The Yale expositor., 1897-07-30

Everybody knows that" said &yra.
s'most petulantly.
"And there's one little lad pining
with hip disease?"
Eyes"
Myra Gates's large, dark eyes had
softened some in their light.
81 suppose" said Miss Chubb, her
eyes fixed keenly on the customer,
that he don't get many little dainties,
such as ailing children like. I'll just
pu. up a bunch OF raisins and fig or
so for him and one of these fresh cards
of gingerbread
In the same moment Myra Gates
flung back her shawl and threw the
purloined cake on the counter once
again.
81 took 1t on the sly" said she, with
a great sob in her voice. Eyes, stole
it. And won't deny it! But it was
for poor little Larry that never tastes
anything but bread from one weeks
end to another-poor dear"
Didn't you know 1t was wron@G
said Miss Charity Chubb, mildly.
"Yes-but it was for Larry"
"Are you so very poor?"
1--WE are starving" said Myra. my
mother can't get wash but a day now
and then. and the firm that employed
me failed a week ago Monday last, and
all we have to live on is Timmy's dol
lar a week that he gets in store down
town for sweeping out and running err
rGndS."
did you ever take anything with
out leave before?" said Miss Charity.
mol" cried Myra Gates. And,
Heaven helping me, l never will
again."
Look here. Myra," said the little
shopkeeper, laying gentle hand on
the girls tattered sleeve, II believe you
never have broken Gods laws before,
and l have faith that you never viii
again"
Thank you, Miss Chubb," said poor
Myra, almost inaudably.
81 need a girl to help me here in the
store" added Charity. 81 am getting
old and not so spry as / once was. II
you've a mind to come and try the
place, I'll give you fifty cents day at
first and more If l find that you are
reliable and can earn it"
"Oh, Miss Chubb-after-af after what
l did today?"
Were none of us perfect, child"
said Miss Charity, shortly, "and the
Lord knows what would become OF us
if He wasn't always giving us chance
to try again. Go home and tell your
stepmother, and then come back to-
morrow morning"
Myra Gates obeyed, but as she
walked out she stopped hurriedly and
pressed her lips to the little shop wom-
ans brown hand.
Heaven bless you!" she whispered.
II think you have saved me-"
Miss Charity looked after the girls
retreating form.
IL suppose people would say l was
running risk" she thought, but it
was my opportunity, and / could not
let it go by"
Myra Gates came early the next day
her thick. dark tresses nearly brushed
ard braided. her dress mended, and
lroned, her ia alight with new hope.
Are you glad to Gomez" asked the
spinster, noting the expression of her
eyes.
oh" cried Myra. you don't know
what a life | lead at home with my
stepmotherl If II wasn't for little Lar
rs. almost think ] should have COM
mitted suicide long ago."
Perhaps the world would have been
quito justified in saying that Miss Char
itv Chubb did an indiscreet thing in
taking Wilbur Gatess orphan daugh-
ter INTO her store. but the results were
most favorable At the years end My
ra had become indispensable to her-a
quick, loving young assistant. who
watched her with eyes of true Affection,
and who made the interests Of her en-
ployer her own. And. what was bet
ter still, she had saved Myra from the
Slough of Des2ond into which che had
been slowly sinking, almost uncon-
sciouslv TO herself.
Elder Daley was right, Miss Chubb
thought. Opportunities come to all of
us, IL we can only wait patiently enough
and mine was sent to me at last! -
The New York Ledger.