, 1888-01-25
THE LAST CHARITY.

Ing In the same summer boarding house
MS herself, had interested her in it. He
had been on n ranch in northern Mexico
the year after he graduated from college,
N before he had decided to go into the
ministry. Miss Carmen, who had a very
vague idea of what n ranch was, confus-
ing 1t in her mind with cowboys, plum
dered coaches and rescued maidens, consid-
cred MI. Howard one of those reclaimed
victims of q life Of dissipation he was, by
the way, when she met him, just % years
old, though he had in reality never lone
anything particularly wrong in his life.
Miss Carmen belonged to that class of
women one never knows how to speak of,
whether as q 'lady'' or young lady,
unless one is addressing the person herr
self, when one is apt to venture on
the latter term. And it must also he ac-
knowledged she could not resist the at
traction of q man who was turning over
n new leaf" this species sometimes even
took precedence of her charity in her favor,
and that is saying n good deal, for her
charity, whatever it happened at the time
to be, was SO dear to her heart it made
her almost n dread to her friends. Per
haps you met her in n store; before you
could hurry by with n "Good morning,
Miss Carmen" she would stop you: ooh,
Laura Lafarge, you're the very girl l want
to see. 1 want you to a n booth Mt the
lilT neAL week lOT INC - CnuTlLY. lou
can have any booth you wish, but won't
you be in the MikadoY Iwant girls who
will get up handsome costumes, and you
know, with your taste" etc. Or: ''Mar-
garet Wyndof, I'm so glad I've met you;
just step aside here n moment, viii your
Pm going to ask you to help me in a little
international tea I'm getting up for those
poor-such poverty, such distress, l can't
tell you how they appeal to me. Now do
--.-G- a. Il
the Greek group-the costumes will be
very simple, and I've asked for veil, - etc.
Or on the street: GOOD morning, Mr..
Carey, won't you turn around and walk
with me n few moments; I'm going to ask n
favor of you, which l want you to promise
to grant me. It's really nothing at all for
you to do, ant it is for n very worthy
charity; young Mrs. Carley has said she
will be Lady Washington, and l want you
to be George in nm old time tea party"
And often before you can refuse she is
gone, with "Good-byi 1 knew you would
so kind of you; good-by."
Now it was theatricals, II for the
Mexican Indians again. Her friends, to
tell the truth, were getting n little tired
of doing for these creatures. They had
been to teas for them, to o kirmess for
them, to tableaux, to lectures for them;
enough of things to ave educated whole
bIlDcS VI blGIu, MIS-. INOu DEONll bllll, IL
they had only been there themselves.
And, she added, she really didn't see why
they should be made to suffer and pay
both; If they give these things, give
them, but make the Indians go them
selves. However, Mrs. Brown was n
fighty little woman whom every one
laughed at in their sleeve, while people
all did admire Miss Carmen, though they
were getting a little tired of their chart
ties.
All these things Miss Carmen felt in an
indefinite sort of way as she came home
from the mission school one afternoon.
1t was Mr.. Towards mission and he had
spoken so beautifully to the poor children
that day. But then he always did. He
had spoken so kindly to her, too; some
how or other some people seemed to take
it for granted hat she could go out in any
kin of weather, with no matter how bad
n cold, without any danger. And today
had been her birthday, she did not think
what birthday, the fact itself was bad
enough without being numbered. She
was getting old, she thought with q sigh;
dear me, much too old to be thinking so
much of this handsome young minister,
and much too old to have that drop on
her cheek; she must walk faster and think
of something else, and yes, she would ask
her sister to take her mission class, at
ACdSI " dN hl4t- Sht IASSti ~ HlGlSLlCl
beggar sitting on tho curb grinding n
small organette that had stops nearly n
minute long between each note. Miss
Carmen looked quickly around and
then furtively dropped q quarter
into the tin cup, and passed on.
She had been told such charity was mis-
applied, but then she had felt Just like it
and was willing to run the risk. So Mr..
Howard was really going back to Mexico,
80 -r Z, Nn,nl 49,, NIsn YfY,n 1r,t no ~
missionary. What should she do wheE
he was gone-what, had it come to this2
She must hin of something else, and
she hurried on, without noticing two
young girls who passed her quickly. 81
was afraid she would see u.s. one of them
said. Il know she'd ask me to be in n
booth or take part in those theatricals.h
Girls who never did any good in the
world, and probably never would, who
would not even appreciate the self sacri-
ficing labor Of Miss Carmen. Undoubt-
eddy the latter did lack judgment, or let
US say moderation, but in her proper
sphere, or under able guidance, what
might she not accomplish?
She found n note at nome for her from
Uliss Tower, saying she was sorry, but
her health was so wretched this winter
her physician had tabooed theatricals.
She also found Mr.. Garey's card, with n
misty HUG On inc bhChs which Ituh HON
much he regretted he would not be able
to take the part Miss Carmen had kindly
assigned TO him..
Miss Carmen sat down IND cried. She
knew it WA silly, but she didn't care. She
was tired ont and over worried and she
threw herself down on her couch and had
a good cry She was bathing her eyes
and smoothing her hair when the maid
brought her Mr.. Howurd's card. She put
in another hair pin and then went right
down.
CON- she said, without even greeting
him, 'I'm perfectly wretchedl Two OF
my people nave backed out. / did think
when l had only three in the play l should
nave no trouble, but the only two who can
act won't act. What shall | doy''
And she laughed Hcrvously, feeling dan
gerously near her mood upstairs. How
ard felt very sorry for her, So sorry he did
not know whet TO say. Finally he muir
INJURED; ~ wish 1 could help you; of
IT Won't BAKE BREAD. IT other
words, Hoods Sarsaparilla will not do
impossibilities. Its proprietors tell plain
ly what it has done, submit proofs from