Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1893-11-25
HIS ANGEL.
A Seaside Incident Which Beautifully
illustrates One Of Christ's
Precepts.


Summer after summer the writer
had noticed and old man sitting Cd
the step of tumble down cottage
in the suburbs of one of our sea-
shore watering places. He sat day
in and out alone and in Che same
position, smoking his pipe. 1t
was evident that he was poor, and
that he was tied to the house by
some disease. Yet he always seem
ed.chee-ful and interested in things
about him. This summer we missed
him from his stone step, and thought
no more of it.
Within a few days an incident in
which this man had a part has come
to our knowledge. 1t is worth
repeating. To more than one
mind and heart the knowledge of it
has been stimulant and benefit.
One of the families summering in
the seaside town has for several sea-
sons driven almost daily pastthe old
mans house. Several children were
IN the family, among them an
observant girl of thirteen.
No one else in the carriage had
given the stranger more than
moments notice; but she began to
watch for him whenever the corner
that brought his little one-story cot
tage in sight. He looked 80 ill and
patient and helpless chat she pitied
him. Toward the close of the season
her sympathy led her to bow timidly
as she passed. The old man return
ed her salutation, and for the few
fall days that were left smile pas
sed between the gray invalid and the
little summer girl.
But the child did not forget her
new friend all that winter, and when
the family went to the sea-shore the
next spring she bought package of
fruit--the best she could get-and
was very silent about it. On the
way from the station, when the car
rage came opposite the familiar cot
tage, she called to the coachman:
"Stop her, Joe Tell him to stop
mammal and springing from the
carriage, she ran up to the steps and
laid the fruit on the old mans knee.
"I'm glad TO see you sitting in
your old place." she said. II have
thought about you all winter"
''Thank you for the fruit, miss"
said the old man. THANK you heart
lily. I'm mighty glad you're round
once more. I missed you when the
cold weather came"
"May l call and see you again 7"
she asked, timidly.
"May be it'd be too much trou-
BILE, miss but it would do me world
of good" repliel the invalid. He
watched her to the top ofthe hill IN
til the carriage sank out OF sight.
From this time Freda begsn to
call at the cottage once or twice a
week and took the sick man little
presents, and read to him as well as
she knew how. He fell to calling
her his "litt'e angel" and his wife
said that he became restless to see
her on the days she was expected
to call. She, too, grew fond of him.
he must have been a rough man
once, but be had become gentle and
terder as a woman. His helpless
ness and his eager joy to see her
were constant stimulant and de-
light 10 the child.
Last fall, before the family went
to the city, Freda noticed that he
was growing feebler. So with her
mothers permission she began to
write to him after her return home,
and he wrote few letters in reply.
By the time cold weather came be
was confined to his bed.
On the approach of Caristm as,
Freda went to q fashionable
grocery store, and with her mother
made up q box OF dainties, such as
are nourishing, and that tempt the
appetite Of people who are sick ;and
such, toe, as only rich or a self
denying person would select.
When the expressman took this box
of canned soups and fruits and jel-
lies and wonderful modern delica-
cies into the sick's house it was re-
ceiye with astonishmentan delight.
Such package had never before
entered there. It was hardly known
that there we're such dainties. The
invalid was so much excited that be
had the empty box put beside bis
bed, where be could constantly see it.
One evening he called wildly fol
his aIittle angel His wife brought