The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-12-30

AT CnlS moment ncr eyes 1ell Oh
couple of wretched creatures, barely
covered with rags that futtered in the
storm like flags Of distress, as shivering
hands found their way. from their folds
to beg of passers-by coin
\ .sThere, Isadore Stafford! Whist have
you to say now of unhappinees OF
misery, as long as such people exist in
the world? Thirty years! Zen times
thirty are three hundred. II should
live thirty years longer I could at least
lift three hundred souls from beastli-
ness to humanity, from suffering to COM
fort. I'll try it! The idea is q new one
and pleases me. Who knows but life
will be interesting to me after all? How
strange if, after travelling the world over
to find novelty, 1 should find my first
New Year at home?'' 5S t.
The inspiration took thorough posses
sion of her, and ordering her carriage
she hastily dressed for the street.
ITO St. Luke's, john
One would think she had often been
here to have seen her run up the steps
and ring the bell, but the matrop did not
seem to recognize her and stood in an
expectant attitude to hear what her er-
rand might be.
care your beds all filled?'' asked the
stranger.
1--WE are over-crowded, madam, and
have been forced to decline some pitiful
patients for lack of room.''
''And what has been done with them?"
Nothing, fear.''
''Could you get nurses for them if
comfortable beds were provided"
30, yes, indeedr'
"And how soon could the children be
moved?''
Tomorrow"
81 have come on singular mission
tonight, which I trust you can help me
to fulfill. A wealthy lady whom know
has taken the whim into her head of
opening her house on Christmas to some
suffering children. She does not wish
her name to be known in the matter,
but desired me to see if you could direct
her to half dozen children that are alb
solutely suffering for care and comfort,
or, better still, send nurses and children
to her house tomorrow. She will keep
them until benefited or you can find
room for them here. There will be a
lady in charge to see that nothing will
be needed"
81 should not call it whim but a
most Christ-ike act. I wish all who
have wealth would do likewise, and 1
can promise you nurses and children to-
morrow"
Thanks! She will be delighted.
You will also send your physician?'
"Of course"
Tomorrow, then, at -, Lexing-
ton Avenue" and bowling, she passed
out into the shadows, jubilant over her
success.
"Home, john
AS she rested among the robes she
murmured, 81 felt guilty to hear that
good woman say, 'Christ-ike,' when it
was merely whim for novelty, but al
ready I am enjoying the plan immense
~. Everything works like a charm.
The world is passing away. Already
the new is dawning. What a blessed
inspiration! Who knows but that some
where in the universe shall find, if not
happiness, real blessedness?''
'1s she in her right mind, do you
think, Mary?" asked Alice, Mrs. Stat
ford's maid, of the waitress when the
house was electrified by her plans.
''And that's what I've been wonder
ing to myself since see the change in
her manner. Don't I remember going
into her room that very day before she
went out into the storm, and seeing her
sitting in her great crimson chair, with
her hands crossed and her eyes having
that PARKWAY look that is never good
for mortals to have. I see, of course,
she did not wish anything, and thought
I would 90 down and have few words
with my cousin about receiving calls,
and when I came back she was gone
and you know how we fretted about her
for two mortal hours. At last she came
back, and her face shone as if she had
been talking with angels, and taking me
off by herself she told me to make every
thing ready in all the spare rooms, for
company, and to put up an extra bed in
the largest. Of course 1 supposed she
was going to astonish her friends by
some elegant entertainment, but when
l limited at this she said: 30, no! 1t
is better than that, Mary. Entertain
ments make heart-aches, and this is to
make happiness. l am going to keep
the holidays in new way. Perhaps the
New Year will be really q New Year.
You see that sounded very strange.
What could New Years be but New
Years anyhow? When she told me it
was cripples and children from the hos
pital who were coming, knew for GER
tain she must be little out of her mind,
but she looked so beautiful and bright I
had not the heart to oppose her. Some
thing has happened to her, as sure as
I'm sensible girl"
Not only were Alice and Mary, but
every domestic in the house was con-
WINGED that their mistress would soon be
an inmate of a lunatic asylum when they
saw not one or two, but half a dozen,
pale-faced cripples broughtinto the house
and placed in the elegant rooms that had
been devoted to the great and
among her guests. Nota thing
was allowed to be changed in these rooms.
Delicate ornaments, statuettes, pictures,
books, all remained as before, and under |
the elegant counterpanes and blankets |
10 W Uy;cff,,1 o1,o1 c,,ffoy;n ~ nh;ldron 1ubo