The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1885-03-14

Hardy, that the Gray sisters can
find work for Alice Jennings now,
if she is still unemployed"
"The-which?" said Mrs. Progitt.
"The Gray sisters" explained
Mrs Hardy. "One Of our church
organizations"
Mrs. Progitt glared.
SIS there any end to the folly and
and nonsense of the present genera
tion?' said she.
~ suppose" laughed Hattie, that
in your day, Cousin Prodigy, nobody
went slumming?"
"Went--where?" said Mrs. Prod
gilt.
"Slumming!" distinctly repeated
Hattie.
"She means, visiting the poor, and
seeking out cases of destitution,
explained Mrs. Hardy. Hattie
my child, l do wish you wouldn't
talk slangW
Hattie disappeared with a little
breeze of laughter, while Mrs. Prod
gift resettled her spectacles and ut,
tered deep groan.
"Mark my words, Mary Ann,
said she. "that girl will come to nc
goodm
Hattie does not mean any harm,
Cousin Progitt," mildly pleaded
Mrs. Hardy, as she knitted on.
While Hattie, on her errand OF
mercy, went from house to house in
the darkling lanes and crowded
tenement districts, leaving an ounce
of green tea here and a lecture there,
bottle of Instrumentation by a
sick bed, little rose-scented snuff
in poor old woman's hand, a pic
ture book on the pillow of some lit
tie child, wooden toy in the de-
lighted grasp of a skeleton-like in
FAINT, gentle admonition in the ear
of willful factory-girl, and word
of comfort to encourage despair
ing widow.
She could be gay and fiippant
enough when "Cousin Prodigy" teas
ed her, but here she seemed to have
assumed a personality of dignity
and sweetness.
Old Milo Reneau's was the last
house on her list. She glanced anx-
iously at her watch as she went in.
Past FIVE" she said to herself. 81
must make haste or the dear little
nanny will be fretting,"
The dusk of the October evening
had already darkened the little
room; where lay the patient old suf-
ferer from rheumatism. 1t was
always neat and clean there, but in
Hattie's eyes it seemed more squalid
and poverty-stricken than usual to-
night. As she came around the
corner of the door, she perceived u
young man sitting at an uncovered
pine tnble-a figure strongly shout
ted against the window.
"Ah!" said she the spirit of right
eous evaporation rising up in her
heart, "I've caught you at last in
the very midst of your evil prac-
ticesw
The young man rose hurriedly to
his feet
81 beg your pardon" he began,
but the tide of Hattie's indignation
was not thus easily stemmed.
Don't beg my pardon" said she.
"Beg the pardon of society-ot pub
lie opidion-of everything else
which you are outraging by this
shameful behavior of yours. APP
parently, you have neither pride
nor self-respect left-now take my
advice; turn over a new leaf Give
up your evil practices, and set
yourself to earn a decent living.
Look me in the eyes, young manp
II oa''S;I1od severely. "Tell me if you
she sR5ee 5iSasfrS a&1s 10. c'd Sf yonrselflg dollar
are not ashamettment. r.
To all appearances, the culprit
was stricken dumb. Involuntarily
he raised pair of clear, honest eyes
to Hattie's face, according to orders,
but he did not speak a word, good
bad or Indifferent.
"He's not bad-looking," thought
Hattie; "but ] must not neglect
the chance of making an impress
sion. | am surprised at you !" she
added aloud. "a great, able-bodied
fellow like you settling down as a
disreputable incubus on your
friends and relatives, Don't you
know that you are the talk of the
neighborhood? Get up-go to work!
Never let me see you idling here
again No; don't answer me. l
never enter into argument with the
people in my district. Logic is use
less in case like this"
She hurried to old Milo, who, be-
ing stone-deaf, looked smilingly on
during this brief but energetic
monologue, as if it had been a reci-
tation from Shakespeare.