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Page 94 text:
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iflp Srcatn IT was long after midnight when I closed the last of my books and finished the last of the lessons for the succeeding day. How many times I had cried over that old geometry, or condemned the English teacher for giving me a theme to write when the other work was so heavy, or scolded myself for ever entering a four-year business school, I am not going to say. It is enough, to admit that I looked on myself as the most unfortunate girl alive, since I had so often received grades of passing when I looked for E’s; so often had sat until morning, working, when it seemed that no one else in all Cleveland was worked so hard. As I was saying, it was long after the midnight hour on this particular night that the somewhat singular events contained in this narrative, took place. I had just finished writing the last page of the theme to be given in the next day when I heard the footsteps of Aunt as she came down the hall from her own room. When I heard them, I hastily climbed into bed, and when she called to know if I were asleep, I did not answer, for I knew that then she would go back with the impression that I had long since ceased studying. I could hear her steps go down the hall, returning to her room, the sounds growing fainter and fainter until it seemed to me that the way must be a very long one. While I lay thinking over the last proposition I had worked out, I noticed that the room seemed singularly light. I knew that the arc light on the corner could scarcely cast its rays so far, and then too, this light seemed to be more soothing and caressing than the garish electric one. I raised myself in bed and looked intently in the direction of my Bible and crucifix which were on a stand facing the bed. Then I saw what had caused the light. A most beautiful woman was standing by the stand, one hand resting on the Bible and the left one extended toward me She was clothed in robes of some filmy material and her hair loosely flowed from a plain band of white about her head. More than this I did not take time to notice for I saw by her waiting attitude and the slightly extended left hand that she wished me to come to her. I arose and knelt in front of her, for singularly enough, I felt no fear notwithstanding the hour, and the silence of the waiting figure. She led me to the window and I divined that her purpose was to take me on some journey, since, when we came near the window, she pointed with a grand sweep of her arm, out over the homes and hovels of the sleeping city. I threw about me a heavy robe and taking the arm of my mysterious companion stepped once more to the casement by her side. It was then, as we stood looking out over the myriad lights, flickering and signalling, that the first word was spoken by the spirit, for such I now conceived it to be. As we came near to the casement and looked out, some idea of the purpose of my companion came to me, and I drew slightly back from the open window, when I looked down and saw that the height was great and the air 92
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Page 95 text:
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keen with frost. But never, I think, while I live shall I hear a sweeter voice than the one which said in reassuring tones: ‘‘Be not afraid, my daughter; I only wish to show thee some scenes on that great stage out there. Trust me, and do not speak at any time during our journey. If thou dost doubt me, take the crucifix with thee; I can say no more than this,—the Master sent me.” I was ashamed of my doubts and would not be so rude after this speech as to take the crucifix. When I had taken her hand, it seemed but an instant until we were out of the room and in a totally strange portion of the city. The street was narrow and seemed little used for traffic; for I could see by the light of the moon and in spite of the falling light snow, the outlines of stones, bricks, and here and there a fragment of a child’s wagon or other plaything lying on the ground. These things were before my eyes but a moment, when I saw that we were peering in at the window of a poor sort of dwelling. Although it was after midnight, a woman was sitting by the light of a kerosene lamp sewing buttonholes in a coarse shirt, such as are worn by the rough laborers of a city. Her fingers moved nimbly, and when one garment was finished she drew another from a huge pile at her side and the operation was repeated. At the other end of the rough old table was a girl, no younger than myself. She had evidently been working over some task assigned her in the book open before her, for when my eyes turned from the older woman to the girl I saw her close the volume and coming round the table to the mother’s side, she imprinted a kiss on the faded hair. The wrinkled, careworn faca lighted as its owner said, ‘‘Most through, Jean?” ‘‘Yes, mother, and now I am going to help you with the shirts.” “No Jean, you must go to bed, and as soon as I have finished this pile, I am coming. I have good news for you- John says he sold thirty more papers tonight that he has ever sold in one evening before, and that means that you can have that new dress we saw the other day. I needed only a little more to make up the amount.” “But mother, what are you going to do for the medicine for your cough? I thought you were going to doctor yourself with that money.” “No, dear girl, you must get that education; my cough is better, and if we can stick through two more years, you, with your fine education, are going to earn enough to give me all I need in the way of comforts. Run along, now, and send up a prayer for daddy out there in the big mills.” Tears sprang into the eyes of Jean as she kissed the eyes of the woman and with the mother fondly watching her walk over the bare floor to the cot in the next room, I saw no more. We were in another part of the city and peering in at the window of a room decorated with a few torn banners and carpeted with some worn and tattered rugs. A student with tired face was poring over a huge sheep bound volume spread open on his knees. There was no fire in the room and he, consequently, had arrayed himself in one of the bed blankets, from a dilapidated cot in the corner. Every item of the furnishings 93
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