The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-06-24

plexion and friendly eyes. smooth bands
of hair and the neat dress that some
how make you think of face that per-
haps smiled out of farmhouse win
dow at you as you passed one summer
day. or maybe recall some other face.
dear. indeed, looking out of the win
dow of memory in the country of Child
hood.
Nom" she was saying to the little
group of listeners who heard the brief
tale of the life which the world will
call a failure. Nom, I don't just eX-
actly ike to tell my age. You know, it
might kind O. act on my chances. You
see, l want to get place as house
keeper i'm some nice. respectable family.
The trouble is, that so many of the
places I've been sent to inquire in
haven't been just that I've always
been a respectable woman and have
good recommends, but you'd be sur
prised to see the folks that answer
ads for a housekeeper But I'm a
hoping to get something better, and.
you see" rather shyly, IF they found
out I'm not--well quite as young as
once was maybe they'd think wouldn't
do. But would" she went on, eager
ly. I'm able and willin' to work, and
work hard"
Nom / amt had a husband for a
good many years. If he'd been alive
do you think he'd a let me have such
a time as I'm a havin' now?" Her eyes
shone brightly through the sudden
tears. "He was a soldier in the war
more'n thirty years ago, and Just be-
cause I wanted to do something for
tn" poor fellows who were dyin' in the
hospitals, I went as a nurse. No, L
wasn't paid of course, but l did Just
as much as them that was, and I took
care of hundreds of 'em in that Vir-
ginia hospital. / didn't have my
health very good for a long while af-
terWard, but" swiftly rousing from the
reminiscent mood into which she had
uncOnsciously fallen, I'm real spry
now and can do q good deal only"
and here the eyes which had been
searching the faces Of her listeners
anXiously, dropped and over her cheek
came a pinky glow of embarrassment
which made her look almost young.
"Only lately, you know, I haven't had
much 10 eat. | had a little room, but
no fire or anything and l bought lit
tie oatmeal and ate it raw for few
days and then l mixed it with cold
water and then it made me sick, and
we'll yesterday / did get so hungry that
| just made up my mind I'd start out
and see if | couldn't find a friend in
this big place where ! didn't know a
soul, and sure enough ] found one and
she sent me tn you and the trembling
hands which had been plucking ner-
vously at her gown reached out invol-
UNFAIRLY toward the listeners who sat
with wet eyes and said over and over
to themselves, "FTiendless and hun
cry in this rich city"
She found friends and a shelter
and food and many a kind word and
well whether she discovers the deleCt-
able place as housekoeper in the re
spectacle family" or whether she just
goes around under the roof that now
protects her with her neat old-fash-
ioned garb and her kind old face, she
is sure of having a home for some time
to come-but isn't it unpleasant to
think of a nice old lady, we'll reared,
self-respectinE, widow of a veteran OF
the Civil war and herself a war nurse
in this town of wealth and generosity
and tender hearts alone, hungry-woe-
fully hungry-and friendless- we
all have enough and to spare?
This isn't a fancy sketch, my friends,
and it just goes to show that we really
know very little Of what is going on
about us; that we don't know whether
] the old lady whom We brush against
as We pass, is faintng with hunger for
! bread, or whether the heart of the
| friend who sits often at our fireside
may not be a-faint with hunger for a
| loving word, an encouraging smile,
| which in our dullness we withhold.
Saucy Bess.