenue. Maude was an orphan, almOs
. penniless; but she was more of a tru
3 woman now than she had ever been, o.
> than most would have thought her capabl
of being.
She had been trying heroically to for
get past pleasures and follies by ster,
devotion to present duties. But, oh,
Was so hard! Never had she felt NOR
rebellious than this evening, this merr,
Christmas evening. She was now OF
- avenue. A strange impulse il
was that urged her to 20 and look onct
more at the old home, the homo wher'
just one year ago, this very hour, she hat
presided at the merry party. had received
the costly gifts. had become an affianceC
bride, and yet had been so ungrateful
dissatisfied and even unhappy. Light anC
music, laughter and dancing are within
tonight as they were then. How every
detail of that night is brought wildly be
fore her! She even remembers the poor
bcggar woman whom she had sent from
the door out into tho cold, and it was a
colder night than this.
1t is too painful. She hastens on
through the snow as fast as she can, while
the tears come yelling up, and will not be
stopped.
"Leddy, Leddy won't yer plase g;' me
4 nickel? Cause it's Christmas, yer
know" 1t is a wee little girl that has
| come from the court to her right, and is
| stretching out her little, thin, bony hands
towards her, with a pinched, weazen face,
and great sad eyes Stat go straight to
Maude's heart.
How queer it is she thinks to her.
sell, "that pity people now. | never
used to-" She holds out the nickel to tho
little girl, it was all she had to give, and
| asks her name aud where she lives?
Back here i'll tic court" she replies.
Will you give the money to your
mother or spend it yourself?" asked
Maude, strangely interested in the young
bcggar
"rm agoin' ter buy some medicine
with it,
"Medicinc! Why child, are you sick?"
"No, mum, l amt, but Miss brood,
she's dyin', and her baby's cryin' so.
| wan ter git some pIrergoric fur i'm ter
keep I'M quiet.
"Whcre is the sick lady?" anxiously
inquired Maudc. Will you take me to
hcr:'
Right over here" was the reply, rs
tho little girl turned at once to obey.
"Come Oh after me, mum. Take keer
yer don't fall though, here on this ice.
This is where VIC 'uns have our slidin'
place."
Vl,,r ,o,,l,,J , t,,,,,,,,+ I,,,L - &bo
court. They climbed up five flights of
rickcty, dirty stairs. Never before had
Maudc seen Or imag ined such place. The
girl opened door without knocking, and
said:
"Thcrc she is. You jes' wait here now
till get the medicine, then I'll show yer
down stairs agin," aud the young guide
was about to hurry off, when Maude
s'opped her.
No. no; you keep that money for
yourself. The baby docs not need any
paregoric :"
Aud in fact the little babe had stopped
its crying the moment Maude had entered
the door. 1t was n miserable dOmicle.
No furniture, but one backless chair, \
rough wooden table and low bedstead,
on which was lying the emaciated,
CHASTITY form of a young woman, evidently
in the last stages of consumption. Upon
her bosom lay the little babe, its large
eyes wide open, and looking straight at
Maudc, its long, black hair minsling with
the mass of even darker curls that lay in
wild luxur;ancc round the mothers head.
1t was a sweet looking child, a bright, |
beautiful boy.
Maude's first impulse was to take him |
up But she feared to disturb the mother, |
who seemed doing or i'll stupur. When, |
however, the little one, with a bright |
smile, stretched out its chubby hands to
wards her, she could not help reaching
down and gently lifting him to her arms.
Instantly the mother was wide awake. She
looked wildly around, until her gaze fell
upon Mauie there it rested, with an ex-
preston Of recognition in the decp-sunken.
coal-black eyes that almost frightened
Maude. With unnatural strength the
woman half raised herself in her bed,
with that glaring gaze still burning into
Maudc's soul. Then she abruptly spoke
in 4 deep, startling tone:
did you marry him ? Lawrence brood,
did you marry him."
The question fairly shocked Maude.
What cid this woman know about her en-
About Mr.. Drood?> Wait
Did not the little girl call her Miss brood?
Who was she?
81 know you, Miss HerringtOn," con-
tinued the consumptive, "a year ago who
didn't know you? And know Lawrence
Drood-better than anyone else, unless
you married him-did you? l never heard,
for have been too sick to get out of the
house ever since last Christmas night,
when you had me driven from your back
door" Here violent spell Of coughing
stopped her:
"No. l did not marry him. said Maude.
" But why do you ask such a question at
this time? Can help you in any way,
my good woman? will try to atone for
my cruelty last Christmas, If you will let
me-"
"Nothing can help me any more.
Thank God that you did not marry him.
All, yes, thank God For he has been
wondrous good and kind to me-and to
you, Miss IIerrington for it must have
been God that kept you from marrying
Lawrence Drood-don't interrupt me.
have only little strength left me, and I
must tell you now what came to tell you
last Christmas
How affectionatc the little babe was be-
coming, and low good! He was Growing
and patting Maude on the checks, and
clinging to her most lovingly.
"Sit down, Miss Harrington" continued
the woman, and then went on. "Yes, l
came to your house year ago to tell you
that before God Lawrence brood was nv
he married me two years
,ro ,lmoSt-T was hecutift,1 fhon h,t |