The Dickinson press., 1883-08-11

Aunt fnUDG remarked LlaG nef 1aml.
ly dined at noon, %whereupon Mrs. Her
bert, in what appeared to me very ill
taste, descanted at considerable length,
practice New York people adopted. OF
eating their heartiest meal at nightfall;
to all of which the young lady assented,
with we'll bred acquiescence.
The next day was spent by our state
ly visitor in u%npacking. She had ex-
planned 4hat the reason of her coming
to N-without her parents, was because
they were unable to leave the city for
two months longer, and Uncle Eben Of
fering his escort, it was thought best to
send her this early, where she could
breathe good country air. Later in the
season her parents hoped to join her.
Well, it wa not in the nature ofthings
for two Young ladies of about the same
age to occupy adjoining rooms without
becoming somewhat familiar. Yet l had
stood aloof, really admiring this beauti-
full girl, but determined she should new
er have cause to feel contempt for me
for forcing myself upon her notice in
any way. But she was a mighty fascil-
alton. 1t frequently happened she
would ask me some question which
would result in my staying into her
room while she was dressing for the
afternoon. And what a pleasure and at
traction it was to watch the completion
of her toilet. With shapely white fin
gers shewould deity plant a jaunty bow,
or sweet tuft of flowers, in the midst of
a mas of crimps over her smooth brow,
and it would look as if there, both bow
and crimps, without being placed by
hands, 80 perfectly graceful and unstud-
| SnI mould h0 tho Nrkeno n reo D,
Her elegantly Numbered muslins, or
crisp silks. fitted her taultless figure to
a charm, and even the ribbon or flower
was as dainty nestled among the laces at
| her throat as though placed by fairy
study by her rich attire, and finished
up in a BAL! room," as Mrs. Hsyber :? Had
rather spitefully remarked. l used to
pray God to convert and save the love-
ly girl, for reared as | had been, l
feared that there must be much of sim
fulness and danger lurking beneath so
much of tasteful display.
A few afternoons after her arrival,
Mr.. Spencer, the talented young minis
ter of N-,h had called. and while l sat
confusedly wishing l knew just what to
say, Rosa swept. noislessly into the
room. Oh, the ease and grace with
which sine received and conversed with
him! l can see now the perfect attitude
she assumed, all unconscious apparent
ly of the faultless adjustment, as seating
herself sideways IN the sofa, so as to
face him as he sat in his arm chair, her
long trail laid in ample folds along the
floor.
To my surprise some question which
/ Mr. Srornor ocl>o,l roroolal tha foo chat
Rosa taught a large class of boys in the
Howard mission Sunday school.
"Why!" | said afterward, edo you
teach in the Sunday SCHOOL,"
Certainly" she replied; 81 couldn't
we'll get along without my poor dear
boys; ma sometimes worries about me
going so often to their wretched homes,
but it is n Of my chief pleasures to try
to comfort them now and then!'
Aha! here was a e phase in this
dressy beauty's character. That was
more than l had ever done in my life.
[ had prayed for the poor, but most peo-
pie in our village were comfortably off,
so | knew little about wretched homes
of poverty, but.the New York poor of
others!"
1t is true Rosa used frequently to ride
with fashionable acquaintance at the
hotel and spent more or less time in gay
company, but sweeter or more agree
able manners | had never seen, although
remarks and innuendoes continually
thrown out by Aunt Phoebe and Mrs.
Herbert, made me always somewhat re-
served in her presence, but often she
would seem lonely, and on one occa-
sion standing before me ezquisitely got
ten up as usual-she said lovingly:
"Vo,1 oro On hriubf orl nrattv Moo
gle dear; but 1 think-I imagine-vou
don't Just fancy me. l could love YOU
dearly too"
[ longed to throw my arms around her
white neck; and bury my lips in her
dImpled cheek; but I thought of the al
lusions so constantly made as warnings,
concerning her sinful worldliness, and
sat still. Silly dolt that l was.
One evening just as We had finished
supper, on Of the neighbor's boys burst
excitedly into the dining ROOM, with the
unpleasant intelligence that one of the
Glen boys chad been u over" and DR..
Gray doubted if he could live through
the night.
The "Glen boys" belonged to a very
poor but respectable family, who lived
about a mile from Aunt Phebe's, and
although every n expressed surprise
and curiosity, n 10 n seemed to take
very deeply to heart the fact that a
"mother's boy was suffering great bod
lily pain and N danger of speedy death.
A few moments later, to my surprise,
| met Rosa in the hall, plainly dressed
ina short cambric-ofa remarkably pref
ty pattern-and with her gypsy and
gloves, l say she vas equipped for a
walk.
"Why, it is almost dark" l said, "are
you going out alone?"
81 am going to poor Mrs. Glen's," she
replied sim ply, "she must need help, or
at least sy mpathy, this long, painful
night"
"Oh let me go too! do" 1 pleaded for
she hesitated to reply.
"Cer1ainly, if your aunt is willing; but
l clay stay until morning."
Aunt Phnbe's face would indeed have
been "a picture for a painter" when l
told her where l wished to go, and
with whom.
Law, yes" when her surprise en-
abled her to find utterance, "and for
mercy's sake notice what she does for
all things!"-But 1 waited to hear nc
more, and another moment we were of
But the lesson l learned that night
was how a fair, jeweled hand could soothe
a bruised and fevered brow; how low,
cultured tones could breathe consolation
into the ear of a lowly but stricken
mother; how an ample purse, in gener.
Gus hands could provide for some of the
necessities Of the suffering poor. Dear,
blessed girl! Child of fashion she might
be. but what harm after all, could the
tine vesture prove, with such a true
heart beating beneath!
And if you can believe it! When
told from a full heart, the next day,
| snro IF tho await, - A. -.a.. ~