The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1892-08-05
A BEGGAR WOMAN.
The Kind Deed That Crowned q
Broken Life.

\ strong breeze, sharp with the cold
suggestion of coming winter, swept up
from the bay and tossed the creaIling
boughs of the old button woods that
stood along the roadside until they
labored in the wind like ships at sea.
The last of the fog was just disap-
pearing and curled fiercely up from the
woods and waters, rolling away in
great, sodden masses In the north a
long line of snow clouds Were sluggish
" moving forward. There was some
thing gpeculiar-almost siniSter-in their
slow, heavy formation, and the weather
wise fisherman off shore watched them
uneasily and began to draw in tackle
and make preparations TO seek harbor.
On the land the farmers shook their
heads and hastened to get the last of
the pumpkins and apples under cover.
OF their own accord the cattle left off
grazing and sought the barnyards.
Now and then stragglers from some
frightened flock of wild geese flew
toward the south in anxious search OF
their mates.
Near the end of one street of the lit
tie fishing hamlet was weather beat
en-. wood colored homestead of one story
and loft, surrounded by a fence al
most as old as the house itself; but as
one passed through the gateway and up
the grass-grown walk into the smoke
painted kitchen the poverty of the out
side surroundings was forgotten in con-
temptation of the profusion inside
At least this seemed TO be the case
with the little old woman who hobbied
painfully up the path to the half open
kitchen door. There she stopped irreso-
lutely. but the savory smell of cooking
was irresistible, and she pressed slowly
forward into the low doorway. The
kitchen was fragrant with the odors of
the Saturdays baking; from the stove
at the far end of the long room came a
cheerful sputtering and kissing and over
ii "A women bent in impatient suspense.
Her back was toward the door, and she
did not notice the great hungry eyes
that were fastened on the loaves of
bread and the pies and cakes and
cookies that loaded the pine table.
Such profusion made the wistful eyes
gleam and the withered form tremble
with eagerness. But she did not venture
to cross the threshold
On the floor two children were play
ing. They had watched the woman's
approach with childish curiosity The
Youngest rose TO his feet and toddled
toward HtT- AllcI gazing dt lAci ii ltS
moments with his big, wondering eyes
| he held up the cookie he had been nib
/ bling She hesitated, then took it and
/ ate il greedily.
The boy laughed and went to get an
/ other. but at this moment Mrs. Barten
looked mp. Her face was flushed with
! heat and vexation. She was about to
I speak sharply To the children when she
| caught sight of the bent figure in the
! doorway, and her wrath was turned.
I OF all things she hated beggars the
J most. During the summer months
I many OF them drifted up from the
neighboring Sc aports and proved a con-
! stant source of loss and vexation to the
I fishermen and farmers. Mrs Barten
had suffered with the rest. and as she
! turned from the stove her lips were
/ drawn sharply over her strong white
I teeth She did not see the wistful eyes
and patient smile. What she saw was
a covering beggar, with some outland-
ish kind of head covering and n ragged
shawl closely drawn about the slight
I form.
'.Well?" she said, in sharp, inter
rogative tone.
The old woman shivered as though
something had struck her, but her face
remained perfectly blank.
"A furriner."
Mrs. Barten sprang forward and
drew the children from so dangerous a
presence. To her foreigner seemed
all that was dangerous and depraved.
\ sudden sputter recalled her to the
stove, and by the time she was again at
leisure a trace of her natural kindly
1 disposition had come to the surface
Taking generous handful of cookies
and one of the loaves of bread, she re-
turned to the door. But the old woman
had already passed the rickety gate and
was hobbling slowly down the street.
Mrs. Barten looked after her regret
fully.
Il wish I'd a-give her suthin'," she
muttered, as she replaced the food on
the table. but lands sake alive" she
continued, briskly, after a moment S
thought, why sh'd l feel sorry? Like
as not the old tramp was jest spying
round arter suthin' to steal. Most like
ly she'll have dozen snacks gin her
before night. Here you, Rob m
Liza come back to the house this min
ute, and don't you dare go trapeZin' ou
ag'in!-' And with mind at rest ano
conscience satisfied, Mrs. Barten re
turned to her compounds of fragran
odors.
Slowly the afternoon wore away; th'
pies and cakes and cookies disappeared
! from the table and were replaced b.
pans of crisp doughnuts and heav,
spherical loaves of brown bread, witt
raised lines encireling them; with plat