The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-06-22
Jove" he exclaimed aloud. sits
Agnes Wellden -

JoveW he exclaimed aloud. "it's
Agnes Wellden -
Then clients and friends came in
and the business of the day com.
menced. But the boy was not for
gotten. Errands that were not too
far away to tax his strength were
provided. hearty dinner at a res
taurant was given him, and he went
home with steady engagement at
five dollars week promised him.
In that home a sad-eyed woman, in
a shabby widows dress, her face
lined with pain and sorrow, but vet
a sweet. tender face, mad been all the
weary day living her life over rgain.
She saw herself child in her fathers
pleasant home, where there was
never great wealth, but every COM
fort and an atmosphere of love
around them all. She saw herself a
Yonpg. pretty girl. with many
sfriends. ana s0u8e f0vefss One 81
these was man older by fifteen
years than herself; grave and tender,
but who seemed in her eyes too old
and solemn to think of love. When
her father told her that George Mere
dith had asked her to be his wife, she
Wss frightened. 1t seemed as it would
destroy her youth, take all Joyous.
ness from her life, to marry this
stately. reserved man, already a
lawyer of standing.
So she refused him, never appreci-
ating the value of the heart that had
been taken captive by her brightness
and sweet girlishness. How could
she know that it would have made
the happiness of the grave, lonely
mans life to surround her with all
that could keep her as joyous and
free as butterfly?
He left his old home after his love
dream faded, but he left pleasant
memories. Even after William Scott
wooed and won the woman he had
lost, she could not quite forget the
grave man who had loved her.
Sunny days of welded happiness
followed her happy girlhood. Chill
dren came to bless her, and when her
parents died. her husband, her sons,
her daughters consoled her. She was
past thirty years old when troubles
came. thick, fast, overwhelming.
Two children died on the same day
of a prevailing fever, and before the
month was over the husband follow.
ed them to the grave. He had been
-a.clerk, ON a moderate. salary, and
the nest egg in bank was very small,
yet the widow looked at the little
ones left her, and strove to face her
future bravely. 1t was the pitiful
story heard every day-irregular
work, poor pay, sickness, death
ITO LSihONoI iIOuI q COulIIly lOtDO
to a crowded city. in the hope of bet
ter work and wages, proved failure
and the air of crowded tenement
house dwarfed and injured the chill
dren, who died one by one, until
only her baby, George Meredith
Scott, was left to console the widow.
While she unused and wept over
this panorama of her life, wondering
little that some long past memory
had made her name her boy for her
old friend, never hoping to meet him
again, DIR. Turner called.
He explained very courteously that
Mr.. Meredith had requested him to
see if his professional services would
not help her. and examine the arm.
His directions were brief, and he left
her to wonder if indeed her old friend
was the gentleman who was helping
her boy, and whose card lay between
the leaves of the Bible.
DIR. Turner's report to Mr.. Mere.
dith was:
delicate woman, evidently a lady,
Arm doing very well, but general
health at lowest ebb. Wants good
food, better air, and, above all. men.
tai quiet. Fretting herself to DEATH
George Meredith being one of those
rare philanthropists whose left hand
knew not the good deads of his right
hand. made no parade of his gener
osity. If Mrs. Scott guessed, she
never k1eaD whence came an envelope
with generous gift of bank notes
1t enabled her to make George neat
to add to her own scanty attire. anC
to provide the medicines DIR. TurneI
no longer hesitated to order.
In these weeks that followed
Georges engagement as errand boy
to Mr.. Meredith, the boy won hi
way far into the heart of the bachelo
lawyer. For years after his rejection
by Agnes Wellden. he had liveL
busy life trying to forget the pain G
his broken love dream in his ambi
A