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