The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-06-25
A FRIEND IN NEED.

They all lived together in the Palla-
Eum l. lats "a cheerful building, neither
Eery extensive nor very towering, and
With nothing imposing about it excepting
chaps its name!
The Dolitels- bachelor brother, maid
In sister, and widowed mother-occu-
pied the topmost suit of apartments, and
fwo contiguous rooms over, ,ooking au
Empty and airy courtyard were tenanted
Fcspectiyely by pretty saleslady and a
pale young music teacher. They had
been neighbors for year or more and
hey had all become quite neighborly to-
gelher
"Only Maud Kayne is so much more
ociable and obliging than the music
teacher is the Dolitcls used to say
hmoug themselves
'Rachel Lennard may be just as gen
erous and sympathetic, even if she is so
undemonstrativc, MIR. Kit Dolitel was
incliued o maintain.
"Oh, she amt sympathetic Bit" dis
sented the maiden sister-a diminutive
and colorless parsonage with somewhat
characterless features. ''Whilc mamma
was so alarmingly ill she never came near
us-though to be sure she did send to
Enquire if she could be Of service. But
Maud-the dear soul! was in and out
constantly, and always advising some
thing to help u.s."
''Her advice was no sacrifice to her,"
bachelor Kit said. ''And if l were
alarmingly ill, fancy should not care
to have anybody in and out constantly,
chattering and gossiping.
And her chatter did sometimes rather
torture my poor weak head" said Mrs.
Dolitel. who was still an invalid-"and
she advised nothing which was really
helpful. But she intended everything
Fkind-Maud would do anything in the
world for friend"
"She quite insisted l should take that
lovely zouave jacket-it was present to
her, too; and to be sure do not need it
bi,," said the somewhat rapid Miss
Dolitel
''It cost her Dothing," the brother
commented with an amused twinkle in
his fine, frank gray eyes. "And she
cannot wear it herself-sky blue en-
broidered in silver does not eminently
become sallow brunette!"
"She is always insisting we shall Ike
some triie from her." said the mother,
Ignoring the sarcastic comment; "and
had much rather she would not. But
she can afford to make little gifts to her
friends, l suppose; she certainly earns a
good deal more money than Rachael
does"
"Teaching music is not always a lu-
cratlve vocation" Kit observed sobery.
"Oh. but Rachael does not care to
make gifts to any one she is such a
miserly little creature" said the sister.
She actually begrudges the keeping of
her parrot, Maud says"
MAUD must have been Joking" Mrs.
Dolitel interposcd. "She would not be
likely to begrudge the keeping of pet
like that-it is a wonderfully Intelligent
and rarely taught bird. and valuable be-
side. One of her pupils would give her
hundred dollars for it any day"
And she would not part with it for
hundred times the sum. She has
nothing else to love, she says. She is an
uneommonly silly girl, think" the not
particularly brilliant Miss Dolitel said,
with a little shrug of her diminutivo
shoulders
And she has need enough of money,
too-l am persuaded of that. She has
Worn nothing but shabby old cashmeres
ever since she has been in the house, u
Mrs. Dolitel said, in suddenly altered
and failing tone. and she abruptly
dropped the needlework which for some
moments she had held in an uncertain
sort of way.
You have been exerting yourself toe
much, mother" said Kit, anxicusly re
sarulnS the changing countenance of his
fragile parent.
You are ill again, mamma" the
laughter cried, as she hurried to the sofa
"here the invalid reclined, now faint
anu gasping, as spasm after spasm of pain
"renched her weakened frame.
=, ana Ill again she was, indeed-so i'll
mat for days and days she lay in dark.
eHea room, to which the exceedingly SO
fraoie fnsoI and obliging Maud Kayne was re-
fused admittance.
10 let me go to her! I could be such
ane,p to her, and a little chat would
so1the her so much And / am alway.
fo fu naPpy when can do something for 8
,;na, eno, supplicated the young lady, hel
ngea sins hands clasped beseechingly, he
tbo'ack tbat;O eyes very solemn and sympa
lou cannot 60 to her yet; mothe