Connecticut western news., 1882-06-28


 Jack was at all heroic.
 It was about six months after his dis appearance that Millicent discovered 8 new phase of Jacks character-new, that is, to her. She had known him hitherto as man of high principles and strict sense of duty; but his deeper in. stincts and the sympathetic side of his nature she had yet to learn. The way it happened was this: There came one day little Katie Finnegan, the washer woman's daughter, saying that the mother was sick and couldn't wash that week, and wouldn't ''Miss Broom be so good as to 'xcuse her." The child had been often enough to the house before, but Millicent had never seen her look ing so neat and tidy.
 "Of course I'll excuse your mother," she said; "but Katie, how nice you look"
 The little wan face lighted up.
 "It's shillen calicer," she said proud ly, gathering up the dress for Millicent's inspection. 'And the shoes Just look at 'em, Miss Broom. Isn't they lovely ?"
 "My p exclaimed Millicent. "How perfectly elegant. Where did you get such fine things, Katie?''
 A tender light came into the child's eyes.
 "It was MT. Wen'ver." she said soft ly, "as give 'em to me-"
 "Mr. Wen'ver? repeated Millicent in puzzled way,
 The child nodded. 'tI've got his name here on card he giv' me-" and she brought out one of the little Sunday school picture cards in which children everywhere take such mysterious de- light. Millicent took it curiously from her hold. On the back, in his familiar, manly hand, were the words, "John Wendover.
 "Why, Katie, exclaimed Miss Bruen, Chow did you ever know MT. Wend- over ?"
 She shook her head vaguely. In her eyes was far-off, uncertain look.
 "I don't know, miss," she said, "I guess the Lord sent him. He came into Bridget Moneys house one day that's the first house from Avenue C. and wanted to know where the Widder Finnegan and her six children lived, and Bridget sent him to our tiniment. It was just the time, miss, as Mikey was sick with the fever, and MT. Wen've he nussed him through. If it weren't for MT. Wen'ver, guess Mikey would ha' been an angel fore this. It's Mikey as says the Lord sent him.
 But Millicent new, if the child did not, what had sent Jack to the widow. It was the Lord, no doubt, but the Lord had seen fit to send the message through herself. She felt humbled and convicted, not only that he should be taking up what was certainly her own unfulfilled duty, but that he was doing it for love of her.
 "Mr. Wendover's good man, Katie, :" she said, softly.
 The child nodded. "He's the best man in all the world," she declared. Mother says he makes her think of Samson, cause he's so strong; and Mikey says he's like Solomon, cause he knows so muc', but I never think of him, Miss, without thinking" g"-she hesi- tated for an instant.
 Without thinking of what, dear ?''
 The child's great eyes looked up with an awed expression: the thin little voice sank to reverent whisper
 Without thinking, Miss-of the Lord Jesus."
 For an instant Millicent's heart stood still. Was it not shockingly irreligious Ought not the child to be rebuked ? But before Millicent could command words Katie had gone on:
 "Oause you know" she said, "he's alters goin' about doin' good. Your folks don't know of it. He ain't the kind as goes round blabbi what they does; but t day you'll find him in Mrs. Raffertys, and t morrer in Mrs. Rourke's and the next day at the Kittendorfs'; and it's tay he'll be bringin' 'em one day and the rint he'll be payin' the next, and last week when the praste wouldn't bury Mrs. Muldoon's husband, cause he pizened hisself, it was MT. Wen yer as read the sarvice and paid for the buryin ?" The child's tongue was now fairly loosed. "And then, Miss, when every Sunday comes there's a little top room over where Mrs. Mooney lives, and us children all goes there and MT. Wen'ver he comes and teaches us, and he's fixed it up that nice There's melojeon, and some chromos, and three or four tixts; and we sings songs, and MT. Wen'ver he plays on the melojeon, and he reads us out of the Bible all about David and Collar, and Jonah and the whale, and the Lord Jesus too, and tells us what it all means And oh, Miss Broom what dyer think He's goin' to take us on picnic" By this time Millicent had recovered her thoughts. In the light of Katie'' [ explanation the comparison did no seem so startling. But admitting th' : comparison, where were the ideals sh' 7 had been so fondly cherishing? If peo 3 pie were to be measured by Kat1e's stand ard, what became of Sidney ard Bay ard, Sir Percival and Sir Galahad. Tn thought was perfectly bewildering ? She looked down humbly into th 7 child's face, her eyes moist and he : voice little tremulous as she said
 "And Mir. Wendover bought you you j. shoes and dress"