Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1852-06-18
The Little Pauper.

| 4uo LULU oup0A'
The following touching and over true
tale will not only 6ll the eye but suggest
precious lessons to the heart. Alas, how
many unpitied, mctherless Allies are pc.
rishing in this country, and no generous
Jsm or Betsy at hand to save them and
rear them into angels. Our sketch is
from the Boston Olive Branch.
TIE day vas gloomy and chill. At the
freshly opened grave stood delicate little
girl of five years, the only mourner for
the silent heart beneath. Friendless,
hopeless, homeless, she had wept till she
had no more tears to bhed, and now she
stood with her scanty clothing huttering
in the chill wind, pressing her little hands
tightly over her heart As if to still its
beating
ats no use fretting," said the rough
man, rs he stamped the last shovel full
of earth over all the child had left to
love; "frettine WON'T bring dead folk.
to life; pity you hadn't got no ship,
cousins somewhere to take you; it's a
tough world, this ERE I tell ye; don't
see how ye're going to weather it. Guess
III take ye round to Miss Fetherbee's,
she's got power Of children and wants
hand to help her, SO come along. II
you cry enough to float the ark it won't
do you no good" Allie obeyed him me-
chanically, turning her head every few
minutes to take another, and yet another
look whore her mother lay buried.
The morning sun shone in Upon an i'm
derground kitchen in the crowded city.
Mrs. Fetherbee, attifed in d gay colored
calico dress, with any quantity Of tinsel
Ijewelry,was sewing some showy cotton lnee
on cheap pocket handkerchief A boy
Of five years was disputing with little
girl of three, about an apple; from big
words they had come 70 hard blows; and
peace was finally declared at the price of
an orange apiece, and stick of candy
each combatant quitting in" for the
biggest.
Poor Allie, with pale checks and swol-
len eyelids; was staggering up and down
the floor under the weight Of . mammoth
baby, who was arausirg himself, pulling
out at intervals little handfuls Ct hair.
"Quiet that child can't Je?" said
Mrs. Fsthstbee, ii no very gentle tone:
"I don't wonder the darling is cross to
zee such a solemn face You must get a
little life into you somehow, or you won't
earn the salt to your porridgs, here.
There, declare, you've half put his eyes
out with those long curls dangling around
come here, and have 'em cut of, they
don't look proper for charity child -
(and she glanced at the short stubby
crops on the heads of the little Feth.r-
bses)
Allie lip quivered, as .he said, "Mo-
thsr used to love to brush them smooth
every morning; she said they wore like
little dead sisters, please DON'T" said she
beseeodingly
"Bu. ! tell you I do please to cut EN-,
50 there's an end Of that" said she, as
the several ringlets fell ID shining heap
on the kitchen floor; "and do for crea-
tion's sake, stop talking about "dead'
folks, and now eat your breakfast if you
want it; 1 forgot you hadn't had any
there's some of the children's left; If
you're hungry it will go down, and if you
amt you can 60 without"
Poor Allie the daintisst r,iorsel wouldn't
have "gone down." her eyes filled with
tears that wouldn't be forced back, and
she sobbed out, e. must cry if you beat
me 20. tiny heart pains me so bad"
"H-i-t-y-T-i-t-y! what's all this2" said
broad-faced, rosy milknian, as he cat his
shining can down on the kitchen table;
"what's all this, Mits Fstherbee! Ia as
lief eat pins and needles as hear child
cry. Who is she," pointing at Allie,
"snd what's the matter of her? ?"
"Why, the long and short Of it is,
she's poor paupet that we've taken in
out o. charity, and she's crying at her
good luck; that's ALL" said the lady with
a ve1ed toss Of her head. "That's the
way benevolence is always rewarded /;
nothing on earth to do here, but tend the
baby, and amuse the children, and run to
the door, and wash the dishes, and dust
the furniture, and tidy the kitchen, and
60 Of few errands; ungrateful little
baggage
Jimmy's heart was as big as his farm,
(and that covered considerable ground j
glancipg pitifully at the little veeper, he
said skillf.lly, ".has child's going to be
sick, Miss Fetherbee, and then what are
you going to do with herr besides she's
too young to be Of much use to tou
you'd better let me take her"
"Wel1, shouldn't wonder if you ~al