Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1901-05-14
CHAPTER II.


1t was the afternoon for the regular
meeting of the Ladies' Sewing Society in
the little village of Chicopee, and at the
usual hour groups Of ladies were seen
vending their way toward the stately
mansion of Mrs. Campbell, the wealth.
est and proudest lady in town. The spa
cious sitting room, the music room ad-
joining, and the wide, cool hall beyond
were thrown open to all, and by three
o'clock they were nearly filed.
At first there was almost perfect 81
lence, broken only by a whisper or un-
dertone, but gradually the hum of voices
increased, until at last there was great
deal more talking than working. Then
for time there was again silence while
Mrs. johnson, president of the society
told Of the extreme destitution in which
she had that morning found a poor Eng
lish family who had moved into the vii
lage two or three years before. They
had managed to earn a comfortable liv-
ing until the husband and father sudden
ly died, since which time the wife's
health had been very rapidly failing, and
she was no longer able to work, but was
wholly dependent for subsistence upon
the exertions Of her oldest child, Frank,
and the charity of the villagers. The day
before the sewing society Frank had been
taken seriously i'll with what threatened
to be scarlet fever.
The sick woman in whom Mrs. John
son was so much interested was Mrs.
Howard. All inquiries for her sisters
had been fruitless Since we last saw
them a sickly baby had been added to
fhoi
Mary each day washed and dressed it,
and then hour after hour carried it in her
arms, trying to still it's feeble means,
which fell so sadly on the ear Of her in
valid mother.
1t was a small, low building which
they inhabited, containing but one room
and a bedroom, which they had ceased
to occupy, for one by one each article of
furniture had been sold, until at last Mrs.
Howard lay upon a rude lounge, which
Frank had made from some rough boards.
Until ilsmidnight theslittle fellow toiled, and
then when his work was done crept soft
ly to the cupboard, where lay one slice
of bread, the only article of food which
the house contained. Long and wistfully
he looked at it, thinking how good it
would taste; but one glance at the pale
faces near decided him. ''They need it
more than l." said he, and turning reso-
lutely away, he prayed that he might
sleep pretty soon and forget how hungry
he was"
One morning when he attempted to
rise he felt oppressed with languor he
had never experienced, and turning on
his trundle-bed and adjusting his blue
cotton jacket, his only pillow, he again
slept so soundly that Mary was obliged
to call him twice ere she aroused him.
That night he came home wild with de
light-''he had earned a whole dollar, and
he knew how he could earn another half
dollar tomorrow. Oh, wish it would
come quick" said he, as he related his
success to his mother.
But, alas! the morrow found him burn
ing with fever, and when he attempted
to stand he found it impossible to do So
A case of scarlet fever had appeared in
the village, and it soon became evident
that the disease had fastened upon
Frank. The morning following the sew
ing society Ella Campbell and several
other children showed symptoms of the
same disease, and in the season of gen
eral sickness which followed few Were
left to care for the poor widow. Daily
little Frank grew worse. The dollar he
had earned was gone, the basket of pro-
visions Mrs. johnson had sent was gone
and when for milk baby Alice cried, there
was none to give her.
(1'o be continued,l