The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-01-17

Month after month she stitched and
prayed and sang sweet old ballads and
HYMNS, and never shirzed known
duty, whether it came to her IN the
way of watching with sick nelg DOR
in speaking a word to the uncovered,
in encouraging the lambs of the fold,
in taking the lead of a meeting or IN
giving a tenth of her time to sew Tor
the old and poorer a tenth OF her
earnings for the support of the gospel
at home and abroad.
Next door to the neat little WOOD
bine and honeysuckle wreathed cot
tage stood the handsome and some
what pretentious residence OF the
richest man in the township, Roswell
Poindexter, an eccentric bachelor.
While continually occupied with his
own affairs, he took very little note OF
his near neighbor, only to wish that
her small garden did not cut into the
corner of his broad lawn, or to send
her sometimes by his housekeeper a
bit of fine darning or frayed button
hole. They had lived in this way
from early youth, and now they were
middle-aged.
Sometimes he was tempted to en-
deavor, through an agent, to purchase
the small house, but then he remem-
bered that many years before the
whole estate had been owned by the
Lees, and, respecting the sentiment
that made this last member OF an ola
family cling to this last remnant OF
former grandeur, he did nothing to
make her distrust that she or her
house were in any way superhuous'
That it was possible for him to be-
come in any way interested in her ana
not enter his heart until one spring
dav an accident that only just es-
capped being fatal laid him by for a
time and gave him opportunity TO
think.
Through the long, sweet days OF
coming summer he was confined TO
his library window, where he soon
wearied of the infrequent and famil-
lar passers-by, or of looking across the
beautiful sweep of meadow to the no.
bic Connecticut flowing in grandeur to
the Sound.
At such times he would push the
chair into such an angle that by pull
ing the heavy drapery curtains aside
he could look across the grassy lawn
and into the open window OF his little
neighbours sewing room. Hour after
hour he watched her without weari-
ness as she sat and sewed or scattered
crumbs for the singing birds rear
ing their young in her honeysuckle
vine.
Whenever the bell of the old gray
stone church little distance down the
street rang on a week day he noted
that she dropped her work, put on her
wraps and walked rapidly down the
street, and on Sunday that she went
punctually to all the services and never
failed to spend an hour with the blind
woman out on the meadow lane or to
look after any of her Sunday-school
class who were absent
He enjoyed seeing her pass. yet he
was glad when Sunday was over and
she sat again quietly at her work, al
though he felt like a thief every time
he pulled the curtain aside and allowed
his ewes to rest on the trim little figure
in the bright little room.
st does her no harm" he argued,
land it is comfort to me, and have
O little comfort. How graceful she is
in all her movements! She has grace
of spirit, too, that is rare, it seems to
me, among the younger women of my
acquaintance. l suspect she always
had it. l have given her very little
thought, to be sure, but as look back,
/ know she has gone to the church
in response to every call of the
bel season after season, just as
regularly as the elm trees have
budded, put forth and cast their
leaves, and she seems, somehow, to
belong to the place as much as they
do. 1t is Wednesday,; the bell will
ring for the woman's meeting in tif-
teen minutes. 1t must be she hears
Gods voice in its resonant peal and
cannot but obey.
II believe in these things. although
have not arrived at the place where
lean understand them. | hardly know
why, for l thought l was converted
long ago at the same time Diana Lee
was, and have been pretty constant
at meeting ever since on Sundays, once
day at least"
The memory of that far away re-
vival set him off in train of thought
that ended in long nap. He missed
the ringing of the church bell and the
going out of his gentle neighbor, but
awoke in time to see the familiar fig
ure trip lightly up the street.
His window was open to admit the
balmy air, and as he leaned forward
to look at her she bowed and smiled,
and something in her neighbours pale
face made her pause and say, half
hesitatingly, in her sympathetic voice:
You must be thankful to enjoy
once more the fresh air and sunshine.
/ am glad to see you so much better"
He beckoned for her to come nearer,
and as she approached he said;
THANK you, it is wearisome enough
lying by so long. l have watched you