The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-07-09


we'll lit is a help
Esther locked comically at her own
threa6bare gown. II know 1t is she said.
"But, STILL being hungry Is worse than
having shabby clothes
! So she knew what hunger was-good
heavens. to think of it!
You tolG me that you had trouble, T"
she said again, observing his silence. mo
! doubt you have relatives in there too and
that is why you sympathize with me. l
cannot think that you are one of those
people who could come here from idle,
keartess curiosity"
Il came like you did--to see some
one-a friend he said, hurriedly., hoping
that the lie would be forgiven him; but
Fisther's clear eyes only read natural con-
fusion in his hesitation.
Il am sorry, she said. gently. Then
she reached out a little hand and laid it
| on his sleeve confdingy. will you do
this thing for me? Frome must have
| suffered, oh, so terribly. in wondering
what had become of me and whether
| had died Of hunger and of despair"
Il will do anything-anything to help
YOU"
Surely heaven had sent this opportunity
| to him so that he might atone to this girl
for the evil that had been brought into
! her life. Esther rose and drew him to
the window with much agitation.
Prone Is there-I saw him" she said,
simply. II want you to stand by my
side and look down at him, and then he
will see that am not alone. but that
have some one with me. and perhaps he
will be happier"
Garstine felt himself grow cold as the
horror Of the whole situation broke upon
him. but he yielded to her eager hand and
followed her to the window. The gang
engaged with the trucks were busy UNI
loading and Garstne dared to glance
down at the figures in their hideous garb.
wondering which was Frome Melhuish
He remembered him as a sconsumptive
timid youth, whom he had never liked
and now the memory was a torture.
when your brother comes out again,
he said, steadily, II will and him some
employment that will make you both com
Portable. II know some one in the city
who might help"
Thank you! oh, thank you'll" she whis.
pered, gratefully and they stood there II
silence, hand in hand. E.. F.,
: The clasp Of the thin fingers thrilled
him thru every nerve, but he was con
scious at the same time that she wa:
absolutely unaware Of the fact that hel
hand was in his-for her. mind was cen
tered upon her brother to the exclusion
of every other idea. When at last thu
gang turned to make their weary, home
, ward journey, he saw Frome Melhuish il
: his parti-colored coat, and at the frs
look at the mans haggard's face h
dropped his eyes to the ground. Esthe
made quick sign of recognition, and tn
> fluttering sob in her throat told him hoy
/ deeply she was moved.
5 HE saw me-" she said, land he say
= you too He will be comforted becaus
$ he will know that have a friend"
!. Garstine lifted up his face to hers-an
for him, 1t was only they two who stoo
8 alone In that desolate place.
Heaven helping me-" he said, II wi
= be true friend to you-and to hir
o afterward."
And Esther. looking into his face. be
H.
eyes, Nanny DEAR T saw him-poc
q Frome-poor boy-but better than tina
dear I found a friend who will help hin
!, afterward.'
u "Humph, dearie!" said Mrs. Liversedg
obviously. TIN misdoubting those sol
of friends made all in a minute
- Esther Melhuish was sitting in the lit
- Darkroom that served her for bedroom
!. : and parlor In the house of her old nurs
= She paid only a few shillings wee
= and between them the two women exc
y out a scanty living in the dreary Londc
y, house. Liversedge himself was paralyze
"a an inmate Of a dark little room on Il
~, basement floor, and Ann Liversedge too
~ in washing and cared for her nurslir
,. with the jealous love Of woman who
y powerless to contend with the unknop
- evils Of London life.
y, ooh, but Mr.. Francis Is quite different
- said Esther. with a heightened colo
If "He--he Is workingman, too; shou
W think he is a clerk somewhere, and
is coming to call on me here very 500
nj and you can judge for yourself what
r is like"
:" VERY well, my dearie," said Mrs. Live
l. sedge, grudgingly. You shall have hi
h. to tea in the best parlor, and I'll be GU
la side the door. for you can never tell VIII
ca them clerks Is like"
:, "He was very kind" said Esther, stou
,e ly. He was staying in Branford, a.
ia he took me to the station, and-and
1e know he must have told the guard
be take care ct me, because every one W
so kind" y...-
,is Mrs. Liversedge shifted "That sort
er Kindness is not, hard-it's more like 81
nd ing presents with other folks none
er When Is Mr.. Francis comin?"
as Tomorrow" said Esther. "He h
es got some work for me to do, and he wal
nd to tell me about it. You know how
a love pictures and beautiful things, and
ce has friend whose house Is empty, W
ad has beautiful nrt collection, and
wants to have 1t catalogued, and If I CO
l." to do 1t, he thinks he can get me
ad work, and you know the little Hunts 6
es. going away next week, and I should ha
Wy nothing to do for a month"
IN. ut sounds all right" said Mrs. Liver
trs edge, with the air of woman who is {
I'd, termined to find a motive underlying eve
ar kind deed.
ere She was brushing Esther's hair as
Ter loved to do, and the golden tresses I
about her in glttering cloud. Her lit
Of room was scrupulously neat with it's sh
ay Of well-worn books, it's small white b
Try it's writing table and few pictures a
to morsels Of choice china, brought from
he old house at Norton. What different ]
this was from what she had once expect
TX Essie to lead! Life was such a disc
nd pointing affair altogether, and Mrs. Live
ow edge had begun to lose all hope that m
It's, tiers might be improved, for Spittleg
ed road was place where no one succeed
zen and no one got beyond the means to p
nd vide the bare necessaries of life. So
ain people let lodgings in Spittlegate road, q
sht here and there a poor little shop str,
M gled on precariously. Costermongers ca
up 1t, crying hoarse1y, and watercress n
ne, made the day hideous with their sho
ings. When Essie had drifted there af
ell her brothers fall, she had felt the g.
dinginess of the place, but now she '
to accustomed to 1t, and now and ag
led when she could afford it, she bought &C
lad en- daffodils and scarlet wind anemones
nst delight her eyes with a spot of color.
erik just lately every penny had been hoar
ich towards the journey to Darkield.
hat John" said Mrs. Liversedge, when
mt, was putting the helpless bundle who
ice her husband to bed that night, miss E.
I'd has found a young man, and he's com