The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1899-09-08

sis it worth while?" said Miss Vir-
ginia, coldly, turning her severe IrDfile
from the window and boxing at me.
had spoken for forms sake only; there
was a tacit agreement that | was to be
nav own mistress after my o'clock tea.
Yet | knew COR believed that | knew
that she was better salts fed to be sure OF
my whereabouts. On those rare occa-
sIons when / went out she had never be-
fore come 40 near to showing persona
interest in my movements.
Worth while?' | stammered-and
then, passionately, THERE'S babyW
Miss Virginia smiled. She had q pc
culiarly penet Atlng smile. | am always
more or less afraid of her; when she
smiles | am more afraid, yet at the same
time see ri Ainly that it would be quite
possible for noe to love her with that per-
feet love which casteth out fear.
chow do you propose to influence the
baby ?" she asked, speaking quite gently
in that grave, beautifully mOdulated
voice which expresses so we'll her rart
combination OF social distinction with
Intellectual cleatness of view.
| suddenly discovered sOwewbt r. II
my own inner consciousness that Maggie
knew a great deal more about the wants
OF baby than how could it be other
WlAbF OU6 HAS uGlpSu LuObuCA w CaIF
for a new one nearly every year, while
was the family baby myself, with fou
elder sisters-two married and two dead q,
now, and quite alone in the big, indit
ferent world.
~ don't know much about anything
least OF all about babies" / blurted out,
"but perhaps Maggie can tell me what
can do"
Miss Vir Sinia looked slightly annoyed.
"You know how to read and write very
we'll, :" she remarked, and her firm, clear
cut tones set my ears tingling. "But |
doubt whether you understand pillar
thropy."
There was a little silence, for was far
too much scared to attempt to reply.
''For my own part" Miss Virginia con.
tinued at last, 81 have given up trying to
do good. will try to tell you why. Life
Ia q very complex affair social conditions
are dependent upon those slow results OF
time which no Young girl can possibly
comprehend. AS to the painful differ
euces and privations which we see, their
causes are remote and involved; the con-
seduences of Interference are almost inva-
riably mischievious. IL my watch fail
ed to keep time you would hardly under
take to rectify the adjustment OF that
delicate mechanism. But TO NEEDLE With
a human destiny is Infinitely more auda-
cIous. The standing Of every family In
the community depends upon a far more
exquisite and complicated bslance thar
the movement of the firest CHI )nometer."
Idly, and little sadly. Miss Virginia
took from the onyx table where IL l'y
her own beautifully jeweled watch
which was her faith RS gift. She liked
to keep 1t near htr, though she never
were it. "t
Utterly unable to answer, / felt no
whit less sure of my own Intentions
Our good, faithful chore-woman, Marga-
ret Moriartv, had just died, leaving q
motherless flock OF six fair-ha!red, blue
eyed little once.
helpless, for the father was given TO
drinking, and It had been the mother't
earnings that warmed and often fed the
numerous brood. They were active,
thrifty little creatures, like the honest
Irish mother, and always clean and tidy,
however poorly clad. Maggie, the eldest,
now just IL years old, had been from the
frat The proudly responsible little foster
mother. She was shrewd little woman,
with all the pathetic pracocity which
comes TO girl overbu rdened from infan-
cy with the heavy burdens OK the very
poor.
erty Of the second grade; anxious calcu-
lations about coal and dubious cogitation
over the comparative shabbiness OF best
winter dresses and school hsts and jack
az. But the bitter uncertainties OF ex-
creme desfitution, the terror lest there
should be no shelter for the babies--the
rent 4 whuia month overdue 1.-The fear
ola firelese kitchen stove; hungry eye
ana waillng volces--these were ua