Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1883-01-17

how tardy she might be, there was always
the freckled face, lighted up with a
welcome.
Miss Maria would never have believed
six months before that she could have
go missed the visage of red headed
servant. It was Bridget who came when
she had rung twice, and to Miss Maria's
hastv,-
"Where is Jacob ?" Bridget respond.
ed:
"He went out the first of the evening,
ma'am, and not a hair Of him have /
seen since, and it's going on ten
O'clock"
Eleven-twelve o'clock, and still no
Jacob. Miss Campbell went to bed in
great anxiety.
No Jacob to wait on the breakfast
table Miss Maria grew alarmed.
Il shall 60 myself to Cat alley and
see il evil has befallen the child" said
she.
"Why, there he is, ma'am, coming in
the gate,' cried Bridget.
There he was indeed, with a very sober
face, and carrying in his arms what
seemed to be bundle of rags-or else
an old bedquilt--or could it be
"What have you there?' demanded
Miss Campbell.
Into the kitchen Jacob M on crept.
All his pompousness had vanished. He
crouched down by the stove, and opened
the bundle Of rags. A tiny baby-that
was what Miss Campbell saw. A little
red, wrinkled, mummy-like baby some
three days old.
Jacob looked up appealingly.
Its own niece to me" said he, "my
sisters baby, and my sister she died last
night. Aud there amt living soul to
see to this young one. And o, Miss
Maria, thought as maybe you'd let her
have box to sleep in, along with the
kittens, and my wages will feed her
hearty"
"Along with tho kittensl' replied
Miss Campbell. "Jacob Moon, are you
a heathen?'
claw; mum, she's more likely to ba
leathen fetched up in Cat alley, nor
she would be here with the kits"
Miss Campbell stopped over the baby.
A little soft, aimless hand hit her
cheek. Miss Maria's face flushed Grim,
son. She caught the baby from Jacob
and marched off inio the parlor. From
thenco she issued her orders:
"Bring warm milkW Along with
the kittens indeed Let me see you
hurry, Bridget Warm milk immedi.
ately !"
Oh! The feeling of that downy head on
her arm Oh the touch of those NOR
sells OF hands A sort of fierce frenzy
sprang up in this childless woman's
heart---a wild desire to keep this baby,
and to love this baby, and to have this
baby love her. To snatch her away
from Cat alley with its vice and dirt.
To make sweet, pure lady of her.
"Better, more gentle than l am,"
thought Miss Maria humbly.
as there no one to take care of your
niece. Jacob?' asked sire.
H Not - uur, EE..e.. t. r-'- dSsd, ....1
it's mas dead, and o, Miss Maria, do
keep her-never will l let on I'm rela
ton"
"I have wanted some one I could"
said Miss Maria in rather an ashamed
way. Gas for you. jacob"
"Law!" cried t,lat worthy, quite mis-
taking ler meaning, "of course I'm no.
body. But oh I'll wait on yer day and
night, if"
"Go into the Kitchen" said Miss
Maria sternly, and the crest.fallen Moon
skunk out.
1t was too late to send back the baby
to-day. Miss Campbell found an excuse
for keeping her tomorrow. The next
day too for that matter. Then she de
cided she must have scme clothes made.
That took nearly month. At the end
of that time, no torture would have
made Miss Campbell send the scrap
back to Cat alley.
"She shal be brought up as my own,"
said she decidedly, "and her name shall
be Alice Campbell"
claw |" said Jacob, and that was all,
1t may have been Law. it certainly
was Gospel, the deed Miss Cam bell
had done. If you could only have seen
the change that came over that big,
dreary house. There was smart nurse,
in wonderful cap, always running up
and down stairs. There was great com
motion every day, when the baby went
out to take an airing. Miss Maria was
so very, very busy that she quite forgot
to fro wn. Indeed those two soft, little
hands patted every wrinkle out Of the
stern face.
Then as Alice grew older, all the
chi dren in the street came flocking in
to play with her. They swarued up in.
to Miss M.ria's lap just as if they had
a right there, which indeed they had.
Sometimes rs many as seven would
come at time to "spend the after
noon," and at nightfall Jacob would
pilot them home.
1t was not only the well.dressed little
who came. Miss Maria coaxed more
than one little ragged girl and boy into
her house, and she gave them cookies
to eat, 40 you may be sure they didn't
need much coaxing the next time
"But I reckon they don't thank you
any too much for your palms." said Mr..
Rind, Miss Campbells lawyer, who hap.
pened to be at her house one day.
"What do L care for their thanks |"
erie MISS Maria.
Mr.. Rand smiled, aud hot flush
spread over Miss Campbells face.
"I'm not the woman | was five years
ago, before Jacob brought me my dear
Alice" said she gently.
Oh, how big Miss Maria's heart grew |
Year after year flew, and happier and
more loving was she. As for Alice, no
DAUGHTER was ever nearer mothers |
heart and when she was married, and
her baby, the little Maria, came, surely
there was no home in the wide world |
more blessed than Miss Campbell's.
And did Alice ever know that the
good Jacob who had watched and wait.
ed on her all these years, was more than
Il mere servant to her? I suspect that
she did. Then why did she not help
him rise to more exalted position
Amore exalted position WHAT from
being Ms, Campbell's footman? =? Perish
the thought! You might as we'll suggest |
that church steeple should rise to the
level of cottage chimney!
There was no fine gentleman, I do
assure you, who held his head half so
h Oh as did Jacob on this very morning.