Little Falls transcript., 1886-07-23
5A TEST OF LOVE. d !. !.

It had blowna . perfect hurricane ali
day, and early in the afternoon the
snow had commenced to fall, increas.
ing in violence until at 6 O'Clock, when
Lottie started home, Tottenham
eourt-road and the by streets were full
of drifts, the air was binding haze,
and the wind fercer than ever.
'Oh, how pleasant home will look"
she said to herself, pulling her collar
up about her ears, and tucking her
nlusic-roll securely under her arm.
How happy I ought to be that / have
it to 60 to, even ii it is only a little
room all by myself! What do poor
girls DO who have none, no work, no
homeland no Robert2' ..'
Then she laughed shyly to herself,
and blushed-a happy, rosy blush
down inside the collar, and walked
faster than ever.
Home was quito a distance; but her
feet steps carried her quickly there,
and the hall door had flown open in
response to her latch-key, when, from
somewhere i'm the darkness near. a.
voice came-a tremulous, pleading
voice,-"Pity, oh, for the love OF God,
pity mel" ~. =.
"Who are you? Where are your"
asked Lottie, startled and stepping
right where the hall light shone in her
face and dazzled her eyes.
Here" And from the shadow be-
side the door a. woman's fgure--a
woman that the next moment. also
stood in the light, showinga wrinkled,
aged face and snow-white hair, cover
cd with q tattered bit of shawl. @ttI'm
freezing, starving. and maybe dying.
II you have any pity, give me some
food and some kind of shelter!" she
said, with a desperate sort of famish-
ed eagerness.
~ will--oh, l will-come in," cried
Lottie, her voice quivering, and her
eyes shining with the generous pity
that flooded her young heart. II
have no place can take you but my
room on the top floor. Can you climb
the stairs?"
"For warmth and food? Yes. yes:
Lead the way" cried tho woman, eager.
ly, looking at the girl with @ tremb-
ling delight burning III her hollow eyes.
II can follow anywhere"
But she was aged and weak, and the
iour long flights of stairs were slowly
accomplished, Lottie assisting her
companion as well as the narrow
staircase would allow, and going very
slowly.
"lhis is my room," she exclaimed
at last, throwing open q door and
leading the painting woman in. "Slt
down here and in two minutes my fire
will be lighted. Are you very tired?"
The weary woman could only nod
as she sank into the chair Lottie gave,
while her young hostess few about the
room Everything was most exqui-
sitely neat, and the littlegrate, brush
ed and polished, was already laid for
the fire, and, at a touch from Lottie's 8
match, blazed and cracked with amaz-
ing brightness. "Is not that lovely?"
she cried, turning to her strange visi-
tor: '1Now you will soon be warm,
and IN &, few minutes will give you q
cup OF tea. Move nearer, won't your"
Apparently speechless with grateful
amazement and delight the woman did
rs bid, throwing off her wet, tattered
shawl, and holding her wrinkled hands
over the blaze, while her eager eyes
still followed every move Lottie made.
Il am my own housekeeper, you
see continued the girl, gaily, as if
wishing to make her visitor less timid
and mole at home. "Here is my lit
tie Kitchen" and with a merry laugh
shs threw open the door to a. large
closet, showing within two neatly
papered shelves OF dishes and tins.
IL am just as happy and independent
as can be. How do you like it?''
Like it"' echoed the woman. "Does
it not look like heaven to me? But
are you all alone?"
"Yes, all alone. I have not q rela-
tive III the world that know Of" said
Lottie, taking off and hanging up her
things, now that she had all things
started. II would be very lonesome
If / had the time, but haven't"
Then you work-you are poor?'
cried the woman, as though the sur
roundings were to her suggestive Of
wealth and ease.
"Oh, yes, am poor; and yet am
rich, for have health and strength
and good work." said Lottie, with a
world OF thankfulness thrilling her
blithe voice. "In the morning I am up
early, and arrange my room and fire,
and have my little breakfast; then /
am away all day as nursery governess
and music teacher in great house
near South Park. never have time
to be lonesome, and I am very happy !"
The woman turned her eyes to the
fire again, and as she steadily and 81.
lently watched the dancing flames
Lottie seized the opportunity OF look
Ing at her closely, when the woman
turned, almost sharply.
"You were studying me. What do
you think?"
"Oh-why-I-I was wondering-ii
you had always been sopoor," STAN"
mered Lottie, honest but embarr assed.
The woman laughed, and not unmu-
sically.
"No," she said, II was not. But
you are young and I am old, there
tore lot us talk of you and not OF me.
Tell me, do you always intend to live
SO alone--don't you want to marry?"
A wave Of color, like the warm tint
to q sea-shell, covered Aottie's sweet
face.
II am going to marry very soon,' u
she said, after moment. '"
"Are you? And do you mind tell.
ing me about it-and him?" questioned
the woman. ~.
"He is teaching French and Spanish
to the children am nursery governess
to, and we meet there very often.
know he is good and noble, because
because do. He shows it in every
look and act" ,-,'.
"And you love him?" < ..
"Ah, yes! Yes, indeedl''
Something in the sweet purity and
s-l3 3o e. M