Jack's Mission

"Tbere ain't no uso crying, Ted, we must try again, that's alk"' "But L'm so tired," whimpered Ted, (ligging liis knucklos into his eyes. "So 'm I tired," responded Jack in a Toice full of tears which he bravely represseil. Let's go over there and try our luek again. ril play for ye, but I can't sing. It hart 9 mo here," ilacing his hand on his chest. 'ïhey crossed the street to a spot where a group of men wero standing. Jack's hands, numb vith cold eould soarcely hold the sqeaky violin, while Ted's feet shuñled clumsily on the sidewalk in a vain attempt to keep time to the dismal music. Warmly ciad men and wonien hurried by, never deigning to glance at the vouug nünstrels. Doubtles many of theni, when seated at the warm ffiesides, would shed teara of pity over a graphic newspaper account of two homeless boys standing in the wintry twilight, the thermometer at zero, striving to earn suffiuient to induce their souls to a!)ide awhile longer in their Ltmislied bodies; yet on this S articular evening ñot one of the hunred pedestrians paused to look at the little fellows. Even the lean, hungry dog that had been searching in the grutter for a bone, slunk away, as if finding it unpleasant to come in contact with misery greater thaa his owu. " 'Taln't no use, Jack,'' said Ted. "people wont take the trouble to find a penny for us when it's so cold." Jack nodded a doleful assent to the words, tucked the violin under his arm, and the two walked away in a listless mannor. They waïidered on for some time, and finaily stopped beforo a house aud gazed with longing eyes into the basement dining-room, where a family of three persons were seated at the table. "Oh my! it looks nice in there,". whispered Ted. '-Look, Jack, they've got turkey an' sweet pertaters! Wish we had some. Sec that gurí with the veller hair an' whito frock! Aint she purfcy?" 'íes," replied his cornpanion wearity. 'Some folks have good timo3 and others don't. I'Te been watching the dog by the fire. I suppose he'll get a nice dinner, to." At that momenta serrnnt pulled down the sliadc. - "- . 'What did she do that for?" conilained Ted. lWe didn't do no harm jest peepin' at them." Aff the lad's turned regretfully away they were accosted by a folorn lookinsr specimen of manhood, who, like themselves, shivered with the cold. "Why are you on the street a night like this, youngster.s? Why don't you go home?" he asked. "'Cause we ain'tgotno home, "replied Ted. "Poor lads! 1 1 hought I was the only homeless wayfarer abroad this bitter night. Haven't you any parenis?" "Never hadany. Hadamammyonce, but she's dead. Jack never had nobody." "Then you are not brothers?" "No," replied Jack, speaking with difficulty. 'When I was a baby my father gave me to Ted's mother and promised to take care of me, buthe went off and we never heard from him Guess he"sdead, too. Oh Ted!' he cried suddenly, grasping his companion's arm, "I feel so bad. I - cau't - stand - up - any - longer." "fóffakibg with cold and hunger!"' muttei-fd tho tramr compassionately. "Hold on a minute and I will see if I can beg a hot drink for you." Lifting the boy in his arms he knocked at the door. "Will you give me a cup of tea and a CTUst for this child, who is dying from eold aud want of aourishmentP" he asked of the servant who auswered the mons "Who is it Mary?" called out a voice from the dininy; room. "A man with a starving uhild asking .' for.food,'' replied lhu girl. "Give them something, Mary. It wouklbe dreadful to turn a hungry dog away such a cold uight." The speaker stepped into the hU. "Ig it your child?'' she asked, nddressing the tramp. "No, madam. I siniply fonnd him at your door starving." He cast one swift glanoe toward the iady, theu let his h"ad f all fonvard and began to tremolo as f attacked with a suddeu fit of aeiie. 'You must be. very oold; will you not go into thu kitohon while the giii prepares a hot drink for tho puor Yittle fellow?" she asked. Despite the man's tattcred garmeuts and poverty striuken air, thero was a ring invhfs voice.an indescribable something about him which caused the lady to address hiin in a certain tone of respect. "In the name of humanity, I thank you madam. There are two chiidren; but the one in my arms seems quite ill." The mistress of the house glanced curiously at him; then turning tothe child clinging to her dress, said: "Run up stairs to papa, Daisy." The -little girl obeyed reluctantly, and the mother went to the kitcnen, where she found the man seated by the fire still holding the sick boy in his arm, and Ted huddled near the range with an expression of intense satisfaction on his small, pinched face, while Bridget, the cook, eyed the party with extreme displeasure. Mrs. Comtock tucked up her daint.y robe, and with her white jeweled hands helped prepare a meal for them. Ted ate ravenously of the goodies placed beforehim. Jack swallowed a '3iip of hot tea, bnt refused the food. The tramp also poiitely declined the generous dinner placed before him. " Something must be done for this child," said Mrs. Comstock, looking pitifiüly at the white face contracted with pain. "Have they no friends?" "No ; they are homeless and friendless, likemy - " He paused abruptlv. She questioned Ted, who repeated the short, sad story. "What is your name, dearP Have you no relatives?"' she inquired. "Ted Davis ; an' his name is Jack Holbrook." " Oh, God! is it possiblc that this is my child!" exclaimed the tramp, in a vuioe ui ufup emouoii. Mrs, Comstock looked eagerly at tbe man whose still handsome face, albeit scarred wïth traces of sin and deradation, assamod an expression of woe pitiful to behold. "Tellmo," ho muruiured hoarsely, "yvasyourmothor's name Mary Davis?" When Téd nodded an assent to the quostion, he bent over the child, on his fcnees, saying: " Oh, Jack, njy poor lifctle boy, I tüought you werein heaven louff ago!" Mr Comstock, who had grown pale to the very lips, turnecl away, murmuring in an agitated voice: " I will consult my husband as to- " 'You need not, Bessie!" interrupted the tramp, starting to his feet. "Hovv dare you address mo by that narue!" she cried, in a tone of indignat on. " I beg your pardon. It escapad Ellips involuntarily," he answered humbly. His abject air of misery touched her. "If this child is yours, I too have a claim upon him. But jou ruay be mistaken," she observed, more gently. "I can soon determine that point," he went on. "Whenl took him i'rom you I marked the initials 'J. H.' on his baby arm." While he was cndeavoring to roll up the child's sleove, Mrs. Comstock eycd him distrustfully. This may be a trick to exort money from me, she thought Suddenly the tramp leaned forward, kissed the small, thin arm, and burst into a sort of wailing cry. "Oh, Jack! my little ohap, 1 did not intend to canso jou so rauch suffering!" ' Hush!" said Mrs. Comstock gently; " the servants in the dining-room may hear you. Then the maternal instinct in her breast told her that thi3 man who, in her girlhood tfays, had so grossly deceived her, was not playing her falso now. She bent over and laid her white face against the suffering one of the child. The tramp raised his soiled hand. and was about to lay it on her liead, but withdrcw it agaiu, saying: ' Believe me, I regret this more, infinitely more, than all the wrong-doings of my life. After the divcrce was granted you I abducted the child, partly because I loved him and partly through revengo. I gave him to the wonian Davis, and shortly after was obliged to absent myself from the city for two years. When I returned she had disappeared. I made inquines among her former neighbors, and was told that the child was dead." "Itwas Jack Davis - Ted's brother - who died," whispered the sick boy, who faintly comprehended that he had found his father at last. "I knew of your second marriage; envied the peace you had found, and determiued to keep the cüild's death a secret, hoping thereby to causo your heart a pang of anguish when remembering his uncertain late. My wicked intentions have rebounded upon myself. God küows I wouldgiveyou all the miserable years I may yet live could I undo tho eruel deed. I will tako him to ,a hospital and when he recovers I will. for his sake, try to redeem myself." "No, said Mrs Comstock, '.'you shall not take him' from me again. Stay a momeut, I will teil my husband all and see what he will suggest. " "Oh, Bessie! spare me the shame of meeting the man who occupies the place in your heart I once iïllcd, he pleaded sadly. Love for Jack Holbrook had died out years bef ore; yet she pitied the trembling outcast who had strayed to her door - pitied without being ablo to connect him with the handsome, dashing, young fellow who had won and trainpled upou her girlish afiections. "My husband is the soul of generosity and will gladly help you to begin life anew. Hark!" she-wenton, assuniino" listening attitude, "I hear his footsteps now, he is coming to see what has detained me so long." Mr. Comstock entered the kitchen and was greatly amazed when in a few hurried words his wife explained the state of afi'airs. "Do whatever you please, my darling," he said, "1 will eonsent to anvthiiig that will make you happy " Jack Holbrook looked at the woman who had once been his wife with a bitter pang of regret, then at his own: tattered garments, and a flush of shame rose to his cheeks. At Bessie's request he carried the sick boy up-stairs. An hour later tho family physician arrived and declared the child to be dangerously ill with pneumonía. Through the long hours of the night the dissevered pair watched at the bedside of their dying cliild. Who shall say wbat Jack Holbrook's reflections were as he reviewed his past life of folly and sin that had led him', step by step, into the lowest depths of degi-adation. In the midst of his most acute sufferings poor little Jack vaguely wondered why the pretty lady kissed him so often, and why, when she left the room for a moment, the man who had befriended him -kissed the sanie 3pot her lips had touched. The ductor returned at an early hour and said the child could not possibly recover. Everything thattendurness could devise was done to assuage his pain, and at nightfall the frail body was at rest. An hour or two before he died Bessie raised him in her arms, 'Jook at me, Jack. I am your own dear mamma who lost you long ago. I have prayed every day that you inight be restored to me You are going to God my darling, but we will meet again in heaVen. 'Do you think you will know me, Jack?" "Oh, my boy!" said bis father, "forglve me before you go. I hare been the cause of all your suffering. Ask your mother to forgive me too.' "I forgive and mamma forgives," murmured the ohild. Bessie reached out her hand as a token of pardon. For a moment Jack Holbrook held it iu bis own, but neither spoke a word. Presontly Uessie said, tearfully: "Peruaps this dearchild was restored to me in order to teach me the divine lesson of forgiveuess; and it may be for the purpose of leading you buck to a better life. God graut that his mission may not have been in vain." After the funeral Mr. Comstock liad a long conversation with Jack Holbrook, who appeared like a different individual when attired in a decent suit of clothes. "As a guaran tee of my belief in your sincere repentance, I am ready to supply you with mcans to leave the city and go to some place where your history is unknown, that you may begin life over again," observed Mr. Comstock, handing hirn a roll oí billa. The poor outcast was overwhelmed at this unexpected kindncss, and promised faithfully to follow the advico. "May God bless you and your wife," he saul falteringly. "You are worthier of her than I ever could have been. Teil her I will remember Jaek's mission." Ted was sent to a home for friendless boys, but is now a clerk in Mr. Cpmstock's office and desperately in lovo witli the "yeller haired . gurl." Occasionally Mr. ComstocK hears from and writes to Jack Holbrook, who is a prosperous merchant in a Western town. Bessie and Jack are the guardián angels of lus existence, and he hopes to meet them again in that place where thero is "no marrying or givinc in mamasre." Old jEtna is the largest of the European series of' volcanoes. lts base is 90 miles in circumference, and the cone rises to 11,000 leet. lts first recorded eruption took place in 476 B. C. The second occurred in A. D. 1169, and laid the city of Catalonia in ashes, slaying 15.000 of its inhabitants. In 1,072 another disasterous eruption took place, and from 1661 to 1673 a series of minor ones. From that time until 1852 quiet reigned. Two new craters were then formed in the mountain, and from these there issued lava streams, one of them two miles broad and 170 feet deep. Clouds of gray ashes covered the whole island of Sicity.