Medoline Selwyn's Work

like a culprit. Mrs. Flaxman came into the room first, and in her mild, incurious fashion

more insistent, and was quite right in my conjectures. He came in as usual, just on the minute, and seating himself, went through with the formality

altered, too proudly honest

presume, occur

es

ive minutes to nine when you slipped

silence, while his eyes

long time to be loitering a

ght and dream their dreams. No doubt we both have been guilty of doing it in our time." I flashed Mrs. Flaxman a look of grat

thout a break in his voice asked Mrs. Flaxman what he should help her to. I swallowed my breakfast-what little I could eat-with

ning from the room when I heard him move back his chair; and, swift as were my mov

the remainder of my lecture from a position where I could look down on him. He he

trong grasp comforted me, though I expected a severer lecture than I had ever received before in all my life.

last night with the Blakes and their

the widow Larkum I was in

for awhile;

ast-table. I could not easily have forgiven such an ac

nt out of our own grounds after night before alone

will accept your word until that date, and shall not go in search of you along the Mill Road,

th my tear-stained face to my own room, quite forg

accompanies us. She will be congenial society for yo

ly for widows. It is the

widows' money. I give it to you quart

I asked,

Mill Road would be resplendent

hotly; "but the manner of the giving

ing," he said, without change of voice. If I could have seen his eyes flash,

e subdued; for he had fallen into a bro

the door. I went in search of Mrs. Flaxman, whom I found still in the breakfast-room, and in a

ly, the fifty dollars I held in my hand, and the easy wa

very uncertain; we may return in a da

o go?" I questioned, s

preserving season. Reynolds has excellent judgmen

you, Mrs. Flaxman? It never occurred to me before that I might sha

imes I try to make myself believe God has given

a daugh

self, named after yo

you never told me. Wa

after her father; but the greater grief benumbed me so I

le, then, to los

greatly on t

er hers, but he was bread-winner, too.

ything further to you ab

eks; "but he will never do so again. I

rse. You are no longer a little

to the restrictions of polite society. The breezy, unconventional freedom Mrs. Flaxman had for those few months permitted me had been so keenly enjoyed. I fretted uneasily at

he fable, thought wearily of the many hundred times Mrs. Flaxman had washed those dishes; of the many thousand times they, or others, would

ay, to-day and fifty years hence? I wish I had been cre

t a column that won't come right. That may have a thrill in it now and then, but certainly not a joyous one. After we return from New York, if you pay attention to a clerk's work in the stores we visit, you will acknowledge a lady's

irs might just as well get wound up as not. There have been plenty of one variety of beings created, I

d we are His creatures; and we may all be happy in Him here, and there be happy wi

kon there will only be one here and there fit to enter Heaven. All our friends nearly would be terribly out of place to be suddenly transplanted to the Heavenly gar

sands longing to serve Him. I think, dear, you must have a t

But shall we see any of those p

a few rare friends there whose friendship often gi

Mill Road folk are the only ones I have on this side the ocean, and the mo

in. I see elements in your impulsive nature that m

self! Mr. Winthrop finds me such a nuisance, and all your pretty and elegant lady friends I know car

ut your merits. I find these the happiest lives who live mo

an we help wondering if our particular barque o

urselves whethe

lakes, how can they have a successful v

r planet his position was as lowly as the Blakes; his purse as empty as the widow Larkum's. We are such slow creatures to learn t

s most of those things-

we must not take any man's gauge of character in the a

hese only the thick-petaled, substantial blossoms as free from perfume as the products of the vegetable garden. I grew melancholy. A premonition of my own sure coming autumn season, towards the end of life, was forecasting its cold shadow over the intervening years which made the November sunshine grow dim; and I gladly re-en

gave me this morning to Mrs. Lar

dies some hours to prepare for a journ

t a regulation lady. I can

your sex that will cov

st found something good i

very generalization your friends

ve me permis

rfered with your rambles, except at unseemly hours. Mill Road at mid-d

grew lighter although Mr. Winthrop's last observation made me wince. I took a crisp ten dollar bill. Surely, I reflected, that could not be a dangerous sum to entrust the widow with

mily Fleming and Belle Wallace. They laughingly inquired where I was going with my bundles; but I assured them it was an errand of mercy, and could not therefore be e

gether like the rest of us," the m

odding them a pleasant good morning and going cheerfully on my way, thinking

out on the doorstep. He wagged his tail appreciativ

best genealogical trees, quite sure of inheriting the finest qualities of his ancestors. I went into the house, the dog limping after me. Mrs. Blake heard my voice and came in in some alarm. She looked surprised to see me sitting by the table with

explained. "It is clean-perhaps yo

s a shame to give a

rob even a dog of his rights." I turned the meat over and found a bone which I cut off and gave him, and then, giving the remainder to her to put out of Tiger's way, I s

all that money for poor fol

es

in that way. But, laws! I reckoned the first time I seen you that you'd be able afore long to wind him a

re mistaken in you

e said, as if q

onversation ra

oo much to entrust Mrs

it. She'd be jest as saving of it as-well as I'd

to know the most will b

I'll put on my sha

g to ask yo

ese short days." Mrs. Blake threw a faded woolen shawl over her head, and taking

quite a nest of comfort after I had

ittle closets at one side for bedroom

d face nicely smeared with the candies I had brought it. I divided the supply with the two other little ones-the eldest going direct to his grandfather, and dividing his share with him. I noticed that the gift was thankfully received, but placed securely in his pocket; no doubt to be brought out a little later, and divided with the others. I glanced at the blind man's clothing. Clean it certainly was; in this respect corresponding with everything I saw in the house; but oh, so sadly darned, and threadbare. Still, he seemed like a gentleman, and I fancied he shrank painfully within himself as if one's presence made him ill at ease. I resolved to say very little to him on this first visit, but later on try to find the key to his heart. I contented myself with the use of my eyes, and playing with the baby, leaving the two widows to indulge in a few sighs and tears together. My own tears do not come very readily, and it makes me feel cold hearted to sit dry-eyed whi

istake, and given

I got it on pu

lars. Surely you d

ow how to lay out fifty very

ing to her father she said with a sob, "Father, your prayer

d with difficulty to restrain his own emotion. "The Lord reward the giver," he murmured in a l

shall have some more

getables you gave me yesterday, will give me such a start. I will buy a whole barrel of flour,

flannels for the children. It w

rape for my husband. I have too much mou

of sky and horizon very grateful after the narrow limits of the little cottage. At luncheon Mr. Winthrop asked if I had paid my v

a crape weeper as long

ced the trivialities of w

r intimate friends, it is natural I should

ur and coals. I suggested flannel would be much better also to buy than crape.

nsible woman," my

eep trust in Providence; the clean, but faded, worn garments they all had on-not one of them, apparently, possessed of a decent suit of clothes; and then their horror of help from the town

systems are still being sent out completed on their limitless circles. To conceive their Creator turning from such high efforts

e you give me the money and then to make me willing to carry it to them, than it does to create a whole cluster of su

little one. I am surprised you do not en

rn to show more p

ng on our way that afternoon in the cars, he cam

es for the winter? Mrs. Flaxman will show you a suitable furnishing esta

d tell you how grateful I am. Please forgive all my rude

A little spice adds greatly to

nd of the car, with a group of friends he had met; and Mrs. Flaxman, a nervous traveler at the best, was trying to forget the discomforts of travel as she sat with her easy-chair wheeled into a sheltered corner, sleeping as much as possible. I watched the rapidly disappearing views from my windows, some of them causing pleasant thoughts,

re beginning to consume me, Mr.

equal to an hour spent w

that is new, and is food for thought, only t

me, then, with a complete

iously on the piano. Some day you may have a more a

time. I do not know that muc

wise reason for so o

her, getting acquainted with nature, in field and g

a mistress:-merely sunning one's self under the trees, or liste

way could I disc

her in her varying forms a life long study, and

eed first to discover if I h

t objection; but your years are too f

was perplexed to know how the long

then found for y

ance of work, if I onl

g to yourself and position. Oaklands may not always be your home, with its pastoral e

y. If I can help others to be happier, surely my time cannot b

estion-our final settlement

rprise at his

begin. It's horrible having no sure anchor to hold by when death

trust in Christ, who turned our

ufficient for your utmost intellectual needs; and

and John Milton, and a thousand, yes a million other nob

d, then, to think

God's word and revealed religion. But, Mr. Winthrop, I

very command of the Scriptures. You who so firmly believe, and yet live without the change of heart

hose who dare to doubt with the

t; but I thi

right. I had no doubts about the great truths of our religion; and what excuse