Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-09

sunshine like a ragged shadow, and stood IN
my path--a woman like a night hawk, bird
Of i'll omen. pale, sullen face, framed by
rough red hair half hidden by a rusty shawl,
looked into mine. She was ruin Of cheap
fnery and some good looks, and she was
young. As l opened the gate OF No. this
woman came up behind me.
"Are you going in there p she asked, and
hesitated.
turned, and her worn eyes held mine.
"Yes. Can do anything for your
"For me2 Yes" Then she added, with
unexpected violence, mo, you can do moth
ing. God couldn't help me-"
turned from her.
"Wait /" she cried "There's a Chinese
woman down there lives there. You know
her Is she kind or is she cruelY p
''She is good woman" | replied, surpris
cd, ''and she is very kind"
"She ought TO be bad the world Is bad to
her" the girl muttered
"She is better than many a Christian.
What do you want Of her 2" demanded per
emptorily.
''If she we're no better" the woman said,
with a mirthless laugh and without answer.
ing my question, but with strange, search
ing look out of those worn eyes that had seen
awful things she turned aud shuih ID away,
blot on the sunshine.
l opened Agees door, deep in thought,
when, to my amaz,ment, heard the cry Of a
baby.
"why, Agee Sang Long!" 1 cried For
there she sat on her accustomed cricket near
the stove, and she held baby in her arms.
Nova sat before her, thrusting an unheeded
paw nearly into her face, aud devoured by
jealousy, and, as usual, the music box was
spinning out The Beautiful Blue Danube"
As looked at the baby, l thought had nev-
or seen so patient little creature before. 1t
was taby with past, and il had known
trouble. Though it was enveloped in an an
cient shawl of Agee's, it was unmistakably a
begRar. But it was appreciative, and liked
music for it smiled at the music box with a
strange, sphinx-like expression in its clear
eyes, as IL it could have told strange things
had il so willed. But the most extraordinary
sight was Agee herself, for she was laughing,
and 1t was the FIRST time l had seen her ex.
press an emotion of mirth. There was no
merriment in her eyes, but her mouth was
widely distended, exhibiting gums and tongue
and teeth to full advantage.
No sooner did she see me than she strug-
gled to her feet, the baby nearly capsizing
her.
Him mine !" she cried in triumph. "Him
lef at de doc las nigh. Lookee, docto'
him nice babee."
She put him in my arms as il she were con.
iofEiuB lhNOI, tutu RhItu JOyOuhly nj US
both, while the neglected Nova rubbed against
me with pathetic desire to be noticed
looked into the poor babys eyes, aud vaguely
thought, "I have seen those eyes before"
Then of a sudden it all fl tshed across me, aud
l saw again the woman whose worn eyes, full
of bad past, bad held mine. Now under
stood
"Shsll you send him to the orphans home,
Agee Z" / asked.
me keepee babee," she answered, with
some reproach. Me woTkee for babee. Me
hab monee. Me makee q gentleman OBJ ba
bee."
The future gentleman becoming bit rest
less with me, he stretched out two soft arms
to be taken by Agee. Never shall forget the
joy and pride with which she received him.
Him my babee !" she cried, enraptured,
hugging him tight. For the first time in for
ty years human creature showed her love
creature weaker than herself clung to her
for protection, and the mother instinct that
nature gives even to poor Chinese made her
strong and happy.
When left them Agee was again sitting on
her cricket, rocking the baby to sleep and
singing to it some unearthy song, of Chinese
origin probably. Mowa's head had found a
resting-place in her lap, and be kept time
with his tail. All! she was a different person
now, Agee Sang Long. She bad an object in
life.
How hard she worked to make both ends
meet She denied herself every thing to buy
warm clothing for the baby, and she gave
Nova bite when she was very hungry her
self. Her rheumatism was bad, and she had
queer pains inside, as she told me but that
did not mar her great content.
She who had always been so lonely and de-
serted noticed now that, when she left the
house, wild, wan creature appeared sudden
ly and dogged her steps. Agee imagined that
this person desired to speak to her, so she
would linger on her way to give her a chance;
but the other only retreated in haste her poor
rags futtering in the chill air.
"She be q unfotnit lady" Agee said, with
much delicacy, describing her to me.
1t was Chrstmas-time, and Agee Sang Long
being person Of family now, determined to
celebrate the day. She worked harder than
ever, supposing that were possible, and though
the rheumatism was very bad, it could not
subdue her On Christmas Eve, after she had
scrubbed and washed all day she came through
the heavily falling snow, and proceeded to
scrub her own floor until it shone. She wash
ed the baby, and then she turned Nova into
monument of soap. and water wretchedness.
Having Rrrayed herself in her poor best she
made the baby fine, tied him into a chair for
safety, and then turned him temporarily
around with his back to the Christmas sur
prise in store.
Nova whined and was restless. He shifted
at the window and growled at the door but
Agee did not notice him.
At last her surprise was complete. She
clspped her hands and laughed then limped
to the baby, caught him in her arms, gave
him great hug as Christmas present for
herself, and turned him about so that the
whole glory burst at once upon his blinking
eyes.
The baby crowed with Joy, and Nova bark
ed. Agee Sang Long laughed until the tears
stood in her black eyes and rolled down her
furrowed face. Such a Christmas tree. 1t
stood in a hower-pot, and was nearly two feet
high, and nine little candles made it scene
of extraordinary brilliancy. And that wasn't
all. On one branch hung collar for Nova.
and on the other rattle and a rubber ele-
phant for the baby, while three gingerbread
men leaned unsteadiy and sadly against the
branches, as II they rather suspected what
fate had in store for them.
Nova, much protesting, was decorated with
the new collar, the baby swung the rattle and
clutched the elephant, and the music-box play
ed THE Beautiful Blue Danube" Then Agee
sat down on her cricket with the baby in her
arms, while Nova, in front of her, looked
fondly into her yellow face, and then they
proceeded to eat the gingerbread men, each
after his own fashion.
Nova stopped in his gingerbread feast to
turn to the window and growl. Discovering
that the source of gingerbread men had run
dry, he ran toward the door and growled
then trOtted back to Agee, looked at her, wsg,
ged his tail, and ran back toward the door.
There he sat down upon his launches, with
look upon his mongrel countenanoe plainly
declaring that he had no opinion of the human
kind.
There was a hesitating knock at the door,
unheard except by Nova; then the door
opened, and a woman crossed the threshold
terrible woman, like a blight and a curse.
Her rags were powdered with snow, and she
shook with cold, but her eyes only rested on
the child in Agee's arms. 1t was wild, hun
CRY, jealous gaze, and she turned to Agee
with but half-suppressed violence in her pale
face.
81 am cold let me come in" she said,
harshly.
The candles on the tree hickered and blew
out in the gust of 10y wind sweeping across
the threshold, the lamp on the chimney smok-
ed aud burned dark the dog shifted uneasily
at the stranger, and even the baby turned
away from her with instructive fear.
A white rage filled the woman's face as the
little Chinese patted the frightened child and
tried to restore his equanimity by sight of