Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1890-06-20
NO. 25.

in her as the girls got up with rustling
sound from the breakfast table TO hurry off
10 work.
''Oh, you fed her too high last night. Miss
Carey, laughed one Of them. she's sick
in bed"
There was only time for a three minutes
visit 10 Essies room, a bare, comfortless
room, and cold too but the girls fever
was so high, and her cough 80 sharp. that
Miss Carey was miserable about her ali dav.
so miserable that she asked 10 be let off two
hours earlier in the afternoon TO 20 back
and see about her. Mrs Cranch had done
all that busy, ignorant, not very sympa.
thetic woman could be expected to do but
Essie was very i'll, and very much alarmed
by her landlady's suggestion that she had
Pneumonia.
'T'll die, I"ll die i" she moaned. tossing
her beautiful white arms wildly about,
while the veins in her forehead swelled
painfully.
In half hours time Miss Carey had the
patient in her own room and a hrst-rate
doctor was at her bedside.
| You had no right to send for a doctor"
cried the poor girl. II cannot pay doc
tor"
But l csn," said Miss Carey quietly
and it was l who sent for him. Now be
good girl, and help us to get you well"
For two weeks Esses new friend fought
the battle single handed at the sick girls
bedside. There were plenty of offers from
her fellow workers of help but the self
| appointed nurse would not leave for an
hour, snatching only such sleep as she
could get with her head on the same pillow.
1t is better not to change nurses, don't
you thinks 50, doctor p
Better for the patient, certainly, an
swered the old doctor, but not for the
nurse"
1T is the patient we have to consider
now never mind the nurse"
But she had better mind, was the grave
answer.
Have been away from the store long,
Miss Carey viii they dock my pay Am
almost well enough to go back You see
have no home to go to, and nobody to
help me-
1t was the fifteenth day since Miss Carey
had found this poor child in piteous case,
and had undertaken her. She was too
weak TO lift her head, but the disease was
conquered.
You must not talk, Essie, if you do |
shall have TO leave you but if you prom
ise to listen quietly, I'll tell YOU a nice little
tale, like they do children in story books"
The wan eyes were fixed on the speakers
face, askingly, while she told of young
woman who had inherited great fortune,
with ten times as much income as she could
spend on herself. How she had wondered
and wondered what she could do to help
somebody with it, and how hard it was to
know what to do. Finally, the young heir
ess had decided TO devote her money to
helping poor girls, who were obliged to 90
mt inf fba a,,l
But do not know what they need" -" she
said to herself. 81 must go and be one of
them, and find out"
Miss Carey stopped, for great tears were
rolling down Essie's wan cheeks, and a thin
hand was stretched out to her. Come
here, said the weak voice 81 want 10
kiss the hem of your dress. We wondered
what was the mystery about you, but we
did not know it was like the Son of God"
''Oh, hush, my dear Essie, don't say such
a dreadful thing :"
Didn't you read me this very dav that
though He was rich, yet for our sakes He
became poor That's just
But her lips we're stopped with a gentle
kiss.
"And now,n continued Miss Carey, ''I
think | know just what they need
a great sunny, comfortable home, with
pam oub PIebbg TOounsi anu BOOu Dredu
and meat, and somebody to welcome
them back at night and a cozy parlor,
and soft lights, and games, and, o Essie,
we'll have such good times AS soon as
you are well enough Wen go out together
and buy the house and furnish it. | can
not let you go back to the store again you
and | are to be the house mothers, you
know. The girls shall have their friends
come to see them in the evenings, provided
they are not Joe Barton kind of fellows,
and you and must make things pleasant
for everybody"
1T sounds like heaven" sighed the poor
waif.
1T seems like heaven to me, too to be
able to turn my poor gold and silver into so
much happiness. How stupid rich people
are not to know the delight of such plan ~
Miss Carey" said the sick girl, with
sudden burst of tears, 81 never believed
much in the sweet story of the Son of God
coming down to earth for us but now
can't help thinking its all true-all true !"
The COngregdtiOndiist.