Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-02-07
THO T. EVENING uELIS.
BY ELLA GUERNSEY.

busy, practical man, one whom we
had not suspected of indulging in
sentiment.
About the CHEEKY fire in the CRATE we
had gathered at the twilight hour, the
mother holding close to her heart the
baby. She, too, loved the music of
thoSr evening bells.
Tell us of Mrs. Glenn, Paul" said
Mrs. Vail, softly.
The good that people do lives after
them. All that | am to-day | owe to
a sweet, pure woman who reached out
and drew just such neglected waits as
myself into the sacred home circle
where she planted in our souls the de-
sire to grow UP into good men and
women.o
A ruuy crceter and drag to her
farmer huShamd.' the Strong-armed
women of Poplar Valley called .Nlls.
Glenn, who was an invalid and un-
fitted for hard labor, but she was a
tower of strength in her household.
A little sister and myself wcrc
taken from the county poor farm and
bound out to people who fed and
clothed our bodies and starved us
mentally and morally. For the good
folk OF Poplar Valley had almcSt a
contempt for education and refine
ment, counting the man, woman. and
child a failure. who was unable to
turn off Il lot of work.
"NIy master did not wish me to
spend the Sabbath afternoons with the
Glenn family. fearing Mis- Glenn
might spile me hy putin notions in
my head, uniittin' for wol>house
brat. But he gave a reluctant con-
sent to my doing so. nevertheless.
Sister Mary's mistress dared not
offend the Glenn family bv refusing
to allow her to 90. but thought it her
duty to VAIN her AGAINST .takin' up
with that crazy creetur's notions
"In the homc-ilie parlor there was
y small spjndIc-lercpd niano. upon
which Mrs. Glenn playad wonderful
music. and soon we Ioys and Girls
sang Justify to the tinkling accompani-
ment. Billy Bow NV Willie's on the
Dark Blue Sea- sRoSalie. the Prairie
Flower and other favoritcs.
"After a time we began to love the
sweet. sacred songs which she sang on
Sunday. After particularly hard
week, we paurcr hrats, whose hearts
were sore from grieying and longing.
found sweet comfort in the goUd old
hymrs.
81 Mrs. Glenn talked TO lis so kindly
when we carried to her our sorrows.
that we felt wonderfully helped. She
ALWAYS advised more love and pa
tience. If we felt injured or i'll
treated, we were made to see that by
striving to do better we could right
things.
Niary's mistress. hard. driving
woman, often said
With all her soft. t,inin' wavs. TIP
own that Mis- Glenn never sets the
pauper children aein' their masters"
"We must have been a sorry lh3<-
ing group. and there were at least
eight of us. poor and ignorant Young
people who literally didn't know that
tho world WAS wide and romd. and n
bigger place than Poplar Valley.
Mrs. Glenn in time managed to
teach us many things in the weekly
talks which were to us rich treats.
With the Bible we became familiar
consulting it oftener than we should
have done if we had had a larger
library to select from.
"a little treat was ALWAYS provided
for us. usually apples. or a slice of
gingerbread. nnrhans a saucer of baked
beans. Mrs. Glenn being a New Eng
land woman. far from home in POPLAR
Valley.
"Her husband. an old sailor, who
had in his youth been around the
world had wonderful tales of adven-
ture to relate of foreign ports and
towns, which were cnioyed by even
the smallest of his auditors.
"Time brought changes and SEM
arated old friends before many wears
had gone | found myself in = large
city among temptations sore and thick
Nv way to manhood was not an easy
one. Friendless, with no one to care
whether | did right or wrong, I have
often been tempted to do that which
would have grieved a mother, had I
had one.
"But mrcstrained as I was, and
utterly uncared for, there was an in
huence that held me back from fall
ing into evil wavs. The sound of
church bells ALWAYS brought before mo
the sweet, white face of the one friend
who did love me.
"While a young lad 7 had a friend
who loved the gaming-table. and had
long been irving to induce me to ioin
him in a game of chance. One even
ing I consented to 90 with him,
While we vet stood at the door the
bells began to ring softly. Instantly
] seemed to hear the dear voice of
Mrs. Glenn. The bells sounded
warning. Their clang. clang, said
will mott never will p and a wonder
full content and peace came to me.
" 'Eh, what Vail Come on, and