The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1884-12-04

once he had heard Maud Russeu say 10
a companion:
Il declare, Hope Whitney's old cloak
is a disgrace to our church. L should
think, with her wages, she might dress
better
Il was just at the close of the morn
ing service, and, not waiting to hear
more, he passed to where Hope was
standing surrounded by bevy of chill.
dTen.
'.Gocd-morning, Miss Whitney," put
ting out his hand. u have been look
ing toward the school-house with long
ing eyes for a number of weeks
You need no longerlook. but come, y
Hope responded gracefully. "The
children would be delighted.
And Miss Whitney?' he questioned.
Would also be pleased" "
Thanks"
1t was not much. But it answered.
The sound of her voice, the touch OF
her hand, fingered with him for days.
You see" Grandmother Harris was
SAYING, ''they were going to take me to
the pooT-house, because, in the winter,
/ get the rheumatis so bad / can t work.
One day, when | was feeling SO dis
couraged, | was fit to die, along came
little Hope. | always call her little
Hope, because I've known her so long.
Why, sir, | was there when she was
born, and did all | could to cheer up
her poor broken-hearted mother. And
l was there, too, at the time her mother
died. Hope, she didn't forget these
things, though its no more than I've
done for many others, and it's no more
than Christ tells us to don
She paused a moment as though lost
in thought
But as | was saying, little Hope
heard what was going on, and she
came up here, through the dreadfullest
storm, to say it shouldn't be. And
when she went away | was richer by
twenty dollars than when she came
Aud it isn't the last she's done. But,
bless me, | promised not to tell where
the money came from
Have no fear Robert Dean replied,
your secret is safe
Il hope SO. And ANYWAY | feel bet
ter to tell someone about it, for | have
felt SO guilty TO take the child's money,
e'tttt oCC IlII " tttli4I8 Iti Olu tIOlHts,
when all the rest OF the girls were hav-
ing pretty furbeIows. But she would
have it so, and it would have been
dreadful hard to have left the old place,
poor as it Is. You can't think about
the hopes that lie down among them
old >craggy lilacs IN the yard For
when | planted them | had my chill
dren with me, dear little creatures run
ming about as happy as birds. But
what's the use Of crying? [ shall have
them again before long
When she talked, it seemed to Rob-
ert Dean that the room was full of
Hopes presence. It 1ouched the smoke
soiled walls and the plain furniture
with strange sort Of glory, as the
brush Of the artist transforms the un-
slightly canvas into a thing OF living
beauty.
He was strongly moved. He could
have knelt at this old woman's feet
and thanked her for the words she had
uttered.
But he did what was infinitely wiser;
he left in her hand, at parting, that
which kept her for many day, and,
hiding his Joy away in his heart, he
only said:
DO not be troubled about the future.
You shall never want while | live"
The Sunday evening following, his
sermon grew out OF this text: s'Pure
religion and indebted before God and
the Father, is this: TO visit the father
less and the widows in their aflliction,
and to keep ones self ulspotted from
the world. y
A new meaning lay behind his words
which thrilled the hearts OF his hear
ers. He had been cleaning in the great
field OF life and had come back bur-
deucd with sheaves. His vision of life
and its labor had widened-the worker
was growing with The work
When Hope reached the outer door
of the church, she was aware that Sc
we're storm was almost upon them.
she ''7..'goj her steps, but suddenly
a voic,, her pulses beating, said
close be-. ts..s
Tax !4t arm. Miss Whitney; the
storm comes on rapidly"
e., s., he spoke the rain dashed in
torre Hope turned her face, with
q lit gasp, and hid it against his arm.
as vivid fash OF lightning illuminated
the earth.
He forgot the storm; forgot every
thing but the woman beside him and
the love that mastered him.
He stood still, and gathered her to
his heart, with q swift passionate move
ment.
''Oh. Hope, if l may always shelter
"
cannot tell YOU her answer, for the
winds blew her low words away from
all ears save his own.
But this much / can tell YOU, that
when May-time hung her blossoms upon
tree and vine, there was a wedding in
the little church one sun-filled day.
And among al the envyings, and re-
~rets, and reiOicings. no heart of all
the loOkers-on beat with such deep Joy
and blessing as Grandmother Harris,
-, in her best black dress, she sat in
an easy-chair near the altar. where
stood the dainty white-robed bride,
.aking upon herself the responsibility
Of Il minister wife
Years have passed since that bright
day.
Grandmother Harris is with her chill
dren, and her little brown-gabled house
has given place to 4 nicer new one.
And the Hlacs with the dear hopes hid
den among the roots have long age
been consumed to ashes.
Through all the changes, and into
the nigh places where the hearts of the
people have placed him. Robert Dean
has ever been able to say of his wife as
did Wendell Phillips of his-.'She is my
Inspiration
At the breakfast table: Mrs. Smith
Only think what horrid creatures
those Arctic voyagers were to resort to