The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-09-19
AH{IE EEKl ]7l'I1l,ii:' 10INlE,

trusting him who made them, by
thinking of your money till I've
grown mean"
90 auntie," cried the girl with
troubled face, as the old woman's
voice broke, "you are not mean and
selfish. l am afraid | am the selfish
one, but | didn't know-at least I
never thought-and-I'm afraid it is
too late now that the papers are
signed"
"Of course it is" said her aunt
heartily, interrupting the hesitating
sentences, "and I'm glad of it." (And
with a twinge Of compunction Helen
realized that she also was glad the
sacrifice was impossible.) "Pm real
| glad of it! If just thinking of a little
money made me 80 hateful l don't
know what possessin' it would do.
The Lord knows best, and no good
thing will he Withhold" Uncle Aaron
slowly and seriously removed his pipe
for the second time. Laboriously
rising he raped out the ashes in the
fire, replaced the griddle deliberate
ly and broke his silence. "Jest re-
member this one thing, Helen" said
he, when ye all fail up, an can't
pay more'n five cents on dollar, an
your health's all broke down, all ye
have got to do is to come right out
here an find a good home awaiting
for ye." Helen did not allow the un-
pleasantly prophetic character of the
invitation to temper the warmth of
her thanks to the kindhearted old
man.
With much zeal she busted and
polished and re-arranged her goods
and began her career as business
woman. 1t certainly was not play,
but she possessed application and
good judgment in large degree,
and assuredly did not lack for ad-
vice. If she sometimes was too high
ly favored with the latter, she kept
the fact to herself and was rewarded
by the interest and patronage of the
town. In the little Harrisburg church
where Helen, a young girl of four
teen, had several years before taken
upon herself the vows of life of
Christian selfdenial, she had plenty
of time to consider that little thrill
of satisfaction which attended the
knowledge of the impossibility of
sacrificing her plans for the sake of
others. This consideration brought
self knowledge, and Helen for the
first time began to enter into that
part of the Christian life which is
lived not unto ones self. 1t altered
all her aims. improvement and cult
ure we're no longer sought for self,
but that by their means she might
help others.
1t was in this spirit that, when
Uncle Aaron died, she lovingly Of
fered aid to Aunt Nancy. What if it
should defer her plans little longers
But this time no sacrifice was needed.
At least Aunt Nancy said so, and
proceeded to carry on the farm as
sisted by Napoleon Thibault, who
brought his bright-eyed, French
speaking wife from Canada and set
tied in the 81" part of the farm
house.
Time passed quickly, and in little
more than three years Helen's goal
was within reach and good offer to
sell her business was under consider
alton. Meantime, things had not
gone well with Mrs. Payson, since,
her husbands death. Perhaps Ma
poleon did not possess the success
full characteristics of his great name
sake. At all events the mortgage
which had been the speck upon her
horizon, had become great cloud be-
cause of her inability to pay the in
terest for the past year.
Helen sold her stock of goods, and
her plans for college were nearly COM
pleted, when one wet spring day Ma
poleon came to her with concerned
face and his small amount of Eng
lish depleted by anxiety. HE seek, !"
was his simple announcement.
"Hei Whoi" inquired Helen, for
getting for a moment the French
mans reliance on one, solitary pro-
noun. sob, you mean auntie. Is
she sickp Napoleon nodded, "Ve'y
baad."
"What is the matter with her, Ma
poleon'"
'He had de grit, an now he says
he got de ammony. Celestine not
sleep t all tonight for apply de poul-
tice."
twill go with you at once" and
/ \ Ii L Il l.