The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1883-07-06
A RICH REWARD.

''PoOr old soul, how white she Isl
and how weak she looks, and how sad!"
said Clare Rainsford, tn tears of beauti-
full, womanly compassion gathering
thick in the blue eyes. and slowly cours-
ing down the blooming cheek.
She stood in the doorway of the old
red brick farmhouse. and the sunshine
from the broad summer fields outside
rushed about her, and made living gold
of her beautiful hair, and she stood in
its light, with heavenly pity on her
pure face, as though she had but newly
alighted upon earth from some fairer re-
gion.
She was looking at the figure of an
old woman, crouched on low arm
chair, at the opposite wall.
She was much travel-stained. The
shoes were dragged down at heel, thick
with the mud of many highways, and in
some places burst open; the dress-an
old silk one-was very ragged, but not
as from wear; there were great rents,
as if the poor soul had forced her way
through thorn and bramble-thickets.
Her head was uncovered, and the
grey hair fell dishevelled and unkempt.
Her face was very pinched, very white
and hollow-cheeked She had all the
look of vagrant, wandering from place
to place, ready to take revenge on So
ciety for real or fancied wrongs receiv-
ed from it.
So thought Aunt Martha, as she came
into the room, at the moment, with q
plate, holding golden pyramid Of blocks
of butter.
'Gracious me, childr' cried Aunt
Martha. Where did you get this crea-
ture, in the name of goodness? Why
did you let her in at all?'
''Well, Aunt Matte" said Clare,
quietly, Il can hardly say that I let her
in; but | found her on the road, just at
our gate, almost fainting, and brought
her in, aunt, as am sure you would do
yourself
''All very well, child; but this creature
is q tramp, and one of the dirtiest and
raggedest-a and hate tramps, and you
know | do. And I'm not goin' to have
my house-leastways it's my brother
Thomas, which is all the same-tilled
with nasty creature, all over mud; and
Heaven knows what they have picked
up in the woods, and fields. and bitches.
So, my old woman. just let me see you
tramp out of my house this minlte!'
The old woman turned lacI-lustre
eye on the speaker, and stared at her rs
if hardly comprehending her; but Aunt
Martha's raised voice. the flush on hel
face, and, above all, the expressive ges
ture towards the door, were too signif-
cant to be misunderstood.
Il
a half bow, the grace of which formed
singular contrast to her dress and APP
pearance. tottered. rather than walked.
slowly towards the door.
She did not reach it, for Clare, with q
fitful color. in her cheek, and certain
steely CLINT shining in her eyes, was by
the old woman's side, and led her back
to her seat. As the poor old creature
reached it she sank down on the edge;
then, sliding from it to the floor, lay
there, heap Of muddy rags, with the
white face, now insensible, staring out
from it,
''She has tainted, aunt. Fetch SMELL
ing-bottle and glass of waterv'
Her voice was stern, and Aunt Mar
tina had never seen such an expression
III bilc lltuuSOIuc young lace.
Law, child!" she said, as she came
in with the two requirements and hustled
herself about the insensible form, II
never thought the poor creature could
be took so hard. II / had looked into
her face a little closer might have seen
she wasn't in no fit condition to tramp
the roads. But" she added in whis-
per, "she be awful dirty, and she be q
tramp"
II don't think she is tramp, as the
rest are, aunt. She has some trouble,
you may depend upon it. and it has
touched her BRAIN
Nonsense, child! You are too 70.
mantle, altogether. Anybody who look.
ed minute at her would say she was
tramp all her days But she has come
to. Are you better now, my dearp
Could you take glass of milkp"
The old woman was seriously ill---too
i'll to be removed, even IL there was any
place to remove her to; SO that Aunt
Martha was obliged to digest the venom
of her spleen against tramps and tramp
dom as best she could, and the invalid
was placed in Clare's own bed, and the
doctor was sent for.
When Mr.. Dickson, Clare uncle, came
home, he entirely approved the proceed
ings, and declared he would never have
held up his head il the lowest of Gods
creatures had been driven from his door
to die by the roadside.
Nothing could surpass the devotion Of
Clare to her invalid. The latter's dress
had been removed. and some Of Miss