Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-03-02

in the n0aJ6u TOou, o"OVuou'
summoned a physician, but she re-
covered consciousness only to lose
it again, until we found that she
was dying. Toward the last the
poor creature muttered wildly and
iucoherently, and seemed to be in
mortal terror Of punishment foI
some great crime. just at the last
howe yer, she became entirely "a
tIonal and made frantic efforts
with her dy ing breath to tell US all
about the child; but the most we
could understand was that Eva be-
Ionged to wealthy parents, and
that something would prove her
idenity. Sewed up in the rags
wrapped about the baby girl we
discovered the diamond crescent,
which is strangely engraved IN cl'
pliers, unintelligi5le to stranger
bat no doubt significant enough
70 the owners, whom we naturally
sunposed to be little Eya's parents,
for this was evidently what the
poor woman meant to convey.
.My father and l accepted the
trust thrown upou us by that mys'
terious death as a commission from
heaven" :" said Eva's guardian angel,
with a soulful smile which disclos-
ed a rich, beautiful nature, "and
we set about to find the parents.-
For long time We advertised, but
to no purpose. Many replies came,
but to none of these people did our
little Eva belong. At last, after
nv fathers death, which occurred
three years ago, certain that Eva's
narents we're not to be found in the
west, sold my property there,
coming to New York in the hope OF
OBJ tainlng pupils here, and at the
same time good legal talent to push
the work of establishing my darl'
ing's identity. We have not been
very successful so far.
| felt myself in dilemma. Here
was a beautiful young woman who
had evidently sacrificed all her
worldly goods to what she believed
divinely appointed mission, and
for all | knew had at this moment
neither money nor food, certainly
not fuel for the mOuOw's bitter
weather, for little Eva had lnnO-
Gently given that fact away, and
vet she would not make a moan
which would give me the cue to
her necessity, or make 1t possible
for me to offer pecuniary assist
ance.
What should | do about it all /
cogitated over and over again.
"Retire at once, now that the bust
ness for which you came is ended,
said the conventionalities. "But
you cannot leave these two pennl-
less and friendless in a big city,
urged the heart within me, and the
latter argument seemed the strong
er of the two, so broke forth al
last, awkwardly Qor / am not a
man of tact at any time), but to the
point. "You accepted the care Of
little Eva, as a commission FROM
heaven when a strange fate brought
her to your door, and why may
not accept the care of both OF yor
as my commission until something
better can be done 2"
The effect of this speech was
simply startling. Miss Adele
flushed aud turned pale by turns
but she said, looking straight a
me, with womanly courage flashing
from her large violet eyes; "S'r
you have been so kind to my dear
little Eva that | will not believe
you intend less to me.
"GOd knows that | do n0t,' re-
piled, feelingly, "Pardon ne, but
your little charge has given me
some idea of how you are situated
would like to befriend you both
while you need a friend"
Miss Adele searched my face
long and earnestly to discover il
perchance there lurked some slnis
ter motive there before she said
"Sir, your offer is very extraordl
nary one"
"Not more so than your owl
course in sacrificing yourself ant
all that you possessed to this child'
cause"
"But that was the will of HEAVIER
for me-" Miss Adele said with
deep seriousness, "I could not do
less. But" she added after a mo
ment, "we do indeed need friend.
ado you suppose l would tres
pass longer upon your privacy wer
1t not so y asked earnestly; "nay
trust me and you shall have nj
cause 10 regret ltW
Then Miss Adele spoke ont lik
the large souled that she was, "
will trust you, sir, for my llttl
Eva's sake"
Matters proved quite as bad as
feared. They we're at the end Q
their money, and no immedlat
prospect of getting more opene
before them. Miss Adele, who's
musical gifts had been recognize
as pre-eminent in her native vi
lage, had thought il would be eas
enough to secure pupils in gres
city like New York but alas irol
h,ttar avnarience she had leaTne