The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1882-07-01

| UndI ulOIHenI a SHARP eNCldiIduioh AAO4h
the driver, and sudden stop of the
stage-coach, caused us all to look from
the windows.
what is the matter?'
| We had no need to ask, for there,
right before our eyes, in the hot and
dusty road, lay the figure of man, APP
parently dead, with small bundle and
stick beside him.
We were all out in moment, and the
driver, assisted by Mr.. Catlin, lifted the
inanimate form and bore it to the shade
of the pine-trees by the roadside. Re
was quite unconscious, though not dead,
as we had at first thought and while |
ran for water from neighboring brook,
Miss Allison produced a bottle of smell
ing-salts, and the driver flask of
| spirits. Mr.. Catlin, meanwhile, stopped
down and carefully examined him.
Hes not hurt anywhere" he said,
gravely, ''but he's ill, very i'll, poor
fellowH
"What ais him?" we inquired, anx-
iously.
The grazier looked up and solemnly
| uttered one word: .a.r.
"StdrUGtiOnr' .....s..
An exclamation of horror and COM
passion broke from Miss Allison. She
| hurried to the coach and returned with
little basket of luncheon. Her hands
trembled and her eyes were blinded with
tears as she stopped down and placed a
few crumbs of bread moistened with cur
rant-wine between the white lips.
The sight was enough to draw tears
from any one, let alone the warm
hearted little old maid. There he lay, a
| young man of not more than three or
four-and-twenty, with regular, clear-cut
features, clustering brown hair thrown
back in damp and tangled mass from
his white forehead, and clothes which,
though shabby, worn and travel-soiled,
laboring class. And he was starved
worn out and nearly dying for want of
food, and from the heat and fatigue of
travelling on foot through the burning
summer noontide.
AS we gazed his eyes slowly opened
beautiful eyes they were-large and
dark and pathetic in their wistful half
consciousness. The sight drew fresh
burst of tears from Miss Priscilla's eyes,
which were assuming an unbecoming
redness. ... ... ..
"What are we to do with him?" l in
quired, anXiously.
'Ill carry him on to Atlees," replied
the driver. eve can't leave him alone
on the road to die. But don't know as
anybody there Il take him in. He's only
a tramp, though genteel- lookin' one. .
81 will take him in" spoke up MISS
Priscilla, promptly. "We're only six
miles from my house, and there he
shall stay until he's able to take care of
himself. If his mother could see him
nown' she added, III faltering aside to
me; land if she's dead, I'll take her
place and be mother to him as well as
| can, poor young man.
In the coach she continued to tend
him most carefully, every now and then
insisting upon his taking few crumbs
of roll and sip of her currant-wine.
He was conscious now, but too weak
even to speak, and we all forbore to
force him to that exertion.
In little over half an hour we stopped
at white gate opening on the road, and
leading by short carriage-way to
pleasant, comfortable farm
house, with broad piazza in front COW
cred with vines. Here we all alighted,
and while Miss Allison fastened forward
to prepare things, the men assisted our
invalid to the house, taking charge of
the old maids umbrella, which in her
haste she had overlooked and left in the
coach.
They laid the new guest on snow
white bed in the coolest and neatest of
chambers, and motherly old colored
woman went to prepare chicken broth.
| observed Mr.. Catlin speak to Miss AL
lison aside, and saw him take out Pile
thoric pocket-book, but she peremptorilv
put it away, Then he carefully pinned
bill in the young mans breast-pocket,
and he and the driver departed, promis-
ing to send the doctor from Altees.
l remained at the urgent request of
Miss Allison. She had learned that |
was going to quiet little farmhouse
only few miles distant, where | pro-
posed to spend the hot summer months,
and she would not let me continue my
journey through the blazing noontide
sun. In the evening, when it became
cool, she drove me over in her old
i''hiohOu SiS, ny q Sndueu WOOuldnu
road leading directly from her house to
the farm, and she expressed the hope
that | would come often to see her while
| remained in the neighborhood.
was glad to avail myself of this invi-
tation. | had from the first liked the
bright, lively, kind-hearted little lady,
and l liked her the better the more
knew of her.
My first visit to her was made ostensi-
bly, to inquire after her patient He had
been very i'll, she told me, with touch
of brain fever, and she was still anxious
| about him Her whole heart seemed
stirred with compassionate tenderness as
she related to me what she had gathered
| concerning him. He was a poor artist
who had failed in his business, and with
out home, friends. or means, was making
his way ON foot to the north, in the hope
of finding some kind of an opening there.
What little money he had possessed was
exhausted, and, having been refused
food or nights lodging by one and
another on the way who never took in
cramps" he had finally succumbed to
hunger and fatigue, and would probably
have died, Miss Priscilla said, with a
| chOkinp sob If we had MT forum taly