Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1883-06-06

1
rant-wine between the white lips.
The sight was enough 10 draw tears
from any one, let aloro the warm
hearted little old maid. There he Law, a
young man of MOI more than three or
four-and-twenty, with re sular. clcar-cut
features, clustering brown hair thrown
back in damp and tangled mass from
his white forehead, and clothes which,
though shabby, worn and avel-soilcd,
bespoke him not of the common or
laboring class. And he was starved
worn out and nearly dying fot 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 Priscllas eyes,
which were assuming an unbecoming
redness.
"What are we TO do with him?n | in
quired. anxiously.
"Tll carry him on TO Atlees," replied
the driver. 1--WE can't leave him alone
on the road TO die. But don't know as
anybody there'll take him in. He's only
tramp, though genteel-lookin' one"
IL will take him in" spoke up Mss
Priscilla, promptly. Were only six
miles from my house, and there he
shall stay until he's able to take care of
himself. Ii his mother could see him
nowr' she added, in 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 q sip OF her currant-winc.
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 a short carriage-way TO a
pleasant, comfortable-looking 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 u snow
white bed in the coolest and neatcst of
chambers, and a mothcrly old colored
woman went to prepare chickcn-br broth.
l observed Mr.. Catln speak to Miss Al
lison aside, and saw him take out pie
thoric pocket-book, but she pcrcmptorily
put it away. Then he carefully pinned
a bill in the young mans breast-pockel,
and he and the driver departed, promis-
ing to send the doctor from Altces.
] remained at the urgent request of
Miss Allison. She had learned that |
was going TO n 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 noontidc
sun. In the evening, when it became
COOL she drove me over in her old
fashioned gig, by a shaded woodland
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 ncighborhood.
| was glad TO avail myself Of this inyi-
tation. | had from the first liked the
bright, lively, kind-heartci 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 Il touch
of brain fever. and she was still anxious
about him. Her whole heart seemed
stirred with compassionate tenderness rs
she related to me what she had gathered
concerning him. He was 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 a nights lodging by one and
another on the way who meyer took in
cramps" he had finally succumbed to
hunger and fatigue, and would probably
have died, Miss Priscilla said, with n
choking sob, if we had not fortunately
found him in time.
When | again called, | found Mr..
Arthur Field so far improved as TO be
sitting up, and even moving about his
room alittle. Miss Allison took me in to
see him, charging me not to talk too
much. And how assidious she was in
her attentions--how carefully she watch
ed even his looks and words in her anxi-
ETY. to do all that could be done for him,
And how quietly, intensely grateful he
was.
'Shc is an angel " he said to me in q
low voice, in reply to some remark of
mine on her goodness of heart. ~ had
earth.
Miss Priscilla blushed little when
told her of this.
''Hc's little wcak-minded still, poor
fellow" she said. lightly touching her
forehead with her knitting-necdle (she
was knitting him pair of socks, having
already furnished the rest of his ward
robe) "By-and-by he will find out that
angels don't go about in calico dresses
and muslin aprons"
She was afraid that h. felt il little
lonesome, she said as he grow well. She
had written to Alethia TO pay her visit
They both drew, and they both liked the
same books, she had discovered. Alcthia
would make il plcasanter for him.
After while noticed that she left of
calling herself his mother; and that she
took pains with her dress, and arranged
her hair i'm n new and becoming style
which gave her much more youthful
appearance. even discovered the dis
appearance from her temples of few
gray hairs which had before observed
there. As for Mr. Field, he was all ten
der and respectful devotion, and evil
dontly did really consider her a. in
goodness at least something very near
an angel.
Priscilla" said | one day Ct was
somewhat older than she, and we had
become friendly and intimately, Edo YOU
know that think Arthur Field more
than half in love with your