Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-10-14
% Don,t Won like itp,, asked.

| just mere we turned lnJO clarence
Place
"Perhaps you had better go back
now" said l.
"Whyp" in q disappointed tone.
| | looked at Bessie. 81 think, dar-
lin, !" said she, "that we'd better keep
on the broad street. It's nicer to walk
in. 1t has smooth, wide pavements for
your feet. This place hasn't even n
curbstone. 1t would trip you up.
"But why don't they put smooth
pavements here9"
"Ohl because it's such narrow lit
tic place and the people haven't much
money"
Bessie" said the little maid, au-
thoritatively, "take my hand. This is
just the place where want to 60"
Now it happened that my walk this
morning took me to the very end of the
place. 1 had letter Ga cheek, | mag
ined) from Messrs. Frost IL Co. to Mrs
Dibley, who scwed for them. l knew
the poor woman would be glad enough
to get it, for work had been scarce Of
late and times were hard.
And little Stella, the crippled daugh-
ter. would be glad, too. Poor child!
she had been shut up in one room for n
year. That room was her little world,
and her mothers face was the light of
| 1t. When that face was clouded, her
sky was dark, indeed.
The pale, thin. childish features came
so vividly to my mind that forgot for
a moment that Angie was trying to
keep up with me; but the little lady
was in no mood to be ignored.
This is a horrid hubby place to
walk in" she cried. "What do you go
SO fast forp"
because 1 am in q hurry to give
Stella's mother her letter.
"Who is Stella, and who is her moth
erp Are you sure it's good letter."
Eyes, quite sure" And then told
her, as we'll as | could, of poor Mrs.
Dibley's hard fortune and of Stella's
allliction.
The latter moved her strangely. Her
color went and came, and it was with
difficulty that she kept back the tears.
We reached the house. "Will you
wait for me horepn l asked, one foot
upon the rickety staircase which must
ascend.
"No. I'll go with you. l want to
see Stella"
But here Bessie interposed, to some
purpose: "You know what mother
says. darlin'p You're never to set foot
in house without leave. You remem-
ber that?"
1t was hard struggle. For q mo-
ment the sweet face grew red and al
most angry; but Angie loved her mother
dearly, and love conquered.
Wen go right home and ask her,
if you'll But how stupid! OF course,
you can't wait. Well, must wait" !"
with her little shrug of resignation.
"Some time shall see Stella. | know
l shall. You'll let me come again with
you tomorrow, if mamma say Yes.
Won't youPn
81 will let you see Stella, if can," l
answered. felt some little hesitation
/ about Introducing strangers to Mrs.
I Dibley, who had seen better days and
was sensitive to an almost foolish de-
gree.
But. unfortunately, the next day
there was no letter for Clarence Place,
and the morning afterward was taken
sick. 1t proved to be nothing but a
week or more. When | found myself
upon my feet again, it seemed rs if we
had stepped into another season, as,
indeed, we had. The air was keen and
frosty and the cutters were tull OF fall
en- leaves. AS l passed flaming
maple tree. picked cluster of bright
beauties for Stella, thinking, with a
sigh, of the other little friend, who
could never know their loveliness.
hoped to find her waiting for Inc, as be.
fore: but she was nowhere to be seen.
Neither was Bessie's good-natured face
visible; so hurried along to Clarence
Place. | ran quickly up the. stairs; but,
before | had time to give the "post-
mans rap" Mrs. Dibley appeared
upon the threshold.
"Ah! knew you," she said, pleas,
antly.
inquired for Stella, producing my
leaves. She opened the door and
walked in. Time was precious with me
but, for all that, lost more than half q
second in silent, stupid staring. There
sat Stella, proppel up upon the lounge
as usual but it was such happy little
face that she turned toward me that
should hardly have recognized it else
where, while close beside her, holding
OnC vi lllC tuill lltutlS, oitb <hhSlCs llON
the little witch had managed to make
herself so perfectly at home was mys
terry to me; and not less strange it was
to see the handsomely dressed lady who
stood looking with face half-pleasod
half-sad upon the two.
"O-h!'' screamed Stella, as she saw
me. "lts my POSTWAR"
"Then it's my postman, too," criet
Angie. "This is our postman, nam
ma. He's come back, just as l said HI
would
"My little girl has missed you," sale
the lady, kindly. Then she apologizet
for the trouble which she feared hat
been given me; but think was abb,
, to convince her that it had been pur
seliishness with me, after all.
"lt seems so strange" said Mrs
Dibley, to me, in an undertone, "tha
God should withhold so much from thos
two poor innocents. l can't see an
reason in It,"
: The children's ears were sharper tha
she thought. We saw at once that the
{ had heard. Even Angles face wa
, clouded for moment.
t "What do you s'pose He did it fol
l "'hSu pbOhat III o eOhO vi pOi
plexity.
"Tm sure I don't know; but mamm
, says He does. I'm glad somebod
knows. Aren't you. Stellar"
+ whats the difference if He won
1 tellp" was the somewhat pottish AZ
swer.
: "Oh, but He will when He gel
{ ready. We must wait. Let me sc
t your pretty leaves, please, Stella"
Q And left them admring the beaut
5 which Mrs, Trowbrldge was trying
explain to them.
: Now it came to p2ss that Angie
Q gentle, loving compqnionship brougl
80 mu Ii brightness into Stella hithert
r colorless life that both little girls SCENE
quite flooded with it. Their face
t shone every day as if they had receive
h benedicton. So it went ON for
4 month or more. Then, as / opened Il
, door OF the Dibley tenement one day,
o wa, s,lrprised to find Stalla in taarS