The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-01-13
CHAPTER XIV.
Continued.


than that in which I am now. She
saw me in passing, and moved by Dy
pale face, suppose, stopped and gave
me a little bundle Of fruit which she
was carrying home for her own meal.
Poverty recognizes poverty, and saw
hers, but I could not say her nay nor
refuse her gift, nor even thank her for
what made my heart leap with joy,
and when she passed again and yet
again, each time with q smile that
filled my dark room with the sunshine
of heaven, grew to live in the light
Of her coming and going, till there
was no daylight for me if she did not
pass, and no night shadows for me if
she did. I was ignorant of her name.
She never thought to tell me, and l
had no power to ask. But saw that
her hands were rough with work,
though her face was one of the love
hest that could be seen, and sometimes
caught glimpse Of the heavy bundle
which she always carried on the fur
ther side of her, as if she knew I would
grieve to see it so heavy and yet be
unable to relieve her.
"'And weeks went by, and months,
and she never forgot to smile or say q
word of hope or drop me a flower,
which must often have been bought at
the expense of a meal, for her clothes
were very poor and thin, and her face,
for all her beauty, had that sharp,
heartbreaking look which only comes
from insufficient food and hard work.
And I, loving her as we only love the
being who keeps us from despair, had
ito see all this, and only look the an
guish and gratitude with which my
heart was breaking. I could not even
pray for her to take from me the only
precious thing which I possessed-my
mothers ring. And when I saw her
growing paler each day, and walking
with feebler steps, and lingering with
sweeter, but ah! sweeter smiles as she
passed the window, which had now be-
come like a shrine between us, / used
to suffer beyond the power Of tongue
to tell; not because could not act a
mans part and snatch her from the
work that was destroying her, but be-
cause did not know what name to
call her by when I prayed to heaven
to guard her. And she never thought
to tell me- though she loved me as few
women love the strong and the helpful.
cat last-ah! to think that l should
have lived so many years since then
there came q day when she could hard
ly falter to my window. Only love
could have sustained her.. for she had
to clutch the rails Of the fence between
us to keep herself from falling, and
when I just looked and looked at her
in my despairing way she cried softly:
''If / do not come again, know that l
am dead, dear friend" and then she
would have gone, but that the awful
anguish within me found vent In one
mighty effort and I cried: "Oh, tell me
your name, sweet angel; tell me your
name!" and then fell forward from my
chair, stricken again and helpless. But
when, in time-I know not how long
4 came to myself again, they put a
Book in my hand, which had been left
for me on the evening Of that day, and
on the fy-leaf of the book I read these
words:
""My name Is Jenny Rogers. Pray
for me, as I shall die praying for you"
"'That book is under my head now,
and when I am buried you will see that
it is laid under these flowers you have
given me-
".And was that the end? I impetu-
pusly cried Did you never see or hear
from her again?'
"'Never. And so I know she died.
But other girls Of her name and char
acter still live For every throe she
suffered, for every weary hour she
passed, another shall reap joy and re-
alize comfort. You have promised it,
and rely upon you to keep your word
as I would rely upon myself. All,
sweet peace, know thee at last! Fifty
years have sought thee, and, now, as
7 die, thou haltest at my bedside"
"Could I disturb such hope? Quix-
otic as his scheme was, had no right
to criticise it. I might have suggested
that he should make fifty girls COM
Portable instead of one enormously
rich, but in my position any interfer-
ence seemed an impertinence, and
might have undermined faith which
it behooved me to see preserved in
him. Besides, it was rapidly becoming
too late for expostulation. The strength
which had sustained him through this
final interview was fast ebbing away,
and felt that it was rather my duty
to speak to him Of another world than
to delay his thoughts any longer upon
this.
'I therefore fastened to give him
my last assurances. and pointing to the
hall where the lawyer stood, asked
him If he would feel any easier if his
wishes were expressed on paper. But
he said Mo- that he had unbounded
confidence in me, and looked at me sc
lovingly that my heart lost some of its
oppression, and my future task ap
peared for the moment less onerous.
"'But I should like to see the lawyer
for moment he said.
"And, obedient to his last wish,
called in Mr.. Cutting and left them fol
an instant together. What they said
never knew, but from the lawyers
manner 1 judged it to be something
Of a peculiar nature, for he smiled as
came back and gave me another Of
his odd looks.