The Old Homestead

for rich men

ear a thing i

et charity, t

ttance upon w

scanty comfor

tched brother

ike most excitable persons, he found, on reviving his own words, much to regret in them. His impulse had been kind, his intention good, but notwithstanding this, he was compelled to admit that his entrance into the Mayor's house must ha

to bed. She now drew a chair close to h

"You seem worn out. Has anything

s wife, with a look of anxious affection; "I fear that I have not acted i

entering as she always did, heart and soul,

the rash words which he had used regarding the little girl. As Jane Chester listen

l state, and the station-house so far off? Surely, the Mayor deserved all that

"I should think him capable of anything, but

way. Let the Mayor be ever so angry, he really has no power to harm us. Y

e's face, than from any confidence excited by her words. He had relieved his m

leep. She looked so comfortable in her snow-white gown and the little cap of spotted muslin, with its border of

her husband's hand, and thus drawing his attention toward t

pretty, now that she is comfortable and quiet.

ill become of her to-morrow?" and Mrs. Chester looked with a sort of pleading earnestness in

st now. It will be hard for her to go away to-morrow-she will fe

nly that her eyes were brim full of kindness, and a world of gentle persuasion lay in the smile wit

not think of this, remember I am in debt still. Let us be just before we are ch

ed gravely in the fire; this view of the matter dampen

e to keep the child, and save just as much as usual at the end

you manage

way-just promise that before we go another

on his chair, her arm somehow got around his neck, and bending her red lips close to his

omise to let me have my own way-I wil

ak through the fingers that held his lips, "well,

hand, and clasping it with the other that f

, you know, I have a gr

uch thing, Jane-you

ody can see them; ruffling Isabel's pantalets, and knitting lace

abel always look so pretty and

this stitching and so on

pleases me-it sends us into

rupting him. "Very well, this shall not be all my own charity.

you mean-what w

etty enough without them, you know-then I can take in sewing, and earn enough to pay for what the poor little thing will eat. Perhaps she knows how to sew a little; at any rate, she and Isabel

r I have often thought how dreadful it would be to have you-so pretty, so well educated-obliged to go round from shop

-if Isabel were crying for bread, then you would not object-you w

eel that your comforts are all earned by my own strength; that I am soul and body

eld to her lips, and her eyes beamed wit

ve you! oh, how dearly; but then it is wro

ne, I cannot u

enough to take advantage of your tenderness, make

ever come to

intily on their husbands' energies, making him the slave of capricious wants that would never arise but for

ing with delight on her animated face. "God bless you,

I am to have my own w

least asking about wor

s, they will not kn

need I car

or perhaps dissipated husband, who obliges y

written in my face, John, the

!" rejoined Chester,

widow-I should never live to be that. The very thought makes my heart stand still

sed her cheek very tenderly, smoothing he

error, Jane," he said, in a voice full of tenderness, but still

thing else, John; the little

half risen, and with her elbow resting on the pillow, was

ne Chester. "How wide wake she i

ne came up. "Besides I want to say something. I can sew very nicely, and wash

shall stay. Is it not so, John?" sai

e child shall stay with

e rooms were swarming with invisible angels-spirits from paradise that had come down to make a little heaven of the poor man's home. Indeed, I am not quite sure that the idea would have been all fancy-for Charity, that brightest spirit of heaven, was there, and what a gloriou