The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-06-16
Charlty's RcWard.

In the first cabin of the steamer ound tc
Quebec, they dined sumptuously, and
lived happy luxurious life.
In the stcerage Heaven have mercy |
how they suffered
bllllicent Day shiver ed to her very SOU
when she thought Of it, and wondered often
why such things should be, why some were
so rich, and some were 90 poor; some SC
utterly alone, unlovcd, and neglected. Had
She been able to act rs she chose, there would
have been a grand transformation scene
that dirty stecrage very soon, and tables
covered with choice dainties would have
risen through the floor and snow. white
linen, and fresh, soft couchcs would have
taken the place of the rags, and hard
berths, and general shnbbiness.
But one girl, though she were a rich one,
had little in her power Oh that desolate
waste of waters. Still, that little Millicent
du'. She had in her possession biscuits, and
conservcs, and delicate dalntics prepared
Tor her own comfort during the voysge;and
thinking that at the cabin table she had all
she needed, she played the Lady Bountiful
with these small stores; choosing for her
principal protcgcS an Italian woman and
her gaunt children, who seemed to her 10
be the most wretchcG of them all, and 10
whom, speaking the language we'll, she
could make herself understood.
In vain her friends demonstrated; in va n
the captain declared that he should forbid
such dangerous work among the cmigrants.
Millicent had her own way. Once day,
at least, she penetrated into the Inferno be-
low the comparative Paradise Of her own
domain, and fed those poor parched lips
with her dainties, and comforted tho
mother, when her youngest lay at deaths
door, with her innocent sympathy. And
the woman grew to love her, and the wan,
but classical faces of the boys lit up when
she approached. And when, with land in
sight, the little heiress emptied her purse
into the dark hand Of the epenniless steerage
passenger, and made her, for the moment,
rich and full OF hope, she turned with
severe earnestness to her eldest boy.
'Never forget to pray to the Madonna
for this beautiful Slgnorina!" she cried.
"Rcmcmber that it is all that you can do,
and my dying curse upon yJu If you for
get it ~
And with this fierce adjuration to her
children and prayer that fell like liquid
silver from her lips for 'thc Signorina, {"
she parted from Milliccnt, who went to her
beautiful home and hor friends saddcncd
and sottcncd by the scenes that she had
witnessed, and remembered them a long,
long while.
She had given the woman her address,
but the poor woman did not come to her.
What fate bcfel her, Milliccnt did not
know; and, in time, the memory of those
well cut classical fac es, gaunt and meagre
from starvation, but with strange wild
beauty about them nevertheless ceased to
haunt hcr--pcrhaps because one face had
taken possession OF her fancy, as one
face will, sooner or later of that of every
woman.
John Blair, young engineer and archi-
tcct, had met her, and looked into her eyes,
had touched her hand, had uttered those
subtle compliments that win a woman's
heart so easily; and though he was neither
rich nor great, he was the one man of men
to her.
Six months from the day of their meet
ing John Blair and Mllicent Day were
married, and happier pair 1t would have
been hard to find. They yielded mutually
to each others wishes, and consequently
grew to have tho same desires, so that at
last no yielding was necessary.
Only in one thing did Millicent~ prove
herself misunderstanding could tempt her
on M ocean voyage
a visit to his native England and tour
IN Eulopc was Johns anticipated pleasure:
but her experience in crossing the ocean
had made her avcrsc to lts repetition.
whether saw them or not, the faces
OF the stcerage passengers would haunt
me- she said; ''aud cannot endure tho
idea of setting foot upon an ocean steamer
again" 'r,-,..
50 John, who had no wish to g6 alone,
left the latter to the cure of tinIe, who
brought them few sorrows and m,{ {ch Joy,
and now and then laid upon Millicent 8
breast little token of his flight so that at
last boy almost as tall as herself called
Millicent mother, and the nursery was
musical with little voices.
Tt1n, brayer and older, and more will
iH"e,.p eye, tn do anything to make John
paV''tMillicent agreed to the European
4 4 leaving the little ones to the ten.