The record-union., 1894-09-22


the lowly, Mildred Hicks, who had been
recalled To her humble home, was being
whirled away from the lite of village
schoolmistreSs which had passed from
her forever.
Mr.. John Hicks, vestmaker, and FAM
lily lived IN quarter OF the cisy not un-
common to ali large cities, but especially
common to Chicago at this time a quar-
ter OF the city where the avarice OIL the
landlord, the poverty of the tenant and
The reckIeSSneSs Of both, cOntriVed to
continue debauched and broken old rook-
cries where The new and bounding lie
OF the mid-conLinentS metropolis halted
aghast al the wretchedness and trem bled
from It's dangerous nearneSS.
In such quarter. not so many years
ago but that you and l can easily recall
the time, John Hicks, a ripe English
gentleman, after having engaged in al
most every honorable occupation, vet re-
tanning an impress of each that made
mpanionship with him a fountain of
Information, leaping, sparkling and re-
Ireshlng continually, returned to the
trade forced upon him in youth from
having been too far removed from his
eldest brother, and, after renting the up
per hat OF rickety tenement, crossed
his legs again and set his long unused
hands once more to the cloths and the
needle.
There was wondrous simplicity and
deep Iite-fervor about John Hicks, even
with his legs crossed, that left many a
more erect and polished gentleman
dwlndllng and receding from the con-
trast. a gentle smile mantIed his broad,
noble face, and you could have scarcely
looked on his sllvered hair, even with it's
crowning ludicrous ''shock" like a dis
orra mr. hY1C x.,it
reverential love, blended with strange
sort OF unexplainable pity. Even his
great horn-boWed spectacles so large that
1t might have been through them he had
gained SO much love and charity for his
kind seemed the only ones which would
have behtted him.
OF whatever be had done in life there
remained some trifling memento, and his
rooms, though little and commonplace,
were very conservatory souvenirs. His
work-room was kitchen, sitting-room
and parlor, but from these extended little
rooms and alcoyes which, like the out
reachings of his affection, compactly and
securely held all he possessed.
On one side of the room was a great
workable, covered with odds and ends
OF uncompleted vests; above it string of
shelves heavily laden with old and rare
books, and above these, arranged with
quaint and artistic effect, were relics OF
sailing in far-of seas.
Opposite the workable and facing the
little court which could be seen through
the vine-cumbered windows. were sew
eral smaller tables at which girls were
sewing, while the ''cllck'' of the needles
and thin bles touching and the Zip of
the thread being drawn swiftly to its
place, made pleasant, chirrupy sounds.
AT one end of the room was the shining
cook stove, which, winter and summer,
never lacked the song OF the kettle for the
punch brewing, as ii to recompense for
the stubborn looking sadirons standing
guard beside it,
Opposite, aud at the other end of the
room where the light of the day fingered
longest, was a neat deal table beside
which stood an easy chair, SO capacious,
so homely and sc comfortable that its
broad arms seemed to invite you to it, and
and in this mechanism for waking repose
reclined John Hicks reading aloud the
evening paper.
Near him, rocked Mrs. Hicks, a sweet.
matronly woman, with a face as peaceful
as a child's, and busying herself about
the supper, which was being prepared,
was Milly Hicks, who had arrived from
Minnesota that very morning, and who
fitted into the plain but serviceable be-
longings of the little system as noiselessly
and perfectly as though she had never
been absent.
six o'clock, girls" said John Hicks
pleasantly, and as the old Yestmaker
beamed kindly upon his help, the work
girls passed out brightly with, Good
night. Mr.. Hicks. Good night, mother
Good night, Milly!" And a CHEEKY good
night all around it was.
Had not the little place always con-
tanned happy, contented faces now that
the work-girls were gone, the lonesome
look OF the stiff tables would have filled
the whole room. But John Hicks loved
mother; they both loved Miily, and there
was not that in the wide world to lessen
her love tor these pure, happy, trustfuI
parents, and all Of this you would have
seen in moment, was shining upon and
from everything about them.
AS the last touches were being given
the table and the late schoolmistress
showed her domestic adaptibility by
gracing the preparations with dextrous
Jwitchings here and dainty pattings
there, John Hicks and mother sat in the
twilight cleaning and beaming faces,
and when Milly, after lighting the lamp
with hurry and furry, whirled the
chairs to the table, announcing solemnly
and sepulchrally in compliment to an
Irish maiden who had served them dur
ing her absence, 'Ef ye plaZe, mum, sup
per's afther waitin'o' John Hicks burst
into laughter, and gave mother such a
y
radiant gasp, she sought refuge at the
table, where be shortly followed, hilari-
ously insisting:
"Oh, Milly, if you had only given your
Mr.. Watson such go-ha, ha, ha!-he' d
never have written TO me at ALL"
Milly sobered at once, but shortly
looked up and smiIingly replied:
He ought to have been worse scared
than that would have made himv'
NO, no, no; l know better than that
myself. They don't get scared so easily.
DO they mother? They didn't when we
were young, eh?'
Perhaps the grace of the old DAYS when
they were young together swept over the
years and blended with the grace that
was said before their bread was broken:
For the love in our hearts for our
own, and the worlds, for what we re-
ceive and what Thy hand withholds. O
Lord, make US humble, patient and
purep'
1t was quiet, happy supper, where
the full measure of love and content
made even the plain things of a vest
makers home glow and brighten with
infinite TRANSPORTATION: and thank heay-
en- that these things can exist and do ex-
ist when satisfied pharisees pass by on
the other side!
Alter supper was done and things were
all to rights, Milly brought low otto
man, ana, placing it against her father s
chair, read from an old and priced vol
ume OF Shakespeare, leaning her head
against his armchair and resting upon