Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1890-11-14


and scarce knowing what she did,
threw herself into the one chair which
she found there.
The people mot many were sing
ing and Peg recognized the hymn as
an old favorite which they used to
sing at the little cross-road church in
Indiana.
Every word of the hymn and each
note Of The tune went to the girls
heart.
II heard the voice of Jesus say,
Come unto me and rest:
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down.
Poor Peg! She could bear no more.
The tears were flowing fast, and she
fell on her knees beside the chair,
while she buried her face in her hands
and sobbed, ana sob5ed, and sobbed.
Soon an elderly dy, leaving the
meeting.earler than the rest, came in
to the vcstibule and was surprised to
discover Peg kneeling down and cry
ing.
"Poor child" she said kindly,
"what is the trouble? Had you not
better 60 homc?"
But the gentle words only made
Peg cry the more; but ste managed
to utter between her sobs:
al have no home"
Something touched the good wo-
mans susceptible heart, and raising
Peg to her feet she took the worn-out
girl to her own home not far away.
She did not weary Peg with words.
She asked no questions, but herself
undressed the little thin form, and
helped her into a bed whose linen was
as white as Pegs pinafore used to be
in the old days on the farm. And
soon Peg was sleeping,a a little restless
ly perhaps, but still sleeping, while
her unknown friend sat by the bed
side watching this child who had been
friendless for so long. I he warm
tears corrsed down the good woman's
checks as Peg, in her dreams, muttered
lines from one of her old Sunday
school hymns that had always, some
how, reminded the girl of her early
life in the country.
"Wh re everlasting spring abides,
And never whitening flowers"
She murmured. And soon after
wards
"sw{et fields beyond the swelling flood
staRd dressed in living green"
Wttl Peg woke from the first sleep
she ysass I'm :. fever. She grew rapidly
worse, and for many days she knew
nothing about where she was or who
was caring for her. But she was ten
derly nurscd and the motllerly soul
who was Pegs good angel gradually
came to love the waif she had so
strangely picked up in the church
vestibule.
One summer evening, when Peg was
much better. her good hostess said:
"My dear. | am going to take you
to my son place in the country. John
is farmer and has delightful farm.
| think that down there we can bring
back the roses to your cheeks. We
shall start tomorrow"
Peg was still very weak, and unable
to stand, or even sit up. So she was
taken to the depot in hack, and then
placed in the snug little stateroom of
a Pullman car. The ride was not a
long one; for they left Chicago after
breakfast, and were at their destination
before noon.
A roomy spring wagon, with plenty
of pillows and rugs, met them at the
~, asss's *nti reg 'Na. fis1.ie
very comfortable. As they drove
along the roadway, between the fields
of golden wheat and green waving
corn, Peg seemed to recognize many
objects Little by little the truth
dawned upon her, though she could
hardly believe her own senses when
the wagon halted in front of her old
home. Yet it was really true, though
even her kind friend did not know it,
and the room reserved for Peg was
the identical bedroom which she had
occupied in the days of the little white
pinafore and the big sunbonnet.
The good lady's son was the man who
had bought the farm, and he and his
sist -;s;<.E.aA-.to posse2a ..ses.~kiaa1y-
hearts as did their mother. AT all
events, although it is almost four
years since she returned so unex-
pec,edly to her old home, Peg (strong
and healthy again) is still visitor at
the Indiana farm. And she is quietly
happy, for she is engaged to be mar
ried to the owner of the farm, and
she expec.s to remain on the dear old
place the remainder of her days.
Yankee Blade.
The AristOcratic Bee.