Year: 1873

The December wind was whistlng and
soughing through the streets Of the fac
tory town OF l., whiring the falling
snow in drifts and angles at the street
corners, and making Dan Holmes draw
draw his coat closer around his ears.
But Dan was great tough fellow, six
feet high, with curly hair and honest
blue eyes, and heart big enough to
keep dozen ordinary men warm. So he
pushed ahead, not minding the snow un-
til, as he turned the corner into Lunt
street, he saw a slender, girlish form be-
fore him, struggling with the storm, and
having hard work to keep her thin shawl
wrapped about her. The night was pitch
dark, and as cold as New England win
ter nights proverbially are.


Rough night for woman to be out, 4"
thought Dan, for the great fellow had II
spot in his heart that warmed in kindly.
unselfsh way toward all suffering human
ity, and especially toward suffering wo-
man. So Dan looked curiously as he
came up to the struggling figure, to see
who it was out in such night as that, and
to his surprise he found it to be Mary
Wiliers, who worked N the same room
with him at the great mill on the other
side of the town.


Now Mary had attracted Dams atten-
= l,r
ed manner in which she went about her
work, never chattering and laughing and
fooling away her time, as the other girls
did never rude and noisy, but with n
pleasant word and quiet smile for all
with whom she came in contact. Ar air
OF self-respect seemed to cling about her
and the rough, noisy fellows in the mill
never took any liberties with her never
fooled with her, as they did with the
other girls in the mill. Her face had a
trihe OF sadness in it, and Dan had often
thought, as he looked into her deep,
brown eyes, and noted their wistful ex-
preston, THAT girl has seen trouble, !"
and his big heart warmed toward her in
consequence of the thought. She had
not been in the mill great while, and
Dan felt but little acquainted with her.


But rs he came up with her and saw
who it was, bespoke out:


Why, Miss Mary; what are you do
ing out in the street on such night?
You ought to be safe at home, girl, by
the side of warm fire."


The girl-started when Dan addressed
her, and looked up in scared, question
ing way, but when she saw who it was,
she smiled a little and replied


Is that you, Mr.. Holmes? know l
ought to be at home, but l must take
this work back. l promised it tonight,
and it must be there" and Dan saw a
large bundle she carried under her arm.


AT that instant fearful gust of wind,
and binding snow came bowling and
sweeping down the street, whirling the
thin shawl which Mary wore from her
grasp, and almost blowing her over. AS
she gathered the shawl around her again
she shivered and said:


How cold it is ~


That shiver went to Dams heart. He
wore thick scarf around his neck, and
in an instant it was off and he had wound
it around the girls throat as deftly and
tenderly as woman.


"There !" said he, "put that around
YOU, YOU need it, and don't. Let me
carry your bundle, and see you safe
home. This is no night for slender
girl like you to be out alone"


For moment the girl looked up into
Dams face with n questioning, doubling
look in her deep brown eyes. But she
saw truth and kindly honesty in his face,
and with a grateful "Thank YOU" she
resigned the bundle and took his arm.


$50 you do work out of factory hours,
do your" said Dan, as they plodded
along through the snow.


"Yes," replied the girl-or, rather,
woman, for she was woman grown.
81 make dresses and do sewing for n
dressmaker over here"


But / should think you would want
to rest" replied Dan. "The mill hours
are long enough. | always feel tired
when work is over, and glad to sit down
and rest"