Year: 1874

"No harm done, stranger"


The third man was stout and hearty.
except, as he remarked, in the matter of
clothes. Mrs. Smith had told his wife
had insisted that it might mean him, he
thought he would call. He didn't expect
a gold niue, o. anything of that kind,
bnttthought somebody had a job of work
that would bring IN few cents for the
babies. After answering several questions
he received the announcement that he
was not the man IN the best of humor II
thought so 1 never am-but wife, you know
she thought | ought to come This time
Mr.. OIs,n said: mo harm done, sir.
Leave your name and may be able to
thrown some work in your way And
the man departed in great glee.


Mrs, John Olson was disappointed, and
as he laughiugly related the circum-
stances to his wife, he asked, "Wcll,
what shall we do next"


They did nothing, although they felt
keeply that something ought to be done.
Two days afterwards, in the midst of a
heavy snow storm, lady in waterproof
Just entered Mr. Olson's Office to report
that, as one of the Ladies' Benevolent
Society, she had found, in her district, a
man who answered to the name, John o.
son, and who, she ascertained, had lived
at Pittsburg. This man had been very
sick for three weeks, and was still very
low. He had been cared for during this
time by family IT not the best circum-
stances, and although they had borne the
extra burden without complaints if the man
had relatives or friends they should look
after him. Her attention had been called
to the advertisement by man who, the
day before. had shovcled the snow from
the sidewalk 10 front of her house, and
she had called with the hope of finding
help for the invalid and relief for the
family.


Mr.. Olson stated briefly the relations
he held to the case, and then went with
the lady to the house--a house with three
rooms, sheltered man and wife, several
children aud the invalid. The man had
been for few days fellow.laborer with
the master of the house, and when taken
sick they took him 10. They know little
about him, and had not known, until the
fever left him, that he was married and that
his wife was living.


The sick. scene was rot an unusual
one, and yet it startled Mr.. Olson when
he entered the room. The attitude, ex.
preston, and general appearance of the
man suggested an a'mos, forgotten some
thing that he could not recall. There was
some element in this picture that had been
present 10 some other picture-and yet
BE- could not recall any features Of the
other picture. He simply entered the
sick room, with more supersti,ious uneasi.
ness than be had ever felt before on such
an occasion


The invalid was very weak, and he
spoke with touching humility and tender
ness Of his wife. He seemed very child
in bis ovcr.anxiety to have the listeners
think well of her. His one great desire
now was that some one should write to his
wife and say that he had been sick--not
that he was sick-and that this fact ex-
planned why he had not written to her.
She was very excitable, and he hoped
some one would write very carefully so as
to not needlessly alarm her. He had
though the matter all over, and he desired
his wife to dispose Of their little property
in the Eastern city aud 90 to his fathers,
who was farmer, and remain there until
he was able to start new in life


The letter written and mailed, and Mr..
Olson became much interested in the sick
man. The bearing of this man was pecu-
liar. 1t was evident that he had been
greatly disappointed and made desperate
by misfortunes, and that he was now suf.
fering from remorse and busying himself
with new resolves. He did not grow
stronger, and it was generally believed he
would not.


When Mr.. Olson had read the com.
planning letter from the wife Of the man
now an invalid he thought the case was
bad. Wbe he could not find the man ad.
dressed it had seemed to him much worse.
When he did find the man, sick and help.
less, and remembered that a wife destitute
and desperate in one large city was ap-
pealing to husband not only destitute,
but dangerous sick. in another large city,
he knew it could not be much worse. And
in all his consideration Of the case be
thought most of the woman.


One evening as Mr.. Olson was about to
leave his office woman entered hurried
ly, and, announcing that she was Mrs.
Olson, wife Of the sick man, desired to be