Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-06-25
THE EMERALDS.

One wintry afternoon in Janua.
ry, away up in the bleak attic of g
wretched tenement house, a pale
sad-eyed woman sat sewing. The
garment upon which she was en-
gagged was avery rich dress. The
twilight closed in rapidly, with q
binding fall of snow, bitter wall
ing blast, that made the windows
rattle'in their easements. Still the
paIe-faced woman stitched on.
"Mother," piped a slender voice
from the cot beneath the window,
"shall you get the fine dress done ?
Oh my, mother, Pm so hungry; if
L could only have some tea and a
bit of sausage"
The mother worked on steadily
for few moments, paused only 10
brush a tear from her white cheek,
then she arose and shook out the
glimmering robe.
"Tis done at last," she said !;
"now mothers little girl can have
her supper; only be- patient little
longer, Flora. Ross Ross where
are you my boy ?"
A manly little fellow came out
from the little bed room beyond.
"The dress is done, ROss,o said
his mother, and you must run home
with it as fast as ever you can.
Miss Gracia will be out of patience,
| know. Tell her / couldn't finish
it one moment sooner, and ask her
to give you the money. We must
have it tonight. And you can stop
i'm at Mr.. Rays as you come back
and buy some coal, and we must
have some bread and tea, and
mite of butter, and you must get a
sausage, Ross, for poor little
Flora"
"I'u get 'em all, MOTHER" he
said, "and be hack in no time.
You shall have big sausage, little
Sis" he added, turning toward the
cot.
The girl nodded her curly head,
and her great wistfui eyes sparkled
with delight.
"And you shall have half of it,
Ross" she piped, in her slender,
bird voice.
"Hadn't you better put ON your
thick jacket, my bOy?" continued
his mother; "the wind cuts like
knife"
"PshaW, little mother :. don't
mind the wind" And away he
went down the creaking stairs, and
out in the storm. Miss Gracia FOn-
tenay was in perfect furOre of i'm
patience and anger. Her dear five
hundred friends were assembled in
the halls below, and the handsome
dress had not come home. What
did that beggar woman mean by
disappointing her At that mo-
ment there was a ring at the door,
and voice in the hall.
"Plpase tell Miss Gracia that my
mother could not finish it sooner;
she wants the money tonight"
The servant took the handsome
dress and message.
"I'll never give her another stitch
of work." cried the angry beauty; 1
ought to have had it three hours ago. |
Here, Fanchon, dress me at once,
there's not a moment to lose! No,
| can't pay tonight, | haven't time.
He must call tomorrow"
"But we've no fire and nothing to |
cat, and my little sister is SICK"
called the boy, pushing up the
=
'ShUt that door, Fanchion 20
commanded Miss Gracia. And the
door was shut in his face.
From the portch at the parlor
window, Pansie watched the whole |
scene, her violet eyes distended |
with childish amazement.
"PoOr little boy" she sud, as
Ross disappeared down the stair
way, "Sister Gracia ought to pay |
him. 1t must be dreadful to have
no fire and nothing to eat"
She stood for a moment, balanc- |
ing herself on the tip of one dainty |
foot, her rosebud fIce grave and re-
fiective; then a sudden thought |
flooded her blue eyes with sum
shine, and snatching something
from the table, she started down
stairs. The servant had just closed
the street door, but she fiuttered |
past him like n shumming bird and
opened it.
ON the steps sat Ross, brave little
fellow that he was, his face in his
hands, sobbing rs il his heart would |
break.
-. What's the matter, little boy ?"
Pansie.
- Ross looked up, half believing |
that it was tho face of am angel |
booking down upon him through |
the whiriing snow.
"Oh, / cannot go home without |
the money" he sobbed 'poor ]