Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1901-04-04
CHAPTER IL.

&hIAL 1 EAJN IL.
1t was the afternoon for the regular
meeting of the Ladies Sewing Society III
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
clous sitting room, the music room adj
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 ST
lelfee broken only by whisper or un-
dertone, but gradually the hum of voices
increased, until at last there was 4 great
deal more talking than working. Then
for q time there was again silence while
Mrs. Johnson, president Of the society,
told Of the extreme restitution 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 Il comfortable liy-
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
tle tNStllOIS Oh HeI olNtSb Cnili, L itlAN,
and the charity Of the villagers. The day
before the sewing society Frank had been
taken seriously i'll with what threatened
to he scarlet fever.
The sick woman in whom Mrs. John
son was so much interested was Mrs.
Howard. All inquiries for her sisters
had been fruiteSs. Since we last saw
them a sicbly baby had been added to
their number With motherly care little
Mary each day washed and dressed it,
and then hour after hour carried it III her
arms. trying to still its feeble means.
which fell so sadly on the ear of her in
valid mother.
II was a small, low building which
they inhabited, containing but one room
and Il 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 q rude lounge, winch
Frank had made from some rough boards.
Until midnight the little fellow tol!ed, and
then when his work was done crept sort
IL to the cupboard, where lay one sllee
of bread, the only article of FOOD which
the house contained. Long and wlStfully
he looked at it, thinking how good 1t
would taste: but one glance at the pale
faces near decided him. They need 1t
more than t. slid he, and turning reso-
lutcly away, he prayed that he might
sleep pretty soon and forget how hungry
he was.
One morning when he attempted TO
rise no felt oppressed with Il languor he
had never experienced. and turning on
his trundle-bed and adjusting his blue
cotton Jacket, his only pillow. he AGAIN
s,ept 50 soundly that Mary was Obliged
RI call him twice ere she aroused nm.
That night he came home wild with de
l;pht-"he had earned Il whole dollar, ana
no knew how he could earn another half
dollar tomorrow. oh, | wish 1t would
come quick" said he, as he related his
success to his mother.
Rut. alas, the morrow found nun purh-
mo with fever. and when he attempted
70 stand he found it impossible to do So
4 case of scarlet fever had appeared III
the village. and it soon became evident
that the disease had fastened upon
Erank. The morning following the sew
;nm society ella Campbell and several
otber children showed symptoms of the
soma disease, and in the season OF gen
orol sickness which followed few were
Iaft 70 care for the poor widow. Daily
i;4tlo Lrnnk grew worse. The dollar he
had earned was gone, the basket OIL pro
visions Mrs. Johnson had sent was gone,
aud when for milk baby Alice cried, there
was none to give her.
Go be contnued.l