Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1904-06-09


make lot Of my ginger cakes: for
next to chicken stew with oceans OF
gravy, there's nothing boy likes bet |
ter than hot ginger cakes i
"Oh, Bridget, you are so thoughtful"
said Mrs. Longman, and somehow, her
heart began to grow lighter, and with
cripple and blind boy and mute
in the next room she began to realize
that she had much to be thankful for.
Several new additions were made to
the company in the parlor, and by the
time the supper was smoking on the
table the mirth was growing "fast and
furious"
The boys were almost dazzled by the
brilliancy of the dining room; the gilt.
ter of china and glass and silver under
the strong gas light. Mrs. Longman
had exerted herself to make feast in
deed to those who seldom Jared except
upon the coarsest viands, and her table
showed no lack of dainty preserved
fruits, jellies and all the little knick-
knacks which she could muster on such
short notice.
Mrs. Longman took quiet observa-
ton of the whole company while help
ing them, and she observed one puzzle
for which in her own mind she could
find no solution, and that was that the
blind boy, while evidently enjoying his
gravy had carefully laid his pieces Of
poultry aside.
"Here is one exception to Bridget's
rule,'' she thought to herself. "Do you
not like chicken, my boy?" she in
quired.
eyes, ma'am, I love it," he replied
with emphasis, "but-" and he hesi-
tated while his pale little face grew
flushed.
A moment or so later he slipped from
his chair, and with the unerring accur-
acy with which the blind calculate dis
tances, he came to Mrs. Lbngman and
said:
"Please, ma'am, may I touch your
face?"
Certainly, DEAR" she replied.
Very gently and speedily the little
soft hand of the blind boy examined
each feature and then, apparently sat
iSfed he whispered:
f"I would like to take it to Nancy, she
is so good to me; she is sick and can
not get good things to eat.''
Quick tears of sympathy filed Mrs.
Longman's eyes. Truly she was re-
ceiving many lessons this evening.
She was giving, but it was being re-
turned to her an hundred fold. She
kissed the boy, and whispered in re-
turn:
"You are noble little boy to remem-
bers others. Eat all you wish; 1 will
see that your friend has some Also"
cleared away and the other boys deep
in the enjoyment of many games, in
which he could take but little part,
Mrs. Longman and the blind boy had a
long and confidential converse ton. She
gathered from his earnest lips that
even the poor in purse can be rich. in
spirit; that the milk of human kindness
sometimes made fertile hearts which
had never known anything but stern,
| unrelenting poverty. The one he called
| Nancy had received him from the bed
side of his dying mother, and although
| she had to work early and late to sup
| port her own helpless ones, she was to
the best of her poor ability faithfully
fulfilling her promise.
The Longmans were not rich, but
| Mrs. Longman sadly compared her
| own selfish life, with it's means Of
doing good, with that Of the poor wom-
an whose opportunities were so few,
and yet whose life was continued
sacrifice Of self for others.
In the meantime Mr.. Longman came
home, and the cheerful smile upon his
wife's lips, so different from what he
was expecting, delighted him. and he
gave the boys an even more cordial
greeting than was his wont. When his
| wife had Informed him how it all came
about he resolved to do his part toward
| giving them good time, SO sent an
abundant order for apples and the be-
loved peanuts, the delight Of the news
themselves, which they did to man.
Mrs. Longman, with Bridget's assist
ance. spent the balance Of the evening
making packages for the boys to take
home with them, and the substitutes
were not forgotten. With her hus-
bands approval, she made a PROPOSE
ton to the boys at the close Of the eve-
ming, and that was that they should
all come one evening in every month
and take supper with the boys, pro-
vided that all who could go to some
Sunday-school would do So To her
glad surprise the most Of them agreed
to the arrangement, and those who
held back, she found upon inquiry
were constrained to object on the score
of clothing, a want she engaged to sup
ply. She went further than that. She
exerted herself to obtain admission fol
the blind boy into an institution for the
{ blind, and after each of the monthly
, parties she paid him visit, taking
. him his share Of the good things, al
ways accompanied by her own sons
. and sometimes by the Evening Tele
) gram. Bulletin or one Of the dailies
, and one of the most useful lessons