Year: 1862

In quiet country ONE, where hve hun
dred dollars would have been though
la by no means inadequate provision fo
the support of the whole family during
TIE entire year. Was it right, could i
fbe right to spend it all upon one even
ing's entertainment, for the sake, too, ot
people who would be in no wise bene
fted thereby-whose choicest pleasures
were so common that they had already
palled upon their senses? But, then, al
his wife had suggested, they had beer
out so much-w ould not this drawing
back from return of civilities look very
mean?-and John Stirling shrank, with
all the pride of a. sensitive man, from
the least imputation of meanness. They
were not rich. True, his capital was
his own, and his business was good, but
he had not felt that he could spend more
than three thousand year on home ex-
penses, and here was five hundred extra,
upon which he had not counted, coming
at once. Surely he could not dare, for
such a cause, to stint his contributions
for the relief of the suffering! Could
he afford it without? Nellie, the in
dulgent child of wealthy parents, know
ing nothing of such anxious thoughts,
she only heard the result in the morn
ing Before he gave her his goodbye
kiss, he said in a tone a little more So
Der than he meant it should be:
well, dear, you shall have your
party. You can begin making your ar
rangements at once. Here is hundred
dollars for the feminine adornment. l
will pay Smith and the music after
ward"
That was all. John Stirling had a
sunny, unsel6sh temper, and when he
had made up his mind to grant his wife
the indulgence she craved, it would not
have been like him to spoil her pleasure
by any indications of dissatisfaction.


STILL as have limited, her intuitions
were strong, and her nature sensitive
and impressible, and she had certain
sense Of having persuaded her husband
somewhat against his own wishes that
rather disinclined her to commence her
preparations. 1t was nearly eleven
o clock before she dressed herself for
her shopping expedition. She wasjust
tying the strings of her elegant fall hat
when she heard ring at the door, and
presently servant came in with the in
formation that little child who had
brought home sewing, wanted to see her.


Mrs Sterling was motherly by instinct,
and her heart warmed at once to the
shy little creature, who came timidly in.
1t was girl not more than seven years
old-quite too young, Mrs. Stirling
thought, to be trusted alone in the
streets; but then she herself had been
brought up under the successive rule of
maid and governess.


She took the bundle from the child's
hand, and said, with the same bright,
kind smile which had wiled John Stir
ling's bachelor heart away:


"Where did you come from, and how
did you find the way here alone, you
poor little thing?''


'Sister Anne sent me, ma am. She
had done your embroidery, and she
thought if she could get the money for
it, to pay Mr.. jenkins, may be he would
let us stay in the room till she got a lit
tie better


"She is sick, then"


sYes M. She didn't feel we'll enough
to come 1t has been hard getting
along all summer, for the ladies she
worked for were most all out of town.
and some of them owing her; and L
s'pose the worry and not having much
50 eat did it ma an


Mrs Stirling leaned toward the little
creature and looked at her more closely.
Could it be hunger, she thought, that
made these blue eyes look SO large. and
the skin SO transparent? Was this little
thing actually suffering for bread, and
she going to spend five hundred dollars
in one evening, feasting those who never
felt IA want even of daintiesl She knew
now what thoughts had been in her
husbands 5 mind when he spoke of suf-
fering among the poor. She said pleas
antly


"Well, child, you must have some
luncheon, and then l will go with you
to see your sister. [ had better speak
to her about the work. y


Isn't it right? Can't you pay her?''
The child gave start of alarm, and
spoke with the premature womanliness
and the natural apprehension of misfor-
tune which are among the saddest fruits
of poverty.


Mrs Stirling relieved her with ready
symrathy.


Eyes, indeed, the work is all right !;
it's done beautifully; but | want to see
your sister about some more, and per-
haps | eau do her good.'


1t would have made the kind lady s
heart ache could she have seen the
eagerness with which the half famished
child devoured the lunch which was set
before her in the kitchen.


In few moments they were ready to
start. Mrs. Stirling had replaced her
velvet mantle by scotch shawl, her
french hat by a simple straw and with
a casket in her hand, containing few
dainties with which she hoped to tempt
the sick girls palate, she followed the
child across the city toward c. street
"a locality hitherto terra incognita to
her.


In half dilapidated wooden house,
in narrow court, she found the object
of her search. She went up two fl g hts
of stairs, and entered back room lighted
by one window. The atmosphere struck
her, in spite Of her warm attire, with a
sudden chill. Evidently the sun never
came there. The dampness on the walls,
and general aspect of gloom and cheer
lessness, was only relieved by an air of
scrupulous neatness, which pervaded ev-
erything. Mrs. Stirling had already
noticed this quality in the attire of the