Hilda’s Mascot

girl and a boy, was passing slowly along one of the

e, with his fair complexion, blonde hair and slight moustache; a handsome man save for the pal

was chatting merrily, and in his right was a package-of which, tho

ckage betokened ownership, though intrusted for a time to ano

t as pallid as the man. But there was no lassitude in her movements; instead they were full of energy, and her meagre face

commented, after walking several squares

"Does mamma know that you are taking Horac

s of the man, and he whispered some wor

l's face, and her eyes sparkled

tell me where we are going," she said, h

r listener, replied, "We are going where you will see many children, where you will have enough to ea

es," and she looked with an air of satisfa

which was noticed by the boy, who looked u

stress of body or mind," he answered, and again relapsed into silence until t

hese children for a

e could not summo

is your

weakness would allow, placed the pack

matron, looking from the window at the retreating figure passi

emper of the girl and she refused to answer, and sil

continued the matron,

sha F

ld are

last

boy your

es

his name

int, and s

r mother?" wa

ome,

ent yo

have pretty clothes in there; I helped mamma make them," a

e matron, glancing down at the

; "mamma taught me, and says I sew well for a child. See, here is my thim

expect much from a girl of

she untied the package with deft fingers and took from it a pink cashmere gow

this lovely

ng-school, and this, and this," and she took up one of dark

eautiful dresses wil

d mamma say that if my grandfather would take me to his

ther's; you are in an orphan asy

d what is a uniform?"

the way, she opened the door into a large room where a numb

ls dress here, and you will

ay, and I will wear my prett

remain in this room and listen to the children during the half hour they study, then you can go w

yes, a sallow complexion and a long upper lip, which, however, did not conceal the large front teeth. But withal, there was an expre

onducted Horace to the boys' department of the institution where, i

. The mother had died a few days after the little family of four had taken possession of a miserable home, the children had been taken away by someone, and

e matron, in her quiet, comfortable room, was about

beds after their simple supper of bread and milk, and were

d friend, a trained nurse from one of the city hospitals,

and she took from its wrappings an ebony box of curious wor

?" asked the matron,

er brother Horace. He asked me to bring it to you to keep safely and give it to Jerusha when she is sixteen. He sa

he is the father

or a whisper, there was nothing connected enough to let us know who he is. All I can say is that with his blon

g he will remain

er, his system is completely run down and the doctors say that he has su

friends,

write to the gentleman whose name and address was upon it, and inform him that a man who had taken two children named Flint to

lk does he say nothi

unishment, and of his bringing someone to poverty, and of a long, weary walk, and of a terrible fright, and of a key

ithin, locked it, and then the two sat down to the tea, to

uch for their parents?" asked t

lthough she has long spells of crying in some corner away from the other children. Once Diana Strong put her arm ar

who is intending to

le, patient, quiet, watchful, can do with little sleep and is never happier t

she begin h

housework, cooking and sewing. If the girls and boys show aptitude for any special trade or occupation, they can leave the asylum at the age of fourteen to learn it;

fond of

he says were made over for her by her mother. Why she made three for a growing girl is more than I can understand; it was a waste of beautiful material; one

illing to wear

children upon their daily walk. Moreover, some of the older ones have told her that only poor childr

e with every passing year. She shrank from the sight of visitors, and refused to act as guide t

ning in the hospital without one word or sign of regret-Diana who had always stood her friend, when t

other's father, and her mother's grandfather, who, owing to an ebullition of

rney through the world she would be held aloof by those who might have been her friends, and her coldness, want of affection and above all, her

her, who had been the petted and only son in a luxurious home. Therefore the asylum and everythi

ground in fair weather and the basement playroom when it stormed were the dearest spots on earth to him. He had plenty of playfellows, something never before enjoyed, for his moth

he could be self-supporting and thus leave the asylum, and on the day that

n at that early age she could be trusted to work without o

locksmith, and they never met during his apprenticeship that she did not urge him to be diligent in le

ith Jerusha found it wise not to touch upon if not wish

lpless childhood, the home of which she grew more and more ashamed as time passed on. She never spoke of i

er sixteenth birthday dawned, and the ma

d for her care of it by being told what it contained. She did see, however, in the increased haughtiness and arrogance of Jerusha the influence exercised by

er more nor less than three letters, one of them written by Mrs. Flint to her father, and returned to her enclosed in his reply. The third letter was a

her two letters to her grandfather at the address given

t making of necessity a home of the asylum, she commenced business for herself, finding no d

ht of their toilets, and she went from one aristocratic hom

urban friends, she drifted to the village

ntains, Jerusha was summering with four families in that pictu

nsworth. The next best was "Friedenheim," the country-seat of the Courtneys; then in order came "Fair Meadow," t

regard to her art. Many persons with but half her ability had become originators of designs

ly work she could do well. She was too impatient and irritable to teach her craft to others. She could not direct, nor could she endure

training as a professional nurse and was recommen

e employed; they took their meals at the same table, but the subject of former acquaintan

wn frame dwelling of four rooms about a mile out of the village. It had not been tenanted for years, and was fast going to decay,

p, but he evinced no enthusiasm upon the subject. He was well satisfied wi

er Horace was free to go and she had secured employment for him through he

eed, and also to allow them for a nominal rent the large plot of ground back of it for a garden. At all leisure times the saw and hammer

to have employment at both ends of the line, and if there was ever a moment in Jerusha's life when she cou

tting with Horace on the moon-lighted porch, after a busy day in the city. She was discussing further improvements,

ho was in the orphan asylum with us. Her name, as you will remember, is now Jenni

rusha was alone with her