Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-04-16
HER LAST CHARITY.

MISS carmen pet charity was the fund
for Mexican Indians, in which she had been
interested three years before by a handsome,
enthusiastic young curate, who was staying
In the same summer boarding house as her
self. He had been on "A ranch in northern
Mexico the year after he had graduated
from college and before he had decided to
go into the ministry.
Miss Carmen. who had a very vague idea
Of what a ranch was, confusing it in her
mind with cowboys. plundered coaches and
rescued maidens, considered Mr.. Howard
one of those reclaimed victims of life of
dissipation Che was 10y the way, when she
met him, just % years oldy, though he had
In reality never done anything particularly
wrong in his life Miss Carmen belonged
to that class of women one never knows
how to speak Of, whether as lady" or
young lady" unless one is addressing the
person herself when one is apt to venture
on the latter term. And it must also be
acknowledged she could not resist the at
traction of man who was turning over a
new leaf"
This species sometimes even took prece-
dence of her charity in her favor, and that
Is saying a good deal, for her charity. what
ever il happened at the time to be, was 50
dear to her heart il made her almost a
dread to her friends. Perhaps you met her
in a store; before You could hurry by with
a Good morning. Miss Carmen" she
would stop you: On Laura Lafarge, you're
the very girl | want To see. | want you 70
take booth at the fair next week for the
- charity. You can have any booth you
wish, but won't you be in the 'Mikadoy |
want girls who will get up handsome cos
tunes, and, you know, with your taste"
etc.
Or, Margaret Wyndoll, I'm so glad I've
met you. just step aside here moment
will you' I'm going to ask you to help me
in little international tea I'm getting up
for those poor-such poverty, such distress,
can't tell you how they appeal to me
Now, do promise to furnish flowers and APP
pear in the Greek group. The costume will
be very simple, and I've asked for veil " etc
Or on the street Good morning, Mr.
Carey. Won't you turn around and walk
with me "a few momentsy I'm going TO ask
favor of you, which | want you TO prom
ise to grant me. It's really nothing at all
for you to do and IL is for very worthy
charity Young Mrs. Carley has said she
will be Lady Washington, and want YOU
10 be George in an old time tea party"
And often before you can refuse she is gone
with: "Goodby | knew you would. Sc
kind of you. Goodby."
Now it was theatricas. and for the Mex.
lean Indians again. Her friends. to tell the
truth, were getting little tired of doing
for these creatures. They had been to teas
for them, TO kirmess for them, to ia
bleaux, to lectures for them; enough Of
things to have educated whole tribes of
them, Mrs. Ned Brown said, if they had
only been there themselves. And she add
u. 4 ~
made to suffer and pay both. II they must
give these things, give them but make the
Indians 90 themselves However, Mrs.
Brown was Eighty little woman, whom
every one laughed at in his sleeve, while
people all did admire Miss Carmen, though
they were getting little tired of her char
tiles.
All these things Miss Carmen felt in an
indefinite sort of way as she came homo
from the mission school one afternoon. IL
was Mr.. Towards mission. and he had
spoken so beautifully to the poor children
that day. But then lac always did. lie had
spoken 50 kindly 10 her too. Somehow or
other some people seemed to take it for
granted that she could 90 out in any kind
of weather, with no matter how bad cold
without any danger
And today had been her birthday. She did
not think what birthday; the fact itself was
bad enough without being numbered. She
was getting old, she thought with sigh
dear mel much too old to be thinking so
much of this handsome young minister and
much too old to have that drop on her
cheek; she must walk faster and think Of
something else, and yes, she would ask her
sister to take her mission class, at least for
awhile. She passed wretched beggar sit
ting on the curb grinding a small organ
cite that had stops nearly a minute long
between each note.
Miss Carmen looked quickly around, and
then furtively dropped a quarter into the
tin cup and passed on She had been told
such charity was misapplied, but, then, she
had felt just like it and was willing to run
the risk So Mr. Howard was really going
back to Mexico, not as ranchman this
time, but as n missionary. What should
she do when he was gone-what, had it
come to thisS She must think of something
else, and she hurried on without noticing
two young girls'who passed her quickly.
II was so afraid she would see u.s." one
OF them said. II know she'd ask me to be
In booth or take part in those theat-
ricals." Girls who never did any good In
the world, and probably never would, who
could not even appreciate the self sacrific-
ing labor OF Miss Carmen. Undoubtedly
the latter did lack Judgment, or, let us say
moderation, but in her proper sphere or
under able guidance, what might she not
accomplish
She found note at home for her from
Uliss Tower saying she was sorry, but her
health was so wretched this winter her
physician had tabooed theatricaIs. She
also found Mr.. Garey's card with a haatv
note on the back which said how much be
regretted he would not be able to take the
part Miss Carmen had SO kindly assigned
to him.
Miss Carmen sat down and cried. She