Daily Republican., 1884-02-15
GOOD ~ ILLTO EN-.
By ALFRED YOUEGE.

GOOD ~ NILLTO MEN.
| BY ALFRED YOUEGE.
The grand old maxim kept recurrin
to the mind of Stephen Grace as h
walked briskly down Broadway II
the crisp light of the frosty gas.lamps
wrapped In his rich fur-lined coat.
He was handsome man, this Stephel
Grace, a man admired for his eleganc
and accomplishments, and as popula
among his own sex as he was li0nizet
by the ladies Of his acquaintance.
He was singularly reticient concern
ing his past. A few maintained tina
he was impregnable to the influence o
love some, that he was blase and to
tally indifferent, while the majority
held that there had been q love passag,
in his life which had .petrifed hi
heart.
Whatever had happened in Stepher
GraCe's life was over and done now
he had buried his dead, and had return
ed to the world a courteous, cold, invul
nerable man.
1t was New Years Eve. and q fancy
had taken possession of Stephen Grace,
as he sat before the fire in his sumptu.
Gus bachelor quarters, to go down town
and purchase some elegant trihe for q
lady at whose honso he was q welcome
and honore,i guest.
As he FASTENED onward through the
keen brilliancy of the early evening, he
decided upon lace handkerchief as an
acceptable and appropriate gift, and
therefore directed his steps toward a
certain shop where such luxuries were
speciality.
High above the gladsome din and
roar Of the great city, high up in the
star.lit, frigid dome of heaven, the
chimes were ringing joyously: Peace,
good will to men
And the holy charge found echo in
Stephen Grace's heart; his eyes brigh.
tened and glowed with unwonted fer
vor, and upon his lips trembled the
words.
Peace, good will to men 7"
Upon arriving at his destination
Stephen Grace found the entrance
blocked by an excited crowd, In which
the uniforms of several officers of police
mingled with thrilling effect.
A theft had been committed
A little girl, a mere child in years,
had purloined q web Of almost priceless
lace from the counter where 1t had been
they said.
Stephen Grace pressed forward until
he obtained q view CT the little culprit
dropping in the clutch of two stalwart
Of the law.
He could not see her face, but her
piteous, wailing voice reached him ,and
touched his heart.
"Ob, let me 60, let me go." she cried;
"indeed l did not steal the lace }! 1t
caught on. this sprig Of holly /! On,
what will poor mamma say !!
Caught on that sprig OF holly in
deed |" sneered the proprietor Of the
Away with her Let
her tell her story before the Captain.
Officers, do your duty p
Stephen Grace was strangely, most
moved by the episode.
Forgetful of his errand he made his
way to the proprietor and questioned
him concerning the occurrence.
"Oh, yes, know the girl, replied
he man she is the daughter of
who does embroidery for us.
They are very poor, and for that very
reason | suspect the child of intentional
;heft."
The reasoning was far from convi nc
ng Stephen Grace.
Turning abruptly he buttoned his
,oat about him and strobe off in the di-
'ection of the nearest police-station.
Arriving there he was unspeakably
.elieved to learn that the child had
)een discharged.
"I took it upon myself" said the
Iergeant in command to let the poor |
title one go free. My heart told me
hat she was the victim of cirCumstan-
.es, and couldn't keep her from her
mother on New Years Eve
"Thank you, and God bless you, sir!"
exclaimed Stephen Grace offering his
land.
The officer stared.
"You took her name and address, l
uppose?" Grace asked.
"Oh, yes: he name is Vane, and they
i've at-Little Twelfth street,
"Vane!"
But before the sergeant could reply to
he outcry Grace was out Of the station
ouse and making his way across town
Dward Little Twelfth street.
Before the door of q low, ill-lighted
enement our hero paused and inquired
)r:
"Mrs. Vane."
"Top floor, back room," replied a
hook headed woman who was Just
ding out with an empty pitcher in her
and.
The woman stared, as we'll she might
8 the gentleman with the eager, hand
ONE face disappeared up the rickety
taircase.
Such callers were not common at No.
Little Twelfth street. In theimpene-
rable darkness Of the upper floor and
tano ing close to the door of Mrs. Vane's
oom, Stephen Grace heard the sound
f desperate sobbing and the broken
Oice of the child narrating her unfor-
lnate adventure.
Without waiting to knock, he thrust
pen the door and crossed the thresh.
Id.
A neat, but pitifully comfortless l
,om confronted him, fireless and light
1 by the flickering rays Of a tallow
andle. II
A woman, pallid but still sweetly 8
lir, sat by the table. She had laid q
side her sewing and was clasping the g
tile culprit to her breast and was !
ying to soothe the troubled spirit
'ith low murmured words and ca
sses.
At the sound Of the opening door, she t
anced up. Ic
She sat the child from her and stag v
cred to her feet, supporting herself r
oon the corner of the table. t
:" Stephen p Is
=" God be- praised ! Mollie, my wife |"
He had her in his arms and held her
nresisting form to his breast, for she I
I'd tainted. Il