Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1893-02-10

accordion, came up to ask aims.
"Get away with you" cried George
with a brutality that shocked INC me.
"Wby. cd fellow" said, as the lit
Ge girl ran of confused and frightened,
"You were not always SO hard on the
Door. 1t seems to me that we even
thought you soft-heartedl"
II had not seen life in those days"
lie answered, with a sardOnic smile. 81
know now that existence is a struggle
ior all classes. Besides, kindness IS
weakness, a morbid condition, a begin
ming of brain.softening. That is a
scientific fact, recognized fact, and for
NV part. Ibelieye that kindness leads"
Leads to its own reward?'
"No; TO a lunatic asylum, or the poor
house"
"Oh, nonsense
"Would YOU like page from my own
experienced Ten years ago, while was
l still in my teens, was studying law,
and lodged as you know on Rue Racine.
Onc winter evening, when it was snow
ing. was about to enter my home il
company with Andre Fhsac-dO you re
member him"
"Periectly. lie used to carry tales
at school, and he died Of iaundice,
didn't he, when one Of his brothers fell
heir to fortune2'
"That's the man. Well, we were at
tie front door, when saw a child lying
across the threshold, a little Italian like
the Que who begged just now with an
accordion sluug around her neck. She
had fallen asleep on the snow, and the
snow lay white above her, and was grow
lug deeper every minute. OF course she
was in danger Of freezing 20 death.
With the greatest difficulty we awoke
her, aud then she began to cry and said
she was afraid TO 90 back to her master.
For as she had not the fifty sous he re-
Quired her to bring daily, she was sure
he would beas her. There was no use
in our giving her the money and send
ing her away, for her eyes were closing
with sleep. aud we knew that she would
lie down again and never awake. We
looked about for a policeman. buJ there
was not one within sight. | said some
thing about taking the child up to my
rooms
"Don't do that. replied Andre. You
know nothing about this little vaga-
bond. You will only be the dupe oI
your own charity
''Just like Filsac, interrupted.
"He was not sympathetic; but he had
good sense. However, l took no heed
Of his observations, but led the girl up
stairs, warmed ber by a good fire, and
gave her some tea and biscuits. | let
her sleep in my own bed, aud | slept
myself on an old lounge in my little
ante. chamber
"You did well. Georee'
swat a minute. Tde next morning,
when l rose, found the child up anC
dressed. She bid me good-by, thanking
me prettily, and sent her away with a
gold piece in her hand. But, after her
departure, I found my room in horrible
disorder. She had rummaged through
everything. Worse than that, she had
stolen one Of my handkerchiefs. "
IA handkerchief"
"Yes-a hideous, ridiculous, red EN-
broldered object, sent me by my aunt
Nine. de Hernandez. 1t was a present
kept piously, but never used"
"a small loss, then. Nol What o
it,"
"What Of itl The theft had dreadful
results for me. Ny aunt came to Paris
She asked why l never used the hand
kerchief she had embroidered for me.
grew embarrassed, hesitated, tried t.
explain and contradicted myself. Sh'
insisted that / had given it away. She
grew angry and refused to be pacided
She died and disinherited mel'
"Poor George"
cit makes you laughl don't INK
it funny myself. And since then every
thing has gone against me. lam law
yer without client. / placed my al