The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1889-06-13
MISS RHopAs TRAMP.

villa, and you bad better set the bread
sponge By ihs sitii8s roo.n stove. or il vii
take forever and dsy 10 rise
Yes, Miss Rboay
And 10 sure 10 move the plas,s beior'
you 80 70 bed. especially that new wsr.
plant weulin'i have that uipped for |
dollar You eau lock al the doors. aut
wall take the hey Of the little side 60
ir~
Yes. Miss Rhody.
Oh aad. savils, be sure 70 pnt an cx
us guilt on your bed Tue turk y-rcd
koot.rd comforter IS 10 I've pat on ihe bcsl
bed en- Consin Pslmyra'- folks come, &C
I. "a axe that
N Miss ghody.
r tall. straight figure Of Miss Rhods
Goo. win moved down the garden path,
betwaen tho now desols,ed flower beds,
ont at the gate. and down the crisp. crunch
ing road. She was bound for the " Nelpes.
day evening prayermeeling, aad carried her
copy Of Gospel Hymus" inside her large.
old ff'hioned mnH.
/ hope Savills won't get nervous about
tfamps. It's dreadful tight for any
poor. homeless creature to he roaming
around. don't believe the Lord intend
ed things TO be so unevenIy divided in thi'
world
Aud Miss Rbods began to ponder in ber
honest heart the old vexed question. -old
as the hills, unsettled as the restless ocean
the question OF poverty and wealth. She
could not shake it of. even when she en-
tered the ves,ry of Little Zion meeting
house. and greeted the faithful few assem-
bled there 10 the subdued manner consis-
tent with the place.
The minister delivered his short, infor
NAL discourse, the last hymn was sung.
it Glanced to be The Ninety and Nine
and there was the movement OF loosened
tongues and preparation for departure.
Miss Rhods exchanged good nights with
two or three friends whose homes lay part
ly in her direction, then FASTENED on alone.
The session had been long. and she was
afraid that Sarilla might forget some Of
her parting iniunctions.
Sayilla means well. she said 10 herself,
but you can't put an old head on young
young one on old should
ers, she continued as q stinging blast |
whirled needles Of fine. sharp snow into
her face, ears aud neck, even under her
thick, white nubia.
The storm had come up suddenly while
.he worshipers at Little Zion were sing
ng the fnal hymn, the words of which
we're still echoing in Mise Rhoda's ears:
Away on tho mouutaiu bleak and barrel
Away from the tender Shepherds carr I"
Again she thought, What bitter night
or the poor! and hurried on to reach her
'wn warm, tidy sitting room
The point OF view makes all the differ.
nce Miss Rhoda, kind. hearted as she
Vas formulated her thought much as one
would say: What beautiful sunset or
What cross dogl and she congratulated
erself the next moment on the sLugness
nd comfort awaiting her at the end OF her
bort, bracing walk. .
Z other woman treading with chilled 0
nd weary feet the self-same snow, and
attling with feeble strength the self-ssme I
ind, few rods behind Miss Rhoda, q
noug At the same thought with far dif- I
'ren equel.
It bitter nigh. God makes such 1
igh to reconcile the poor, desperate
ret cs like me to death. But when the o
ver 5 frozen one must lie down 10 the
low or on some icy doorstep to die 9
Some inexplicable attraction drew her b
ter the tall, military figure before her Ii
1t makes small difference whether turn h
own this road or the next The end must G
,me n the morning. b
When Miss Rhoda turned in at the gar o
10 gate, and opened her little side-entry
,or, the woman leaned heavily upon the o.
Ice epailings. and devoured with her tear q
IS. r stless eyes the comfortable outlines G
the house, the red glimmcr on the snow n
ON the isinglass windows OF the "Radi- O
It Home" heater in the sitting room, the
How flare OF the lamp that Miss Rhoda "
sbted When the latter came to the win.
,ws and drew down the curtain,. the wo o.
an at the gate gave sudden choking p
b. and tten, like Dickens Joe. "mov- o
on" lil
Miss Rhoda sat down TO warm her feet
d to look over her weekly religious pa "
y before going TO bed. Savills. with un- Il
nsl thonghtfulness, had set the teapot II
the back part OF the Radiant Home" II
a prepared plate Of buttered toast. hl
cely covered with a clean napkin.
Miss Rhodas eyes frightened and soft
ed, es she murmnred; Saviila is q good .,
rl-a most excellent child. am really a,
lite fond OF Savills. -
She bad poured ont cup OF tea aud In
oxen tempting slice Of toast In halves, ..
zen iAint cry arrested her attention. !,
e listened, aud il came again. Miss so
ioaa put down the tea and toast nntast-
. aud carried the lamp to the side door. wl
hen she opened il the rays fell npon q Al,
rk, snow sprinkled figure at her very bs
- The woman had come back, siill ur- !,
a by q mysterious power, snd had thrown hs
r weary body across Miss Rhodas ihres. a,
ID. whether to die OF live she knew not. =,
4 scarcely cared. a
Miss Rhoda set the lamp on the enlAy ge
1le and raised the exhausted creature
her arms. II was the work OF q few l.,
uuies 10 get her into the dini ng room IN