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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWingham Times, 1892-01-08, Page 2I rooru,with kind faces bending over her. ee.V1l t l t', Gu e I . l� iL t 4 •t a At a sign from LE' !t.y e went out acrd lett the two women mono MUM J.'eN LT AR together. it l° .i3, 4.*'.;'M. The stronger gazed at Lesley as if .7:_f , .-P7=-7, not eoulprchr•udiug what had happen, AI S 1'lateN� G , t WI`I�EIN. '•d, and then she asked abruptly, C'ATE. If it were not Christman Eve I If it were riot so lint Where run 1 --what is tiro iurtter i 170.0 are better now but you must llOt make any exertions yet. You were ot. your way to friends, I suppose, F if it were only possible to get uu'y. when you fainted. If you will tell mo one in to help l • who they are, my husband will let And then the three speakers, stand- them know, tog together on the verandah and _ A hard look came over the stranger's watching the departure of their late domestic, laughed at their dilemma. I wonder if you couldn't capture owe sort of a female if you went to the city with rue this morning ? sage Rested George, There's. not a' shadow of a chance, Lesley answered with decision. It's. a, way Australian servants have, I've heard, of taking a vacation over the Holidays—they know there are plenty No, nu, lie down again, said Lesley; of places yawning for thein when they as the woman tried to rise. You must are ready to work again. Fortunately not go front here to uight. I can cook you a Christmas dinner. But -1 told you I had neither home Oh, but the Beat ! groaned Mollie. nor friends ; and after that •do you Let's appoint a fast until it grows mean you would keep tne here? colder. Yes, said Lesley with an expression Nonsense ! You can sit still and of tender pity on her lovely face. On amuse Dorothy, but a little more heat Christmas eve we would not shut our won't hurt a salamander like me. doors to anyone, and certainly. not to Perhaps I had better see Jack and you. Rest here iu peace to -night. tell him not to come down tomorrow, George looked perplexed when he said George looking questioningly at heard of this ; but when Lesley looked hie wife. up at,himjiu her earnest way,and paid, No, don't do that, replied Lesley, It would be bee shutting nut the smiling at the look of dismay that Christ to close our doors to ber,on suddenly appeared on Mollie's pretty Christmas eve, he .bent and kissed her face. Jack. Menden has been out, without a word, though an uncomfort- here under every sort of circumstance able doubt lingered in his mind as to but this. Just tell him it's a pienio, the wisdom of entertaining friendless' and to be sure and come Mollie, it's and homeless women, -who were as time for Dorothy's nap ; coax her to handsome and in as brave attire as this come in, and when she is asleep 'you their unknown guest. can help me to dress the Christmas When Lesley. took the stranger's tree. breakfast to her in the morning, little If you; had said help set off fire- Dorothy went with her, clinging to crackers, it would have seemed more her mother's skirts said' Bugging her sensible, said Mollie, fractiout=I°y. The new doll. idea- of a Christrnasetree in Fourth of Merry Kismus ! snid the Child, half July, weather. shyly.. Didn't Sat>,sa Tlaus b'iiig any - Lesley laughed. at Mollie's distrese sing for oo ? Oh, he didn't know oo'd and cheerily accepted the unpleasant , tum. Dottie 'll. div oo her wissle ; and reality, knowing well that there was she trotted off for something to make no possibility of replacing the. now up for Santa Claus' neglect. . vanished maid of .all -work for many Lesley was looking thoughtfully at days to come. • Undaunted by the heat, the handsome stranger,who :murmured shee put her house in order, and busied herself with the Christmas prepara- tions, finding time in the'afternoon to go with Mollie and Dorothy to one of `their favorite delies to gather ferns to decorate the little drawing room, as a substitute for holly and mistletoe, and getting back in time to have supper ready. when George arrived on the ,boat from Sydney ; and as he came down the road, with the hay on one hand and •ybe little one -storied cote. ages on the.other; he thought truly that not many young men 'who had come across the seas to seek their for tune were blessed with as sweet a wife and child, as pretty and thoughtless a sistex, and as happy a home as he. Alldaylittle Dorothy had been on tiptoe with excitement, and after sup per when the Christmas tree was lighted, she danced around it, in rap- tures of glee. Then, at last,when the lights were burning low, and .elle had surprised papa by stumbling in a marvelous way through the whole of The Night before Christmas, with promptings from Aunt Mollie, and after she had hung up her tiny stock. Ings and had called up the chimney to Santa. Claus not to forget 'ittle Dottie, for tee has twyed so hard to be i coot dirt, she knelt to say her childish prayers at her mother's knee,and then Aunt Mollie picked her up and.carried her off to bed. Lesley and George had been alone but a moment when they heard a sound like a deep drawn sigh, followed handsome face, and she seed coldly, I have no friends You were going hove then ? Do you live near ? I have no home; the light iu your window attracted me, and curiosity led me to enter the gate and look in to see what people were doing who had a home and friends. I remember nothing more, their unexpected guest. I3y jove 1 he said, not onewoman out of a hundredwould have taken a stiauger in like that, and not ono man in a thousand would have permi'tt,'d it 1 It's a risky business, though, to take a handsome unknown female into the bosom of one's family. I linow it; but Lesley would open her heart and Dome to the most wretched beggar on Christmas eve. Our stranger has not yet left her room, but she will 'appear et dinners]. believe, Lesley goes in to see her now and then and little Dot has made great friends with her. Lesley says truly, that whoever site is, she cannot Burt the child. But—there is Mollie, Jack said, with peculiar emphasis. r. True, George answered quietly; but Mollie has. not even seen her yet. . The Christmas dinner was a triumph of Lesley's skill, and the table was arranged with Mcillie's daintiest care. When all, was ready, Lesley's guest for the first time appeared upon the scene. Miss Warrington, my'sidter and my husband, said Lesley, and Mr Menden, Miss Warrington. Jack Menden started and stored at the handsome face that paled a little, and 'seemed measuring its strength against' his own. You have 'already met, perhaps ? said Lesley.; but Jack ,Menden mur- mured : No, a chance resemblance ; I never met Miss Warrington before, dwelling unconsciously upon the name. George asked a blessing, and then the simple festivities began. The stranger's presence would have been a restraint, if Lesley had not had a way of putting them., at ease,. and soon they were talking merrily, and Miss Warrington's silence passed ape parently unobserved.. But when the dinner was ended and Lesley: and Mollie were clearing• the table, and George°and Jack Menden were out on the verandah again,.Jack became silent and was evidently debating what to do. Well, said George,eying him keenly, you know her, it seems. Who and what is she 1 I want to know the truth; She goes by the name of Alice Mar- tin, and•adventuress is stamped upon hastily : Ididn't know it was so late. -her face. Did you not read ofthe I shall get . up directly. Yea, I feel arrest of her companion in Melbourne better. I want to thank you for your last week 2 They were playing a sharp kindness before T go. game there, and he: was caught, while Where are you going,—on Christmas she evaded the police and disappeared. day ? asked Lesley; and then as the To think of finding that women woman moved uneasily and did not beneath your roof 1 answer, she added, I would be glad to And where did you ever see her be - keep you :here with us ; a day of rest fore? is what you heed, and by to -morrow When I was reporter on the Are gus ; she was in trouble, and I inter- viewed her before the trial. avow you know who she is ; what are you going to dol' Nothing, soid George, after a short silence. Lesleyp,and Mollie need never know, and slice shall rest here ,:undise turbed .to night. Meanwhile the handsome woman, pale with emotion, .stood alone in her little room: Who could have foreseen recognition on that day, and in. the seclusion of that quiet suburban home? By this time Jack Menden had told them all her history, and they would turn her from the how, ot course,and perhaps put the police on her track; But while she waited, almost im- patiently,fer thein to' make some sign, George passed through she hall, while going down the road together she saw Jack Menden. and Mollie, with her pretty face all smiles and blushes, and little Dot running on , before. Ah 1 ono she, too, has been as' young and you will he quite refreshed. . An expression of amazement over. spread the woman's face, and she looked at Lesley curiously. You ask me to spend Christmas in 'your home, —knowing what I said last' night— that I had neither home nor friends ? Why, your husband would not allow it! You do not even know my name.•, But this is the day of Peace on earth, good will towards men, and my husband is willing I should ask you. You will tell me your .neitne now, I am sure ? . Alice Warrington, the woman mure inured ; :and, indeed, I would like to stay. Will you let your little girl come back and talk to me 1 she asked almost wistfully. Why not? and Lesley smiled. :But you will find Dorothy a little Chatter- box, II am afraid. Then she went to tell her husband, and to busy herself with the necessary dtttiee and preparations for the early Christmas dinner, while Mollie and George both made themsolvee useful;; and Dorothy was delighted to show her new toys to the 'pitty lady,' who sat go 'beck they had seen her; and thpiu h George looked at her gravely, Ties. tioningly, Lesley smiled. I am going for a little walk. she said in explanation. 1 thought I would let you know. You shell comp bank soon ? aekrd Lesley, Olt yes, I will Tete bank. Slowly she walked along the level beach, with ell her natural defiance strangely mingled with softer emo- tions. bhe knew it was weakness to so give way, but their unquestioning kindness had, touched her heart. They would not turn her out; but on the morrow she must leave this quiet heaven and go back to bestir the buffets of the world. Peace on, earth, good will toward men, were, words that she bad forgotten, as for long years elle bad forgotten that she had once knelt at her mother's knee to lisp her childish prayers as little Dorothy had done last night. . She raised her eyes at last, clouded. with unusual mist, and gazed out over the bay at the gleaming sails of the distant pleasure boats. The tide had • turned and was coming in, and the .waves were creeping swiftly up along the beach. The little point of 'sand near by.left bare by the outgoing tide, had already became an island, and soon world be submerged. With a shudder she saw that•a child was play- ing there, unconscious of its danger, and she started forward with 'a strange, low cry of horror as the child turned its face and she saw in was little Do- rothy Running now. in desperate haste she struck into the water that rose waist - high between them ; but in her efforts to retch the child—grown frightened now, and sobbing pitifully—it seemed as if..clinging bands caught hole of her and dragged her back. A great wave, .hi, her than,all the rest, came rolling in and swept across the island ; then, ebbing out, it carried little Dorothy away. Half -frantic with terror, poor, cer.e- less Mollie came back to the cottage at last, without her tiny charge, who ha slipped away unseen while she had been listening to her lover's. words. Their search for her had been fruit- less; and Jack Menden, too,was white to the lips with horror. George met them in the doorway with a look of stern reproach,but there was a'strange soft light • in his fine 'dark eye•,as he said! Dorothy is safe, thank God I though but for Alice Warrington we now should have 'rro child, In the morning the stranger's room was empty ; she had left before the dawu, and on,the dressing table they found the fragment of.a letter : I am greateful for your kindness, which I shall remember to my dying day ;' and you will never regret that you gave me shelter, even though you know now who I am. ;SA( hell their efforts to find her proved unavailing, this notice appeared in all the Australian papers : If this ever meets the eyes of Alice Warrington, will she,communicate with friends at M—, whose life-long gratitude she so nobly earned ? But though the words did meet the eyes of the woman whom they had sheltered that Christmas Day,she made no sign, and they heard of her no more. She went her lonely way with that remembrance and those words deep hidden and treasured in her heart. George and Jack have always kept her secret ; and who sha ll say that in their hearts they do not share their wives' belief as every Christmas Eve. "their listen while Lesley and Mollie innocent and happy; but that waev tell Dorothy the story of . how that long, long .years ago l Christmas Day, now long ego, they Still wondering at their silence and' entertained an angel—unawares. JnDLTlt Srn:rraii. delay, she went out into the hall, and by a sudden fall, and hastening out onl, so still as she listened to the little through tiro door the saw that George A Sensible Statement, 1 ems, -••-Having used your Burdock ,.'UST why so many people suffer pain to the verandah, the moonlight re- chatteringtongue. 1 wss helping Lesley as she 'washed the Q Blood Bitters successfuly for some V when a remedy of known and certain welled a woman lying there, as still Jack Menden came down by the 1 dinner dishes and put the things away,lg tinge petit, must state that for my corn, effeet like ilagyard's Yellow Oil may be 1 plaint of biliousness and acid stomaolr 1 had at every drug store, is not Clear. This seed white as death. They raised her early boat, and while he sat with and the simple affectionate homeliness have never found an equal, and 1 continue peerless sooting remedy is ut prompt and >errcfierl s, and when her conseiousnes %!+ e t!n the verandali,'fatlliin Ihim- of the scene made her catch her breat 26 to ube it and recommend it to my. friends pleaeantoure for sore throat, croup, colds, sumer, slot was lying in a leaan . sisl�f hd IsearQ with same Surprise, of with sudden sib. Before she ooul 4 and neighbors. cents. atisiri, lame back, etc. Price y' ¢, L� , , rp• g W, Sorrell, St Thomas Ont, Cants, No Gbanoe I''or Gcntua'+Il Washington star. Doctor, I wital you would examine me and tell me what you think, about my mental balance. It's all riebt, :ain't there a little wrong.; just enough to put as a crank, you know ? Absolutely nothing. Well, goodbye, be said, pointed tone. ' What did you want to know all this for ? I felt a strong, abnormal impulse to rob somebody, and'I wanted to #end ant whether I was Crazy enough ..,1?0'° make it safe if I got into court. The brusque and fussy impulse of these days of false impression would rate down all as worthlesd'because one is unworthy. As if there were no motes in sunbeams! Or comets among stars.! Or cataracts in peaceful rivers Because one remedy professes to : do, what it never was adopted to do, are all remedies worthies ? Because one doctor lets his patient die, are all hum- bugs ? It requires a fine eye and a fine brain to discriminate—to draw the differential line. "They say",that Dr Pierce's Golden Medical Discovery and Dr Pierce's Favorite Prescription have cured thousands. "They say" for a weak system ' there's nothing better than "Discov. ery," and that the "Favorite Prescrip- tion" is the hope of debilitated women wlro need a restorative tonic and. bracing nervine. And here's' the proof•-- Try one or both. If they don't ' help you, tell the World's Dispensary Medical Association, of Buffalo, N Y, and you get your Morley back again.' Fifteen Rules for Girls. 1 Shut the door and,sliut it softly., 2. Keep your own room in tasteful order, 3. Have rise: 4 cake. 5. Never It•t a button 'stay off twenty-four hours, • 6. Always know' where ydur things are. • 7. Never let a day pass without doing something to make somebody comfortable. . 8.A Never come to breakfast without a collar.. 9. Never go about with your shoes r� an hour for rising, and Learn to, make bread as well as. unbuttoned. ' 10. Speak clearly enough for every- body to understand. , 11'. Never fidget, or bum, to disturb somebody. 12. Never help yourself at the table before you pass the plate. 18. Be patient_ with the little 'ones as you wish your mother to . be . with you. • . e 14. Never keep anybody waiting. 15. Never fuss, or fret, or fidget, CONSUMPTION CURED. An old physician, retired from practice, having had placed in his hands by an East India missionary the formula of a simple vegetable remedy for the speedy and permanent Duro of Consumption, Bron- chitis, Catarrh, Asthma and all throat and Lung Affeotions, also h'positive and radical curd for Nervous Debility and all Nervous Complaints, after having tested its Wonderful curative powers 10 thousands of cases, he has felt it his duty'to make it known•to his, snffering fellows. Actuated by this motive and a desire to relieve human suffering,I will send free of charge, to alt who desire it, tis recipe, in German, French dr, English, with full directions for preparing and using. Sent by mail by addressing; with stamp, naming this paper, W. A. Noises 820 Powers Block Rochester, N, Y, Love is the axle grease that . makes the wheels go 'round. Time is but a cobweb thread in the infinite web of eternity, • Failing Fast. DEAR Sins --My mother was failing very fast after three months' suffering from dropsy, being swollen from head to foot, ,but after using one bottle.of your Burdock Blood Bitters it was removed, and she felt• quite well. We thinkthere is no better medicine, are true friends to B. B, B. Miss LAVnILt TAYLOR, 177 Jamieson b.v., Parkdale, Toronto, Ont. The face of the earth has ever been marked with tear stains. We provide our happiness; other people.provide one pleasure. Charity finds" the steps to heaven by keeping her eyes on the ground. AP* TEMF CONI . A J•udg, The 1 Hubbard tense up are wort tain vii brought land wh his fello "Ther of hum shooks and yet takes lit lingerie demnati You w santenc murder not in slaught n racceler .being r 'Your b stand i perj ur3 not onl are at are inc er erin maintt bility, scrofu ruin, I are- i. deolar you the 1 .widov killing the pt munit indus erne and, late, your with into To spon cold. If silks cant Fi seen dire If -doiji bath time 7' any ing• otht grie the; . S and put mill mill • qui( ase wit gre rut wo In pie pa th� kip so CO . at . sl ft it tl wl tr