Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-18

the beginning Of his brave career.
There was many a poor soul that felt
unbefriended now, and uncompanioned,
with no one to look to for help, spirit
ual or material. And as for DR.. Ash
urst's own household, the sorrow OF
poverty was added to sorrow itself. The
mother and her two children were left
really poor. John Ashurst always
hoped to leave his family good sum
of money, to buy comfortable life in
surance before he should be taken
away, but the necessities of the mo-
ment always hid the fear Of the future.
He had lost what money he had by the
failure OF bank, and he had never
been provident. It was the rainy day
Of the moment and not of the future
with which he concerned himself Now
that the small bills that could be col
lected were all paid, many accounts
having never been kept at all and still
more forgiven--it was but a poor de.
pendence, and the girls were wondering
what they could possibly do. One had in.
herited her fathers gift OF teaching, and
had gathered a little school, but it was
more q thing Of love than of business,
and Of late she had taken the district
school near at hand, and her poor pay
was the mainstay that was left. They
had always felt so rich all their lives
that they did not know how to feel
poor. exactly. In the late years when
DIR. Ashurst had been sent for far and
wide, and now and then large fee
came in his way, they had begun to
feel like people Of fortune. And only
the last Thanksgiving day, the fort
night before his three days illness be-
gan, what Joy they had in making hap
piness for many poor households The
old chaise had gone its rounds with
high-heaped mound OF benefactions
under the buffalo robe, and this old
woman must have this thing to make
her happy, and the other something
else, for Thanksgiving was still kept in
oil its glory of neighborliness and good
cheer in Alton. and Christmas itself
seemed to be the happier for young
people, because their elders and betters
made the most Of the earlier festival.
The doctors study, where light
nights, was plain room full Of books,
with q great desk and some three-cor.
nered chairs which had been old DR..
Ashurst's before they belonged to our
friend, whom the elder people still call
the young doctor. There was curious
dry odor Of drugs and Russia leather
bindings. There was q huge wasp's
nest on one bookcase, and a bust of
Dante on the other, and beautiful old
engraving Of Sydenham hanging on
the wall. One could not help finding
It charming, scholarly sort of place;
there was still o delightful air Of svm-
pathy and friendliness, as OF place
where people were sure to come to tell
their troubles. and sure to go away
comforted.
1t was the day before Thanksgiving,
and one Of the doctors daughters, who
had oftenest been his companion, was
sitting there alone. She had been look
ing at the books and making a list Of
some, Of them, about which one of her
fathers. friends had written her. He
had made good offer, out Of frendli-
ness. but both DIR. .Ashursts had known
what rood books were. and had left be-
mind them some volumes Of very great
value. OF course they must sell them,
and it was good chance, but Nelly
Ashurst loved these particular books,
and treasured them all the moro be-
cause her father and grandfather had
treasured them too She, took down
the old COPY AZ the Re1igio Medici, and
held II for moment-then she kissed