The morning call., 1892-09-04

"If was sure she wasn't lost"
amusement as well from watching
the proceedings OF the small army Of
white-capped and be-apTCned nursemaids
who. with their little charges. frequent
the square on pleasant days. | had Just
made the acquaintance Of one chubby little
Native Son OF the Golden West ana we
were rapidly growing sociable over a hand
full of ALMONDS l had discovered in My
jacket-pecket when | noted, crossing the
park. curious figure that at once drew my
attention. A little, old, bent, discouraged
figure it was, evldenclng ia every outline
that, despite its present pleasant surround
ines, ii bad felt something more biting still
than winters chill, more bhghting than the
winds Of March, 1t was al old man, COM
fortabfy though shabbiy clad. who ad-
yanced down the grsvel-wslk carrying
on one arm big market basket
and in the other hand an ordinary
caseknife with the end IF the blade ground
down to point. He trotted along, stop
ping at every few steps 10 scrutinlZe the
turf on either side OF the walk. Sometimes
he would shake his head and 90 on again,
but oftener be would 90 downson his knees
on the short grass. and wi>h the aid Of his
knife dig up something which he put In his
basket As be drew nearer saw that he
was after the fresh roots aid leaves of the
reetly opposite us.
had risen to go. and was already walk
Ing along the pathway. when the old man,
who vas tust kneeling TO secure another
root, gave sudden exclamation and spIaug
to his feet, gFasping bis left wrist, from
which the blood was flowing prGfusely.
Evidently his knife had slipped aud he had
received bad cash. IrecognlZed that the
bight-red fluid regularly squirting from the
cut could only come from an artery and
fastened at once to his assistance With
the sid OF my handkerchief and lead pencil
| lmproYised tourniquet that sutficed to
check The f10w, and advised him to see
doctor at once He locked at me anxiousfy.
my prompt action having apparently
given him some confidence in my
judgment. Hadn't | better go home'frst,
mother WIFI be worried" hardly liked to
let him run the risk OF trip home until his
wound had been attended to, and explained
the fact to him. He still hesitated, alter
nately paling and flushing and murmuring
his anxiety TO ''See mother" FIRST, until, sur
missing there might be n serious financial
consideration involved In his reluctance To
seek medical aid, | suggested to him that
/ sh0uld give him a card to a surgeon friend
Of mine WHO lived in the Immediate neigh
boFheOd, iDtmatng that he would find that
a much more satisfactory arr angement thar
would be visiting an entire stranger. His
face lightened yisIbiy. Il didn't know
proudly, mother m me amt bad no cali Tor
a doctor in nigh twenty years" / gave the
tourniGuet another twist and then, asking
him where he lived, and finding that his
heme was Ia a little side street not far out
OF my own hOmeward way, | volunteered to
carry home his basketof green's and explain
to mother" the reason or his absence. He
consented eagerly to this, never seeming to
think IL at all out of the way for stranger
TO perform for him such q service, and after
watching him across the park aud safely ap
the steps Of nv friends Office / picked up
the big market basket and the knife, netting
as did so the stone half buried In the grass,
upon which the blade had struck and turned
upward to make that awkward cash over
the rRdial artery. A pair of schoolgirls
Uttered a little as | entered streetcar bear
ing my big basket, and lady nextto whom
| sat down glanced at it and from it TO my
face In supeTcilous fashion, but that did
not trouble me greatly. Had known then,
as ! soon learned, the anxiety Of mind my
trlfiing act OF kindness was TO relieve
would even have been rather proud of my
| queer burden.
Twenty minutes or so brought me to the
| little back street where my new acquaint-
ance lived, and ] was not long in fading the
modest little house bearing the number he
had given me. / bad scarcely rung the bell
| when the door WAS hastily opened and an
| old lady appeared In the doorway, whom !
| felt sure must be "mother." She grew pale,
! and grasped the handle Of the door con,
| vulsively, as she saw the big basket.
'Has anything happened to father?" she
| gasped, before could say word.
fastened to explain and to reassure her
| and in moment she recovered her PQua-
nimity and asked me to enter. an invita-
| tion which / promptly accepted. There
! was no entrance hall and / stepped directly
| from the porch into tho prim little parlor,
| with It's red-and-green Ingram carpet and
| old-fashi0ued haircloth furniture. There
was a small, round, biackewalnut table.
| with marble top. Ia the center OF The
floor, and on 1t lay large family Bible. a
| smaller Bible and several hymn books.
| The walls were hung with faded ptoto-
| graphs OF generation ago In dark oval
| frames The whole apartment looked more
| like the best rooms" one sees In the al
| districts OH the Atlantic Slope than parfor
| In this most modern of cities. Ths occupant
! Of the room was tall and stately, even In
| her plainly cut gown. The ir0n-Gray hair
| was parted daintily exactly in the middle
and lay In smooth, satin.lilSe bands on either
| side There vas still pale pink tintJng In
| her witllered cheeks, such as a young girl
| might have envied her mouth was firm aud
full and calm: and kind, the shapety HIPS
I parting occasionally inarare smile. that won
j the behofder's heart at once. But the cfiei
| charm about her face lay In the eyes. 9Ihey
were dark gray, still bright, clear and .pene.
| trailng, meeting the listeners full and fail
as she talked-eyes that said plainly their
owner had never given them occasion. to
| lower single glance or evade for an instant
the most rigid scrutiny The solder
water-soaked w6iteness OF the bands thai
lay IN her lap showed that she had left The
washtuh- to answer the ring, and won.
dered at tie fact, as 1t was now late In th,
| afternoon,
Father was so anxious for SEINE dande
lion green's" she said, as seated myself
and she thought for the first time TO Teliev;
ME of the basket. ''Iie Graves them A.
much when spring comes in and he begin
to think of home" i never saw anythinl
to equal the tenderness with which sh
spoke OF the absent herb -gatherer. He
| whole lace took OH a new and sweeter light
Evidently whatever life had withheld from
the funny little old man. IL had blessed hin
bounteously with thatimmeasurable posses
sion; the love OF true heart. She did mt loo
Il like gaTrnlous woman, and / conclude
ii was the knowledge of the dangers he
husband had so narrowly escaped that soft
ened her mood aHd opened her confitienc
to an entire stranger, for after the alusio
| TO the dandelI I0ns she went on to speak n