The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-12-20
4 BEGGAR WOMAN.
The Kind Deed That Crowned a
Broken Life.

BROKEN Au0.
A strong breeze, sharp with the cold
suggestion Of coming winter, swept up
from the bay and tossed the creaking
boughs of the old button woods that
stood along the roadside until they
laborcd in the wind like ships at sea.
The last of the fog was just disap.
pearing and curled fercely up from the
woods and waters, rolling away in
great, sodden masses. In the north a
long line of snow clouds were sluggish
ly moving forward. There was some
thing peculiar--almost sinister-in their
slow, heavy formation, and the weather.
wise fisherman off shore watched them
uneasily and began to draw in tackle
and make preparations to seek harbor.
On the land the farmers shook their
heads aud fastened to get the last OF
the pumpkins and apples under cover.
OF their own accord the cattle left of
grazing and sought the barnyards.
Now and then stragglers from some
frightened flock of wild geese flew
toward the south in anxious search of
their mates.
Near the end Of one street of the lit
tie fishing hamlet was weather beat
en-, wood colored homestead OF one story
and q loft, surrounded by fence al
most as old as the house itself; but as
one passed through the gateway and up
the grass-grown walk into the smoke
painted kitchen the poverty of the out
side surroundings was forgotten in con-
temptation of the profusion inside. ..
At least this seemed to be the case
with the little old woman who hobbied
painfully up the path to the half open
kitchen door. There she stopped irreso-'
lutely, but the savory smell of cooking
was irresistible, and she pressed slowly
forward into the low doorway. The
kitclAn was fragrant with the odors of
the Saturdays baking: from the stove
at the far end of the long room came
cheerful sputterirg and Kissing and over
it women bent in impatient suspense.
Her back was toward the door, and she
did not notice the great hungry eyes
that were fastened on the loaves of
bread and the pies and cakes and
cookies that loaded the pine table.
Such PROPULSION made the wistful eyes
CLEAN and the withered form tremble
with eagerness. But she did not venture
to cross the threshold.
On the floor two children were play
ing. They had watched the woman's
approach with childish curiosity. The
youngest rose to his feet and toddled
toward her. AFTER gazing at her few
moments with his big, wondering eyes
he held up the cookie he had been nib
bling. She hesitated, then took it and
ate it greedily. -
The boy laughed and went to get an
other, but at this moment Mrs. Barten
looked up. Her face was flushed with
heat and vexation. She was about to
speak sharply to the children when she
caught sight Of the bent figure in the
doorway, and her wrath was turned.
Of all things she hated beggars the
most. During the summer months
many Of them drifted up from the
neighboring Sc aports and proved a con-
slant source of loss and HexatiOn to the
fishermen and farmers. Mrs. Barten
had suffered with the rest, and as she
turned from the stove her lips were
drawn sharply over her strong white
teeth. She did not see the wistful eyes
and patient smile. What she saw was
a. covering beggar, with some outland-
ish kind of head covering and q ragged
shawl closely drawn about the slight
form. @''
"Well?'. she said, in q sharp, inter-
negative tone. -. A...
The old woman shivered as though
something had struck her, but her face
remained perfectly blank.
"A furriner!'' -.
Mrs. Barten sprang forward and
drew the children from SO dangerous a
presence. To herfa foreigner seemed
all that was dangerous and depraved.
A sudden sputter recalled her to the
stove, and by the time she was again at
leisure a trace of her natural kindly
disposition had come to the surface.
Taking generous handful of cookies
and one of the lOaves of bread, she re-
turned to the door. But the old woman
had already passed the rickety gate and
was hobbling slowly down the street.
Mrs. Barten looked after her regret
fully. OK.
II wish Id a-give her suthin'," she
muttered, as she replaced the food on
the table. but lands sake alive" she
continued, briskly, after moments
thought: why shd feel sorry? Like
as not the old tramp was jest spying
round arter suthin' to steal. Most like
ly she'll have a dozen snacks gin her
before night. Here you, Rob m
Liza, come back to the house this min