Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-12-04
RETRIBUTION.
ny ANNA SHIELDS.

day, cold and cloudy, though not nc.
tually storming, and the large fame,
goods store of Hopkins & Co. was almost
deserted by customers, when IN old
lady, wrapped in rich furs, entered. A
moment later young girl, poorly clad
but with sweet, sad face, and CARRYING
large bundle, followed her, and pass,
ing to the rear of the store left her par
Gel, returning to the front counter to
wait patiently to speak to the saleswomau
who was attending to the old lady.
The customer, after selecting some
knitting goods, SAID:
~ should like to see the person who
knits these hoods and give her an or.
der"
81 am sorry. Mrs. Emerson, but it is
against the rules of the store. All or.
dcrs must be left with us; but I can as.
sure you the most minute directions will
be carefully delivered"
"That will not do" was the decided
answer. ~ want to sec the woman"
Every sorry" the girl replied, "but
l do not dare to break the rules"
Mrs. Emerson paid for her goods, not
noticing that the girl who had been
close beside her had left the store. She
was stepping into her carriage when the
same girl spoke to her.
~ beg your pardon" she said, faint
blush coloring her pgc checks, "but 7
overheard what you said in the store. I
nave not promised to keep any of the
rules mnde for the saleswomen, and I
need the order you mentioned so much
vcnturcd to follow YOU"
"Oh! You knitted the hoodY
yes. l knit great many articles
for Hopkins & Co."
Just step into the carriage for few
moments. Drive slowly, James" said
Mrs. Emerson, adding, when shc had
drawn the fur robes over her new COM
panion; "Thc reason could not leave
my order is easily explained. am. rs
you see, an old lady nearly seventy, and
cannot use my eyes much for sewing
or reading, but am very fond of knit
ting. Most of my work goes to fairs or
charity, SO while it is an amusement to
Inc, 1t is not wasted. 1 have bought
goods several times from Hopkins & Co.
because there were new stitches in them.
but l find raveling them out does not
help to learn them. So what I wanted
10 ask you was whether you would teach
them to re. will pay for your time.
say dollar an hour, and you could come
each morning until learn all the new
ones you can show me-"
"And know so many" the oirl re-
Piled, her color deepening with pleasure,
''and most OF them invented myself,
SO they are really new. Some learned
from my old nurse, II Scotchwoman, who
knew great many"
Then you can spare the time to teach
me?" 1890 ~ 'o-'i'
"Oh, yes; and," she said frankly.
''the money will be great help to me.
cannot make dollar in day. much
less an hour, knitting for stores.
~ am quite anxious to begin" Mrs.
Emerson said, with pleasant little
Nugh. "Can you give me a lesson now ?''
with pleasure" was the reply.
Inc coachman. having received his
orders, the carriage was driven to hand l.
some residence, where, a few moments
later, Mrs. Emerson and her teacher
were seated in cosy sitting-room, busy
over needles and wool.
But while Mrs. Emerson was appar.
emily absorbed in the lesson, she was
really drawing from her young compan.
ION the simple story of Ter life. A wild
ow, living alone and in weak health.
Mrs. Emerson had kept alive and active
an the warmest sympathies of her heart.
Most OF her relatives, all very near ones,
excepting one nephew, were dead; but
whiic ceiling the loneliness this implies,
she had made friends with the poor, the
sick, the helpless, till it only needed an
expression of sorrow or want TO arouse
her interest.
The first sight of Alice Wards sweet
pale face had wakcncd this interest, and
before the first hour of the knitting.
lesson was over, Mrs. Emerson had re.
solved not to lose sight of her younp
teacher. Her story was very simple
one. The only child of country clergy
man, she had been carefully educated,
especially In music, to fit her fer teach
ing. Her mother had lied while she
was mere child, and she had been her
fathers houselIecper, companion and
pupil until his sudden death threw her
trienoless and pepnlless upon the world.
FINDING it impossible to obtain scholars
IN the little country town, she had sold
the furniture of her cottage and come to
the city, to struggle, as so many struggle
for bread.
For two weeks Mrs. Emerson devoted
two hours a day to studying new knitting
stitches, and then she made proposal
that scemed'to Alice like a forctaste of
heaven. In learning knitting these two
-one nearly seventy years old, the other
not yet twenty-had learned to love
each other, one with the tender pity of
prosperous old age for helpless youth.
the other with passionate gratitude for
words and looks of kindness far ont.
weighing the more substantial benefits
conferred. So, when Mrs. Emerson pro.
posed to Alice to come to live with her
as companion, with liberal salary.
the girl could scarcely believe in her
good fortune. And the life that followed
Ia. NI.t.a .x..l. i