The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-11-16
LITTLE SAINT
AGNES.
By Dot Dimple.
s.l..l..s.s-s-s-s-s-s..ss-sssssssslsssss.ss-

Saint Agnesl That was what they
called her. Yet strange saint was
she. Only fourteen with big eyes and
stocky nose: her full red lips showed
a mouth that was honest and clean;
and her rounded cheek revealed health,
a girls greatest blessing.
From her sixth year she had been
"Saint Agnes" A little boy in the viii
Iage called her by that name one day
when he had fallen into the mud. Az
mes helped him out, brushed off his
clothes and sent him on his way smil-
Ing
She was called that again one day
when she stopped on her way home
from school and helped widow bake
cookies for little cooky stand. All
the widows children were i'll and Saint
Agnes remained to nurse them, while
the widow went back to her cooky
stand on the corner of a dingy little
side street. When she came home at
night Saint Agnes was still there;
How shall / ever thank you" said
the widow, taking hold of the child's
hand. Don't try" said Agnes Il only
did it because l wanted to do some
thing for somebody"
you are a little Saint" said the
woman, with the tears streaming over
the hand of the child; 81 shall pray
for you every night"
And so it had gone on from year to
year, until the whole village of New
tontown knew about Saint Agnes. On
her part the child went to and from
school daily with serious mien. She
was happy-that she knew-and If she
could help anybody she was ready to
do so. That was all there was of it,
so she said.
Yet Saint Agnes had a history!
Twelve years before poor italian
woman had moved into the village,
bringing with her a child of two. The
poor creature was evidently i'll, but
she managed to do odd jobs of work
and so she supported herself and the
baby For years the two lived in a
little frame house for which they paid
nothing, for the owner. a wealthy
man, allowed them to occupy it and
Agnes and her mother kept the little
place snow white and the windows
green with vines.
One day, when she was eight years
old, Agnes found herself alone. In the
night her mothers spirit had passed
away and little Agnes, looking at the
white form in the morning, saw that
it would not waken again.
Very quietly the child acted and,
when kind neighbors came in to assist
her, they found her peaceful and
strangely happy She is so comforta-
Bile now" she said, while a strangely
old look came into her face. 1T is for
the best"
For some reason the child begged to
remain in the house; and so they left
her there alone while she, on her part.
went on doing as she had always done,
when the mother was alive. Each
morning Agnes rose and made her own
simple breakfast. Then she went to
school; and at night she came home
to partake of her own little meal, after
which she read her lessons and went
to bed. 1t was strange life for
child of nine but Agnes enjoyed it and
they left her there.
Then there began to develop those
wonderful traits that made her name
blessed. No child was in distress but
Agnes knew of It, If there was sick
ness in any home she went there to
assist Willingly she scrubbed floors
and did the heavier tasks of the home;
and gladly she performed the little
personal duties OF love for the sick.
She was little saint, so everybody
said.