The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-05-20

the squalid streets where vice. poverty.
and starvation rally their sinnumerable
army. to visit the poor of st. Winifre-
da's Parish, her heart was not by any
means in her work.
These poor people are all SO tire
some,n said she TO herself. Their
stories are just alike, and their rooms
smell so close and sickening, and there
is always bread and molasses or half
eaten apples on the chairs. / hate the
poor, and l don't see why / should be
compelled to seek after them. There's
no real way of helping them Do what
you viii for them to-day, they're just as
badly off tomorrow, and viii be to the
end of the chapter And when / am
once Mrs Fernando Clare I'll declare
war against the whole thankless tribe
and generation of 'emr'
Miss Lee was short and brusque in her
visits that day. She told Mrs. PugriD
that it was all her own fault that Pugrill
had got drunk and been carted off to the
station-house You keep your rooms
SO dirty that he a,n't stay in 'em,'' said
she. She cut shact the Widow Mellick's
detail of her woes with sWell, well, I've
heard all this before III you talked less
and worked more, you'd be able to sup
port yourself" She declined to supply
tea and snuff to old Mrs. Dodge. You
are getting to be a regular beggar,' said
she. "Don't you know that you ought
to think of your Bible more and of your
tea lesspH
At last she came to Mrs. Hyde's, the
pale young widow of the drowned sea-
captain
mot sitting up yetP'' she said tartly.
Nov that is a little too lazy and shift
oofft nv
pect to spend all your time on the sofa,
like fine LADY,
Il do not feel able to walk around
much as yet, Miss Lee" said Mrs. Hyde,
coloring. When she had confided her
trouble to the young rector of st. Wini-
freda's, she had not expected to be TAX
en- to task for idleness and lack of thrift
by any sharp-tongued young woman.
'sBut this will never do,o said Miss
Lee. .'You must get up and go to work.
Poor people can't afford to indulge in
any fine lady whims.- st. Winifreda's
won't support YOU for ever!''
Mrs. Hyde bit her lips.
81 have only hadtwelve shillings from
the parish" said she, sand
But at this minute Miss Lee, whose
keen black eyes had been wandering
around the apartment, uttered little
cry OF pleased surprise.
.sOh, what - beautiful violet velvet
cap," said she. THAT one, / mean,
hanging against the wall, with the little
yellow stars of flowers on it, and the
feathery green leaves
ssThey are mimosas," said Mrs. Hyde.
s'Mimosasr' Miss Lee drew long
breath. 1t was to her excited mind ex-
actly as if heaven had opened, and some
good angel had flung down into her
arms the posse ssion she most coveted in
all the world!
cit is all that have left of my poor
husband, said Mrs. Hyde. ut was a
piece of Persian embroidery given to
him in Cabul-he only wore it few
times, and
..Pll give you five shillings for it, -
said Miss Lee. feeling mechanically for
her pocket-book.
Mrs. HYDE bit her lip.
1T is not for sale,' said she. Moth
ing would induce me to sell it!''
ssThen you must be very ungrateful,n
said Imogen, latter all we have done
for you! don't believe in people who
put false sentiments before reason and
common-seRse!"
Mrs. HYDE was silent.
II don't mind if | say ten shillings,"
said Imogen. Come, if you are really
so very poor, ten shillings ought to be
an object TO yea
s.Poor as en- said Mrs. Hyde with
dignity, which ts1lclied even the parish
visitress of ST. AVinifreda's, Il am not
yet poor enouga to endure unprovoked
insult. l have stated my determination,
and 1 shall attiere to it. wish YOU
good afternoon"
And Imogen, feeling herself politely
turned out. fiounced from the room with
burning checks and flashing eyes She
had hardly got down to the door of the
house, however, before she missed one
of her gloves.
..Six-buteon,'' she said to herself
and the newest shade of myrtle-green. I
can't afford to lose itr'
back.
Mrs. Hyde was not there. She had
dragged herself from the calico-covered
lounge into neighbours room at the
summons of o terrified young mother
whose child was in a fit-but the myr-
tle-green glove lay close to the chair
which Imogen had SO recently occupied.
She caught it up, rather relieved not to
have to face the dignified young widow
again, and glanced hurriedly at the
wall by the window where the violet vel
vet smoking-cap had hung.
When Mrs. Hyde returned in about
fifteen minutes. the nail was empty. The
pretty wreath of mimosas was gone.
81 hope you will like it, said Tmogen,
with her pretty head dropping, her eyes
cast down. 1T is all my own work; /
designed it myself
1T is beautiful, - said the young cler-
gyman, as he looked at the violet velvet
cap, with its cirelet of rare Eastern en-
broidery, its binding of gold cord and
golden tassels "But-s
He stopped abruptly. Where had he
seen one so exactly like it beforep
Everyone knows how impossible it is
20 locate these provoking Will-oi-the-
wisps of the brain. And Mr.. Clare left
off trying for the present
1T was very kind of you to think of
me-" said Mr.. Clare. BLESS me--two
o'clock already. And have an engage
ment at Il quarter past
And he babe Miss Imogen Lee good
bye, and went off with the little rose
perfumed paper-box in his hand
Really" said Imogen with a pout,
81 think he might have displayed a lit
tie more enthusiasm. And after all the
trouble had too!'
Mrs Hyde was sitting in his little re.
ception parior when the young man en-
tered it Mrs. Hyde, pale, slight, and
looking unusually interesting in her
deep mourning dress.
err L l.. e. Ill