Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1895-03-28
AN ANGEL.

II p1CtASCU AIllllu <AylcSWOOu W I'LL.
aglne herself "a butterfly" in reality.
she was a very commonplace sort of
fly, who buzzed about good deal,
now md then stung little, and was
somewhat tiresomc whether She buzzed
or stung.
But in hoy own opinion she was Il
butterfly" fitting about among the
perfumes and pleasures of life, care
less Of the morrow. She liked to think
that women Of the more serious sort
despised her; it made her feel so femi-
nine. The circumstances OF her life
occasionally threw her into the COM
pany Of busy women, vigorous girl
journalists, or enthusiastic young art
students, and these she would almost
beg to crafty her with a little con-
tempt, Pm such frivolous, trifing
little thing" she would say. II am
quite sure you must despise me-" She
was quite annoyed when she was met
concerning, "Why?"
At last, one Sunday at church, the
clergyman had such an unfortunate
penetrating voice that all her pleasant
planning Of new frocks was dispersed.
There is no time on earth so suitable
to the planning of a new frock as SER
mon time in church; more exciting
topic, could one be found, might dis
turb the meaningless repose of fea-
lures proper to the occasion; any less
exciting would become uninteresting;
preached accordion-plaiting and rain
bow chiffon out of Lilith's head. She
went home with her mind fixed on the
success size might make in an utterly
different role.
Here in London, in this vast city
tecming With wealth and learning,
there were thousands OF hopeless poor,
blindly treading the way to, well,
the wrong way, with no one to set
them right; and here was she, who
might be 4 nlinistering angel Of light
wasting her time in vain pleasures and
admira tion-well, not quite so much
admiration as She deserved, perhaps
say in pursuit of pleasure and ad-
miration. How much better, rather
than spending her time in hot crowd
ed bathrooms, where the suppers were
frequently poor, and there were never
quite enough partners to go round
among the girls, to seek q higher pleas
ure in doing good, to be the central
figure in crowded back streets, fol-
lowed, haloed-as it were-with the
blessings of the blind and struggling
to whom she brought light and guild
ance.
She would begin at once-that very
afternoon, instead Of going to sleep
after lunch. AS she went up stairs to
dress she felt supremely pleased with
herself. In the intervals of arranging
her hair and complexion she paused
several time to strike ''soul's awaken
ing" attitudes in the glass and think
how well they became her.
She felt she ought to take something
in the way Of a spiritual weapon,
tracts or soup-sympathy for the poor
and erring would naturally run to
tracts or soup-but there were certainly
no tracts in the house, and though
there was probably plenty Of soup,
it was an awkward thing to carry; it
would be sure to get split over her
,frock and mixed up with the long ends
Of her cocks feather boa. After con-
sultation with the cook she started out
with an untidy parcel Of stale cakes,
the leavings of Fridays Eat home"
and took a cab down to Hammersmith.
She wandered off the main road.
round corner or two, and very soon
found slum-an ideal slum, for it
smelt abominably, and had no outlet
at the further end. Children in all the
aniline hideousness Of their Sunday
apparel were playing in the gutter,
with a certain reserve, it is true, on
account of the aforesaid Sunday frocks
but, still, actually playing in the gut
ter. sailing paper boats in it.
One or two swarthy men, who had
Dalpably not been to church, were MAX
ing Sunday day Of rest by sleeping
in the warm spring sunlight, with gor-
geous abandonment to the delight OF
leisure. their backs straight up against
the wall. their legs stretched full
18TH across the path. Lilith had to
step gingerly over pair or two, on
her way down the alley. One unshav-
en- giant lazily opened a corner of one
eye az she passed in. In her character
Of benevolent angel, she said politely,
II hope don't disturb you, "but it was
obvious she did not disturb him in the
least. IlC JtlSL SlluL lAC SOAACA VI iAto
eye again, and took no account Of her
whatever. She had just sufficient tact
to avoid the houses where the hostess,
with bare arms laid on the window
sill, was entertaining her friends out
side, and passed on, studying the Win
dows One in an upper story had
clean, white starched curtains. That
seemed promising. So 'Lilith mounted
the ricllety, 'cvll-smelling wooden steps
that led to the door corresponding to
it, and knocked.
"A thin voice called, ,"Comc in" and
she entered. The room was faultlcssly
clean, and severely tidy. A itigured
tablecloth on the table should have
shown the occupants to be people of
some social Standing among their
neighbors, had 1.ilith only known.
One or twO severe, almost abusive
texts. hung Feund 1.-THE wa l--"Ccasc to
to do evil" allow long wilt thou be
drunkenT' lthc latter with the last
word emphasized in scarlet, cncour-
Ia ,,NS,