Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1894-01-20
THE LAST CHARITY.

fore by IL handsome enthusiastic young
curatc, who was staying in the same
boarding house as herself. He had
been on Il ranch in northern Mexico
the year after he graduated from col
legr. and brfor, he had decided t" Z"
into the ministry. Miss Carmen. who
had IL very vague idea of what Il ranch
was. confusing ii in her mind with
cowboys, plundcrcd coaches. and
rescued maidenS. considered Mr..
Howard one of those reclaimed vic
Tins of life of dissipation (hr was.
by the way. when she met him. just
% years old). though he had in real
ity never done anything particularly
wrong in his life. Miss Carmen be-
longcd to that class of women one
never knows how to speak of. whether
us Il "lady or young lady. unless
one is addressing the person herself.
when one is apt to venture on the lal-
ter term And it must also be ac-
knowledge she could not resist the
attractions of IL man who was turning
over Il new leaf" This species some
times even took precedence of her
charity in her favor. and that Is say
ing IL good deal. for her charity. what
ever it happened at the time to De-.
was so dear to her heart, it made her
almost {: uIt;ltl 10 lltl VI
hal,S YOU met her in Il store: before
You could hurry by with Good
morning. Miss Carmen" she WOULD
stop you: 20. Laura Lafargr. your"
the very girl want to see. | want
vou to take Il booth at the fair next
week for the - charity. You
can have any booth you wish. hut
won't YOU be in the Mikado : | want
girls who will get up handsome cos
tunes. and you know. with your
taste" etc. Or. "Margarct Wyndoff.
I'm so glad Eve met YOU. just step
aside here Il moment. will YOU: I'm
going to ask YOU to help me in little
international tea I'm getting up for
those puor-Such poverty such distress,
| can't tell you how they appeal T."
me- Now do promise to furnish flow
crS. and appear IN the Greek group
the costume will be very simple anh
Eve asked for veil" etc. Or on the
street. Good morning. Mr.. Carey.
won't YOU turn around and walk with
me IL few moments I'm going t" ask
favor of YOU. which | want YOU t"
promise to grant me- Its really moth
ing at all for YOU to do, and il is for
Il very worthy charity: young Mrs.
Carlry has said she will be Lady
Washington. and | want You to b."
George in an old-time tca-phrty. And
often before you can refuse she is
gone with. ''Good-byc, | knew YOU
would; so kind of you; goodbye.
Now it was thcatricalS. and for the
Mexican Indians again. Her friends.
to tell the truth. We're getting Il littl"
tired of these creatures They had
been to teas for them. to Il kirmrSS for
| them. to tablcauX. to lectures for them:
enough of things to have educated
whole tribes of them. Mrs. Ned Brown
| said. if they had only been there them
| selves And she added she really
| didn't see why they should he made
to suffer and pay both: if they must
| give these things. give them. but make
| the Indians go themselves. However.
| Mrs. Brown was tiighty little W"'
man. whom every one laughed ut in
his sleeve. while people all did admir-"
| Miss Carmen. though they were get
| ting little tired of her charities.
All these things Miss Carmen felt in
an indefinite sort of way as Sh" came
| home from the mission school one af-
tcrnoon. 1t was Mr.. Howard'S mis-
sion. and he had spoken so beautifully
| to the poor children that day. Bu:
| then he always did. He had Sp"krn
| so kindly to her. too; somehow or other
| some people seemed to tax" it for
| granted that she could go out in amy
| kind of weather. with no matter how
| bad Il cold. without any danger An!
| today had been her birthday: she did
| not think what birthday; the fact wa>
bad enough without being numbered.
| she was getting old. she thought with
| Sigl-dcar mc!-mlch too old t"
| be thinking so much of this hAnd>"m"
| e.. Il Il, t,,.. 1l g.,
| have that drop on her check: she must
| walk faster and think of something
| else. and yes. she would ask her sister
| to take her mission class. ut least for
| while She passed Il wretchcd beg
| gar sitting on the curb grinding Il
| small organcttc that had stops nearly
| minute long between each note.
| Miss Carmen looked quickly around
and then furtivcly dropped Il quarter
| into the tin cup and passed on. She
| had been told such charity waS mis-
| applied but then she had felt just like
| il and was willing to run the risk Su
| Mr. Howard was really going back tu
| Mexico. not as Il ranchman this time.
but as IL missionary. What would she
| do when he was gOnc~What. had il
come To this. She must think of some
thing else. ard she hurried on. without
noticing two young girls who passed
her quickly. Il was SO afraid Sh'
would see lis" one of them said. &"
| know she'd ask me to be in bootl'
| or take part in those thratrlcalS.
Girls who never did any good in Tho
world. and probably never woull
who could not even appreciate the self
sacrificing labor of Miss Carmen. Tn
douhtcdly the latter did lack iudg
| mcnt. or let us say moderation. bnt in
her proper sphere. or under able guild
ancr. what might she not accomplish
| She found Il note at home for he:
from I'lisS Tower saying she was
sorry. but her health was so wrctchcd
this winter her physician had taboocd
thcatricalS. She also found Mr.
GarcyS card. with a haSty note on til
back. which said how much he re-
.rrttcd he would not be able to TAX
the part Miss Carmen had so kindly
assigned to him.
Miss Carmen sat down and crii Il
She knew it was silly. but she didn
care. She was tired ont and owe
worried. and she threw herself dow
IN her couch and had good cry.
She was bathing her eyes and smooth
ing her hair when her maid broUgh
| her Mr.. Towards card. She put in
another hairpn and then went right
| down.
oh" she said. without even greet.
in. him. I'm perfectly wrptchrd
did think when had only three i'm tn,
only two who can act won't act
| .I,,,II al.