The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1881-05-20
HER MISSION.
BIZ ANNABEL DWIGHT.

Eloise Preston was twenty years old
| when she discovered or thought she dis
| covered, what her true mission was.
Eloise's life had been busy one, moi
over pleasant. She was accustomed to
self-sacrifce-s thoroughly accustomed
that she never realized her own unself-
/ ishness.
Her own mother died at her birth, and
in few years her father took for a Sec
ond wife bustling, energetic woman.
who bore him six children.
Eloise grew into strong, healthy girl,
| upon whom most of the care of her step
brothers and sisters devolved; and as
| they were q noisy, boisterous set of
! young cubs, the task was no very hight
one.
Mrs. Preston was a worthy, good
hearted woman, though trifle narrow
minded.
Eloise was of quiet temperament, and
the noisy, scrubbing, rattling existence
in which her step.mother delighted was
not congenial to her. Not that she ever
| put such thought into words; she
worked cheerfully at the duties nearest
her hands.
She would have laughed in amused
surprise had anyone told her she was
making a martyr of herself for those
harum-scarum children. But she drew
receiving an offer of good situation in
the city and expressing desire to accept
it, her father had given his consent.
you've been good daughter to US,
Eloise, but now that Maggie and Char
lotte are growing into such great girls,
Iguess mother can get along with their
help"
.'La, yes!' said Mrs. Preston eve
shall manage nicely; though, as your
father says, you have been good
daaghter-I don't think there's one
more faithful in the country"
So Eloise, in little glow of surprise
and pleasure at the encomium from her
step-mother, who was not at all given to
sentiment, packed up her modest ward
robe and was carried into the city
dozen miles away.
Her new situation was that of compan-
ion and attendant to queer, wealthy
old lady, who had known her dead
mother.
Mrs. Giles had always cherished
secret liking for the girl, hence this offer
OF employment, at generous salary,
OF the big stone mansion, the only in
mates beside Eloise were Mrs. Giles,
maid servant, man-servant, and a green
parrot, whose acuteness was something
fearful and wonderful.
After Eloise entered upon her new life
she attended church more regularly than
before. She was too busy and too much
hurried of Sunday at home to prepare
herself always for the morning service,
which was something of trial to her, as
she had natural religious tendency.
Here she was at liberty to follow her
religious inclinations.
There was, that winter, a great excite
ment over the question of Foreign Mis-
sions. Rev. Hiram Stevens, long,
haired, sallow-faced, thin-featured yonng
clergyman, gave number of lectures in
the vestry of the church which Eloise at
tended, previous to his departure for
India, where he was going to convert the
heather. He was an enthusiast.
It was impossible to listen to him and
watch his thin face Tighten and his great
black eyes, glow as he warmed over his
subject, without being more or less
affected.
Eloise received anintroduction to him,
and in this quiet-voiced, earnest-eyed
kindred spirit; while my pious little
heroine began to think there was no
nobler work in life than that which the
young divine had planned for himself.
He called upon her before his depart
ure, much to the amusement of Mrs.
Giles and the disgust of the green parrot
who futtered across the floor to peck at
the missionary's toes, and croaked
hoarsely:
s.Oh, law! Go wayr'
ST am glad that your reverend admirer
sails for India tomorrow, Eloise, quoth
the old lady grimly, when Eloise had
returned from ushering him to the door;
"because should be afraid of his in
weighing you into accompanying him.
Eloise made no reply, beyond little
embarrassed laugh, and there the matter
dropped. Late in February, however,
the postman left letter for Eloise-a
letter bearing heavy foreign postmark,
and addressed in heavy, sprawling
hand that Mrs. Giles declared looked
like the Rev. Hiram Stevens himself,
just as black and ungainly. She was
quite unprepared, however, for the re-
quest which Eloise made, when, after a
day and night of earnest consideration,
the girl entered the chamber of her mis-
tfess.
The missionary had written that he
needed wife-a woman to aid him in
his glorious work. He believed that
Eloise Preston was that woman, ordained
by God to stand beside him and wage
war against ignorance and superstition,
and to bring into the down-trodd dark
ened hearts of the people about him the
light of the Spirit. There was no word
of love in the letter; it was like trum-
pet-pea1 calling one to battle. The girls
heart thrilled with ardent impulse as she
read it. Here, she believed was her true
mission. The writer had collected part
of the sum necessary to defray the ex-
pense of her passage, and had enclosed
check for the amount. Would she
make up the balance and join him soon
in India? He felt that she was made of
the stuff to do and die, for this noble
cause. This and more.
And Eloise requested Mrs. Giles to adj
vance the amount required.
Money to go out there and be eaten
up by the cannibals- -neverl Let 'em
eat the Rev. Mr.. What 's-his-name. Pret-
ty tough eating he'd make. though, with
his bony limbs and his long black hair
And she chuckled at her wit.
But they ere not cannibals, began
Eloise hotly.
s.Oh, iddlesticksi" shrieked the par
ROT which vaa faafaued into his cage