The Van Buren press., 1895-09-07

Ana, oh, Them poor creeturs acrost the
seal II 1t doesn't break my very heart
to think OF EN-"
Miss Susan Doff rocked backward in
her chair, now and then wiping q tear
as in thought she dwelt upon the mis-
sionary talk she had heard at meet
ing that afternoon. Her soul had been
stirred to its depths by the rehearsal
OF the old-time cry from Macedonia.
Helpl-ah, mel Wouldn't ! like to
help 'em, poor souls And the Lord
don't give me any chance. azsil
II there was touch of rebellious
feeling in the reflection 1t was put aside
with vigorous hand. 'zYel "a 81 Z
Susan Duff, what are you, I'd like
to know, to be setting yourself up as
one the Lord can't get along without?
If He needs your help it's like enough
He'll give you the ways and means to
give it-He that owns cattle on a thou
sand hills. He knows you're willing
enough, without your taking the
trouble to make a baby Of yourself in
tellin' Him Of It. fE q
But 1t is wearing"-the rocking
wedt on --='t tv- tiliI,iSs " lae. ..aTsgs in
comfort and plenty, and so fixed I amt
a cent to give. My garden sass
enough for me and to spare, and the
Lord forbid should have grasping
thought of what l can give to my
neighbors; but there's no money to be
got by it, Only store pay for my eggs
So with my hops; so with my few po-
tatoes more'n need to keep for my
SELF
1t was no use. Miss Susan had, time
and again, beaten her brains to try and
discover some way of raising little
money for the heather. And she was
obliged, as time and time before, to
settle back upon the same wise conctu-
sion as to the Lords needing her help,
never realizing, in the depths of her
modest self-depreciation, the value of
the service brought by her willing
hands, in the way Of cheer and COM
fort, to the burdened and the suffering;
service given alike In loving earnest
ness for the scant pay offered, or for
no pay at all.
She eked out her frugal living by
sewing carpet rags for her country
neighbors, knitting coarse hose. and
mittens without number, acting as
nurse In times of sickness. and as gen.
eral help and comforter in seasons of
family upheavals and Affections. But
for all these services she received pay,
when pay came, in such everyday COM
forts as came easiest from those for
whom she worked.
mot cent to be got out Of any of
'em;" by which she meant, not her
neighbors, but the various shapes in
which their pay came, There is no
telling how far Miss Susan's perplexed
thought might have gone but for the
sudden demand upon her attention
made by an unusual noise and commo-
ton outside her small house. -...e.-e----
"The landl What ails that horseP
Aud woman and children!"s 81 -.
Miss Susan ran out and confron ted
the danger offered by frightened
horse driven by woman accompanied
by two children, all equally fright
ened. Something wrong with the har-
ness had disturbed the nerves OF farm
animal not given to disturbances, and
he was backing in . way whichthrcat-
ened disaster to the occupants OF the
spring wagon. .........,
With bravery and energy, out OF all
nronorfion to her small frame, Miss
Susan seized the horses head.
= "Now-whoa-whoaV
Jump out, Jimmy-jump outp' cried
the woman.
momentary pause in the backward
movement gave Jimmy courage. He
Jumped. and Joined in his own efforts
To those of Miss Susan. But the horse
still backed. Eks @Sek
Jump, mother; hes backing down
the bank"
In an agony Of doubt to go to her
helm or hold on to the horse, Jimmy
watched while his mother and q smal
girl contrived to tumble themselves
ont OF the wagon. The next moment
IL tipped over the steep bank at the
roadside
By this time man who was passing
came to add his strong hand to the
weak ones. The horse was quieted,
and he looked to see what the damage
might be. ,ev,,,,
B mot much" he. pronounced, III
vou saw SO, nam, I'll hitch 1t on to
-. ona haul IL To- the b1ac 1Ssinith's.
srisu't far. He'll get itfixed SO, you
cun have II in the morning. {" -
I'm the morningss Miss, Susan saw
the look Of perplcxity oyerspread the
,,,otber,s face. " ~ ~ ~ &faF
"If you'll stay with me overnignt,
ma,am." she hastened to say,"Tll be
more'n delighted to have you.'
The offer was gratefully accepted.
I'm accompanied the wagon to the
iblacksmith's shop for repairs and then
took the horse and rode to his home 70
rive news of the detention to those: :ex-
pecting them there > I'D y
And now was Miss Susan charmed IN
this rare opportunity of showing nos
nita1itv She was obliged to sit up in
ber chair through the night, having
only one bed, but her guests did 'nos
know that. IT,, o.,,.
On the following morning Jim came
with tho horse to take his mo.ner anu
slater home. Miss Susan IoAoweu
them ont to the road with good wishes
and good-bys. ~, o,,;,.d To
,o, y said the woman heartily. ana
bore--I want Sto leave you reme"- u
brance of our visit h,,ncb b of
She pointed to a large ounom uo aou "
Young trees in the back OF the waR1n, W 9,1iv
,ho roots of which were carefully
.ura nnad. ,.l