Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1889-08-07

Mrs. EichtOn entered. Drawing the
bill from her pocket before he could
ask her t. be seated, she began to re-
late, as briefly as she could, the disap-
pointment Of the previous evening; ask
ing Mr.. Arcwell to take Mr.. Belmont :
account in payment for the quarter S
rent. This request seemed to excite
his ire, and he gruffiy replied:
mo, l will take nothing but the
;a-h. have pressing demands FOR
money to-day, and more than that, if
you do not forward the amount due,
YOU shall leave my house by noon to-
morrow"
Mrs. Eichton hastily quilted the
room without saying good morning,
pride aLd anger struggling for the mas
terry; these two elements having about
The same momentum, tears came we'll
ing up, and overwhelmed both.
In this nervous, excited condition
Mrs Eichton reached home, and threw
herself upon her bed. Nina. vino had
remained at home that morning, hear
ing her mothers footsteps below, ran
down stairs, anxious 10 hear with what
success she had met, but when she saw
Ner mother upon the bed, the whole
truth flashed upon her excited mind.
Without asking one question she has
tIly procured water and bathed the
turning temples of her mother.
For three or four hours she had very
few lucid intervals. a short nap seemed
TO restore consciousness, and the first
rational word was: Daughter. we must
leave this house. Mr.. ATcWell said we
could not remain longer than noon to-
morrow, unless the payment was made,
and L see no possible way of meeting
it,
just at that moment rap was heard
at the door, and upon opening, Nina
saw Mr.. Haggett. one of the neighbors,
standing on the step; accepting her in
vitation lie entered, telling her as he
did so, that he had called to ask after a
tame rabbit, the pet of his little girl.
Turning around to take a seat he saw
Mrs EichtOn lying upon her couch. He
hastily approached, offered his hand
and inquired the cause and nature of
her illness. Only too glad to find a
listener, she poured the whole story into
his sympathetic ear, tears coursing
down her cheeks as she did so. Beneath
a rough exterior Haggett concealed a
kind heart; he was poor, and moved in
class of society far beneath Mrs.
Eichton. Remembering the difference
he mOdestly said: Mrs. Eichton, if
you Will pardon my rudeness, and can
cOndescend to take a room In my hum
ble home, l shall be very glad to relieve
your anxiety for the present. Probably
you may find a more comfortable abode
when you are restored to health" s"
"MOst gratefully We will accept your
prohered kindness" replied Mrs. Eich-
ton, and the next afternoon found
them in their new quarters. The sick
woman had to be moved upon her
couch, and several weeks of nervous
prostration followed.
These were weary and troubled weeks
TO poor Nina, who watched beside her
mother day and night. Every piece of
jewelry that she had priced had to be
sold to procure nourishments for the
invalid. Pen cannot portray the mis-
cradle hours of this poor forsaken
woman; even those who had treated her
with tolerable ciYiliLy, now shunned her,
or sneered her when they CHANGED to
meet her. She attributed this GOODNESS
to the fact of their being under Mr.
Haggett's roof, for well she knew how
lie was regarded in higher circles.
Whittier could she flyP No friendly
door opened to receive herl No asylum
offered shelter and protection-too far
away from any such place of refugeI
There was no alternative. She realized
that poverty is more cruel than the
grave, and that she was sinking deeper
and deeper In the slough of disgrace
that poverty often produces.
Had she been alone she could have
easily provided for the necessities of
life, for she was skillful with her nee
die, but to provide for sick mother
and two little girls aged ) and years,
was next to impossible. She was a
stranger to the consolatory promises of
the Bible-had never tasted the sweet
waters that constantly aow from the
smitten Rock.
Kind reader, if clarity is stranger
TO your bosom, mag tins story of suf-
fering awaken it, and may it be hence
forth your predOminating virtue, and
enable you to throw around the victims
of degradation the robe of mercy, and
enable you TO say with the "Meek aud
Lowly One, " Neither do 1 condemn
thee, go and sin no more
Mr.. Haggett's son was very attentive
to the sick mother. His raw-boued
lanky appearance was repulsIve 10
Nina, but his sympathetic kindness
softened her heart 10 the man of rough
exterior.
There we're frequent pickering be-
tween father and sOn-the father re-
proving him for want of industry and
energy, and the son affirming that he
furnished his bread and butter. Matters
grew from bad to worse till dissention
caused separation of father and son.
Poor Nina, how excruciating were
her sufferings. What would become
of her sick mother and self, she men
tally inquired, as she sat at the foot of
the invalid's bed with her head buried
in pillow. Dark indeed, seemed the
future Till now she had never realized
how utterly helpless is the one without
money. (Filthy lucr ,, but how beau
tiful it looked to her excited imagina-
tion-
The next day Maxwell wore a pleas
anter face, and entered Mrs. EichtOn's IS
room 10 inquire If she felt better-a
civllity which he never failed to per-
/ form. Nina's face wore such an ex-
preston OF troubled anxiety that it
/ touched a tender cord IN his heart, and
| he becEOned her to follow him as he
/ left the room. Closing the door softly
as she went out, she turned to hear
what Mr.. Haggett had to say. "Mrs.
| Burteau, was surprised to see how
distressed you look. 1 suppose you
imagined that ] was going to turn you
out as did the old man yesterday, but
l promise you that l am not; you are
welcome TO stay as long as you wish. -
Tears filed her eyes as she murmured
Thank you," and hastily entered her
mothers apartment, and in a dark
corner gave full vent to her long pent
up grief 1t was truly a relief to know
that she could remain under this roof,
but how she was tortured by the thought
| that mischievOuS. or rather vile tongues