The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1893-01-25

N A AANl hIllllS
and rubbish, and would have continued
Ia the wrong place forever.
The speaker next proceeded 70 an am
alogy. lie contrasted the story Of the
ring with the story Of . poor girl Her
parents were refined and intelligent,
she herself was refined and sensitive,
her earliest years were passed in COM
fort, and In surroundings suited to her
tastes But when she was fourteen
years old, her parents died. she was
left destitute, there was no near rela'
tives 70 take care Of her, and she was
obliged 70 20 TO work in q factory in or
der TO support herself. The other girls
In the factory were commonplace, not
q few Of them were vulgar. and some
were vicious The best ones were good
hearted, but they did not understand
their proud and sensitive companion,
who did not readily mingie ia their
conversation and amusementa The
girl was unhappy; she could not be
otherwise In such'circumstances, and yet
she was too weak and too friendless TO
better her condition. She tried TO read
and improve her mind during the win
ter evenings, but the severe work In
the factory during ten and sometimes
twelve hours daily fatigued her so
much that she found II almost impossi-
bic 70 crafty her ambition. Moreover,
the woman with whom she boarded
was ignorant, and the house was nm
clean and uncomfortable, 30 that the
.-..L ftfaE 49, .~lwl -. ..ANS.4
orable for the development Of
her higher tastes. Not singular,
then, was II that she finally be-
came desperate n began TO yield TO
the weight Of tho circumstances that
oppressed her The vulgar talk Of her
companions nd longer shocked her, and
she gradually adopsed words and ex-
p~ressions which formerly nothing
would have induced her to use. She
was deteriorating. Like the ring in
the furrow, the best in her was becom-
ing dim. She was out Of her proper
sphere and she knew it She longcd to
escape from her present condition, TO
save herself from mental and perhaps
moral ruin, TO mingle with better peo-
pie and 70 enjoy ~congcnial surroun-
ings; but OF what avail was 1t for her
TO battle longer?
Fortunately at this critical period in
the girls career q rich and philan-
thropic man who lived near the factory
became interested In her. He ascer-
tanned that her parents had been re-
fined people, and that the hereditary
traits In her family were good. He
comprchended the circumstances sur
rounding her, and saw the temptations
to which she was exposed. He
recognized in her . gem in obscurity,
which only needed some person able
and appreciative enough to place 1t
where It ought to be. Accordingly lie
adopted her as his daughter, gave her
q good education and other advantages
She became q noble and accomplished
woman, and her benefactor felt we'll
repaid for his kindness. But what
could be said In regard 70 many cases
like that Of this girl, where no helping
hand was extended? 1t was sad to
think Of these cases. The fate of the
individuals involved was similar TO
what the destiny Of the ring would
have been, had II not been found by
the farmer.
The audience, most Of them well-to-
do persons, were much impressed by
the m One wealthy member OF
the church was especially impressed.
1t happened that he had become In
terested in q girl whose circumstances
In life were almost identical with those
of the one whose story the pastor had
related. The man had Thought of
adopting her as his daughter, but he
had been restrained by selfish consid-
erations II only needed the sermon to
overcome his reluctance, and he imme.
diately decided TO carry out his philan-
thropic plan the next day. Now II
CHANGED that the poor girl whom the
rich man had in mind also heard the
sermon, she occupying n of the free
seats near the yestibulc during the
services. She, Of course, was aston
ished, and wondered whether the
preacher had heard Of her, and had
founded his story on her experience.
She dared not hope, however, that she
would be fortunate like the poor girl
In the story, and have a helping hand
extended TO her. Great then were her
amazement and Joy when the benevo-
lent man came TO- her and made his
proposition, She accepted II with pro
found gratitude. Her new guardian
was especially anxious that she should
be we'll educated, and 1t was not long
before he sent her to a noted boarding.
school in another city. AT the end Of
five years, Mary, that was her name,
returned to her ~benctactor. a beautiful
and accomplished young s
Every Sunday Mary accompanied hei
adopted father to church and listened
to the preaching Of Rev. Thomas Moul
ton. The minister noticed With de
light that the fair young woman up
peared to appreciate his sermons very
much. Soon he began to cultivate hcl
acquaintance, and made such rapie
progress that friendship ripened intt
love with surprising celebrity. He wa,
more Undetermined than are mos
preachers however, Ind he was dis
heartened by a fear which many manly
men have felt He feared that he wa
not good enough to become the hus
band OF a superior
In the curse Of q stumbling speech
in which he acquainted Mary with hi,
desires he said:
II love you, but ! feel that you ar,
too good for me"
Mary looked at him In an encourag
ing and af~ectionate way.
.If you knew how great my obliga