The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-11-18
DOT
A story OF she Fresh-Air Fund.

ats harum-scarum idea," said Miss Re
iance RoXbury, as she stood among the cur
rant bushes at the garden fence "A most
ridiculous ideal | wonder what this gushing
American people will do nextF' and she gave
an emphatic twitch to her purple calico sun
bonnet.
There was a faint murmur Of dissent from
little woman on the other side of the moss.
grownfence.
"No-of course you don't agree with me"
continued Miss Reliance, as the clusters Of
ruby and pearl flew into the six-quart pail al
her feet. YOU'RE So soft-hearted that youI
feelings are forever running away with your
common sense. You never say a word about
the National debt, or the condition of our
navy, but let anybody start subscription for
sending blanket shawls to Brazil or putting
up monument TO Methusaeh on the meeting
house green, you'll give your last quarter.
And now you're going to open your house to a
lot oflittle ragamuffins from New Yorkr'
The mOtherlV brown eyes on the other side
OF the fence were full of tears, and pleasant
voice replied:
at makes my heart ache to think how the
poor things suffer, crowded together in dirty
streets, with never a breathof clover fed OF
glass of milk If you'd just read about it,
Reliance, you'd count it a blessed privilege to
give them bit of our sunshine
''Pdas soon have tribe of Zulus on the
my advice you'll save yourself lots of trouble "
Mrs. Lane stopped her work for a moment
and said
"Liakim and me are all alone now, Re
lance One by one, we've laid Kate and Sarah
and baby Lizzie over there in the old burying
ground; and Jack is in Colorado, and Richard
in Boston, and we get hungry some lines for
the sound of little feet. When began to
read about the fresh-ar fund it kind of sent a
thrill all over me, and 'Liakim he reads about
1t every day, and he wipes his glasses pretty
eften, too. Then, when we heard the par
son say that a party would come here if
places could be found Tor 'em, 'Lial1im spoke
right off for four, and they'll be here next
Tuesday, and Pm going to make it just as
much like heaven as | can"
you'll make yourself sick, that's what
you'll do, Amanda Lane,n replied Miss Re
lance, "but if you want y,ur garden overrun
and your silver spoons stolen, and your house
full Of flies, and your nerves Frustrated. why
It's your own fault. must go in and get my
Jelly started"
Miss RoXhury went up the pa between the
6untlowers and hollyhocks, entered the large,
sunny, airy kitchin, and set down the pail of
currents for Hannah, the house maid, to pick
over. Then she hung the purple-calico sun
bonnet on the nail that for forty years had
been devoted to that purpose, and went into
the cool sitting room to rest in her favorite
chintz covered rocker. Miss Reliance RoX.
lldu Dt6n LOT twenty years, WIN JDe eX-
ception of gardener and housemaid, the sole
occupant of this ancient stone dwelling, that
had stood for more than century beneath its
elms and naples, the pride of the village of
Lynford. She was a stern woman, who liked
but few people, and had horror of children,
dogs and sentiment. The village bows, with
keen perception of her unsympathetic
nature, called her cold lronsides"
She was proud of her birth and of the sub
stantial property that had fallen to her at the
death of her father old Judge Roxbury.
She was a member of the PRESBYTERIAN
Church, and paid high rental for the Roxbury
pew, but with that considered that her pecu-
macy obligations to the cause were at an end.
AS a general hing, she had not allowed con-
Victions on the subiect of giving to trouble
her, but somehow, ever since SUNDAY, when
the pastor stated the work of the fresh-air
1und and made fervent appeal for "these
little ones that suffer-" she had been sub
jected to numerous vague but uncomfortable
sensations. She rocked back and forth in the
spacious sitting room that no fly dared to
invade and noted the perfect order of the
apartment. From the china shepherdess on
the ma tel, to the braided rugs at the doors,
everything occupied the same position as in
the days of Miss Roxbury's girlhood. There
was torture in the thought Of having the alb e
cover pulled awry, of seeing the shells and
prim old daguerrotypes dsarranged on the
what-not, of having md tracked in by small
feet over the faded Brussels carpet, and her
pet veroena bed invaded by eager young
fingers.
Surely, religion and humanity could not
demand such sacrifices of her.
please, ma'am, the currants is ready to be
put over" said Hannah, at the door
Miss RoXbury rose at once glad OF another
channel for her thoughts, but, amid her weigh.
ing and mea 'uring, and her careful calcula
lions OF pints and pounds, the strange impress
sion did not leave her mind.
After the rich crimson syrup had been poured
into the row of shining tumblers on he table
she ed to her chintz coveredrocler, and
took up the Bible to read her daily chapter
Opening it at random, heceyes fell upon these
words:
"Then shall He answer them, saying: In
asmuch as We did it not unto one of the least
of these"
Miss r xbury read no further on that page
but hurriedly turned back to Chronicles which
she felt was perfectly safe ground. Blu
mingled with the long genealogical ables, sh
saw other words between the lines, SO that tn
lsraelitish records read thus
The son of Elkanah, the son of Joel, tn
son OF Azariah. eye did it not y"
1.-The son of Tahath, the sou OF Assr, tn,
son OF Ebiasaph, the son of Korah. eye di
1t not 0h
Finally, the whole page seemed to resolve
itself into hese four monosyllables.
She closed the Bible and put it in its accus
toned place on the table, bounded on the mort
by the lamp, on the sou by the ma CHI box
on the east by Bunyan's "Pilgrim's Progress
and on the west by a bunch of wOrsted rose
under glass case She was restless, misera
BILE, tormen ed. She endcavored to read tn
" Life of Napoleon Bonaparte" but even tn
thrilling story of the Russian campaign wa
lacking in interest, compared with her ow
inward conflict between du y and he cold sell
ishness t lifetime.
She did not enjoy the dinner, although tn
but er beans were from her garden, and tn
black raspberries were the first of the season