River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1884-01-17
TIE LITTLE SAMARITAN.

Miss Mary Jane Ham stood in front Of
the imposing brick building used as the
high school of Rilletown, with an I'M
opened letter, just handed her by the
passing carrier, in her hand Miss Mary
Jane had her little peculiarities, her
faults and her foibles, her likes and her
disljkes, as what woman has not, or man
either, for that matter? but Miss Mary
James own browning dislike, which
embittered her whole soul, as much as
1t was impossible to embitter so sweet
anG sunny a soul, was her hatred
for her name. The man of Ham
could not be helped; it was the paternal
Patronymic; it belonged to the unlortu-
nate son Of Noah; but why should her
mother ag1rayatc the matter by adding
the plcbeian Mary Jane? There were
hundreds Of feminine appelatives that
were quite as Inexpensive and that
would have added some grace to the in
evitable Ham. Without petition
ing the general court, Mary Jane
had managed - tighten in 4 small way
her grievance Her friends called her
Jennie. She signed her name in fault
less chirography, as became a Massa-
chusetts school ma'am, n. Jennie Ham
and she had faith that, in the near fiji
ture some faultless young man woulI
eudow her with a name far more en-
durable than the one her father had left
her and which was all she had ever re-
Ceived from him. Ii Was. therefore,
with a sort Of shu1der that she read the
supersciipIiun, whiJh IAN, in bold BUSH
ness like letters, across the envelope:
'Miss Mary j. Ham, Riliet0Wn, Mass"
The post mark for once not blotted over
was Chicago; the writer who? NJ. Jennie
had no acquaintance in that famous
western city, and only by dint of hard
thinking dill 1t occur to her that her
mothers eldest brother, John Rivers
lived there; but lie was reputed to be Of
: immense wealth, and very likely he had
never heard Of her existence. She tore
open the envelope and read:
N'My dear niece: | expect the reception
of this letter will canse you some surprise,
and the reading OF it more. / am your mo-
theirs eldest brother. When | first came to
Chicago l used to CORRESPOND with your
mother; but, as the years slipped away,
somehow our letters grew more and more
inirequeut and finally ceased entirely.
heat of money getting l lost ell traces of
my Eastern relstives. Latterly, | must con-
TESS from selfish motives, / have been look
ing them up. | am getting old. My wife
Is dea.. | have no child. | need home.
You must know that business men frequent
by suffer great TeyeTses. | have written to
each of my nephews and nieces much as l
have written tOyOu. My letters have most
ly remained unanswered; or, if answered,
furnished but a cold comfort VIII you
take pity on az old MANI Iawait your an.
swer with Intense interest,
Your uncle,
JoHS RIVERS"
M. Jennie slowly folded the letter.
mechanically replaced itin the envelope,
and. with preOccupieI air, turned her
steps toward her home. SEo had been
left an orphan at an early age, E-jthout
relative to claim her, and lad Won her
WAY only by indefatigable industry and
grit. First, as Il sewing girl, going from
house to house, she had saved money
enough to fit herself fOI teaching; she
had toled night and day. and within
the past twelve months she had obtained
a situation in the RitietO8n high school,
at salary of 800 per annum. She liked
dainty things; books and pictures, soft,
yielding carpets, and pretty furniture.
She had q WOman's longlngs for delicate
Iares and fine linens and crispy silks and
soft CashmeTeS, and, recently, in very
small way, she had commenced to Tevcl
IN their possession. She had even, dur
ing her coming vacation, contemplated a
visit to the White Hill, and over maps
and in the dulcct pages of Starr King,
in Imagination had tloated over tie
bright waters Of the Winnipiseogee and
drank in the beauties of the Pemige was
set the SaCo and the Andr0scOggin val
leVs; and here, in the face of
these long cherished aniicipations,
was letter asking charity.
NJ Jennie had a tender heart. Her
struggles with poverty had left no cal
iouses on it. Her mind went reluctant
is back to those old, unpleasant days
and then reverted to Uncle John. He
had been wealthy and now he had no
home; he was old, his wifi. was dead,
he was her dead mothers brother, and
he needed some one to care for him.
An, well. Her lie, so far, had been
one long repression; why not let 1t con-
tinue SO TO the end2 And after all, Is
there not sometimes as much pleasure
in the denial as well as in the gratihca-
ton of a wish?
Long before she reached her home
Jennie had come to Il decision. The
little brown cottage must accommodate
one more With a friend of her sewing
back street, ami thus satisfied the in
tense longiugs of her heart Tor home.
Her ar Engagements We're soon compile
ted, and the next day the mail carried
an answer TO Uncle John. Il, too"
she wrote, "have known what it is to
have no home and the one have to
offer you may sadly dlsappoint you; but
l Will try my best 10 make it pleasant
for YOU. Your room is ready, and with
~
coming.
4 week later an express wagon landed
an Old man, with a battered trunk, on
the doorstep OF the lIttle brown cottage.
Il Glanced 10 be on Il saturday, When
JENNIE had no school duties, and the
cordial words with which she welcomed
Uncle john were interrupted by a kiss
ON tie Old mans cheek, which the lal-
ter did not full to repay. From under
p.ur OF Oushy eyebrows there peered
out two keen, sagaclous gray eyes, Which
took in every look aud movement OF the
little sChOOima' am.
on dear little Samaritan he cried.
"Nou, OF al my relatives, alone conseut-
ed
a soft hand was placed over the old
mans mouth.
flush. Uncle John, she said. You
come as my honored guest, ami you are
10 make no samaritan references 10 me.
Then She introduced hIm to her COM
pauion, showed hlm through the little
brown cottage, and, with many tug
ana little cry, helped HIM carry the old,
battered trunk up the winding stairway.
The task accomplished, she proceeded
10 store its COuteuts IN laultless order III
the bureau provided tor the purpose.
SO like your mother IN her gIrllsh
DAYS, said Uncle John, interrupting her
in her work 10 indulge IN one more good,
long look. And nat Untold posses
siOnS and pleasures do you deny your
self fer the sake OF giving an OLD man a
home.'
"Ah, Uncle john, she answered, with
4 merry laugh, my lie has had SO many
denIais that a few more or less are OF lit
lie consequence. And, besides, | have
found, with the German Leasing, that
the see sing the pleasures of the pursuit
and anticipation Is greater than the
realization"
And So you are deep in the Germans.
Do not let their Haeckels ami Buchners
dim your faith
Then thew sat down and took men
tai gau.tc OF each other. From German
DbiIns0phy they dritted 10 poetry, from
poetry to history, from history to
"Cncle John has not found business
so absorbing that he has not taken time
~ read. Perhaps his devotion 10 books
caused him 10 fail, thought Jennie.
..The little Samaritan had not allowed