Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1853-09-29

MIS-. OCdnWOOo put Two melons on
dish which she placed on WiIlie's hand
You can make breakfast of these, csl
you not, childrenP she asked. sYol
shall have bread for dinnerP
The little things readily assented.--
we will go out under the tree, down BY
the well. said Stephen; come, Cossiel
and Willie. carrying the dish, and Susy
knife to cut the melons, ran out of tht
cottage. e
They had hardly seated themselve.
on the ground, when heavy footsteps
were near them, and looking up, they
perceived the burly form of Mr.. Brown,
the butcher, approaching the house fol.
lowed by his boy with wheelbarrow.-
The older children glanced at each 9th.
er.
They can't be coming after Cossie,
can they, Susy?' whispered S.ephen,
putting his arms about the lamb, and
pressing him close to his bosom. what
did mother send a billet to him for,
Willie?'
Willie did not know. The knife
dropped from Susy's hand. and she sat
anxiously gazing on the butcher as he
approached the cottage door, and at the
first word which he addressed to her
mother the child sprang to her feet, and
ran TO her parents side; but when Mr..
Brown looked at her, and his great dog
came close before her, she dared not
speak, but stood pulling her mother by
the sleeve, and wiping with her apron
the fast flowing tears from her cheeks.
There. ms'sn, is all lean give youp
said Mr.. Brown, extending his hand,
on which lay four half dollars.
Wool is low, and l could not afford
to give you as much as that, only l
want him to kill tonight
How little Susy pulled at her moth
er's sleeve, and how her tears streamedl
81 must let you have him." returned
Mrs. Stanwood, cor l can give my child
rem no food to-day; but pay me all you
can afford for him, sir! for l know not
where | shall obtain anything more for
my family"
go away, you great butcher boy!"
little Harry, pressing his
hand against Dick Brown, as the lad
advanced with the rope to bind the
Iamb. "You shan't have my Cossie,
you great wicked boy! you would kill
himp and the little fellows upturned
face expressed all the indignation which
he felt.
"Steve! Steve" whispered Willie,
putting one hand on his brothers
while with the other he
pointed to the forest, s'let Cossie go-let
lim gol will call him up there where
nobody can find himl'
But Stephen could not trust the lamb
,ut of his arms, he only clasped him
more tightly about the neck, while the
title bare-footed Nettie was kneeling
beside him, trying to coax him TO eat
he handful of grass she had plucked
or him. Cossie's dear little white face
ooking all the while as calm and uncon-
,erned as if nothing was the matter.
However, the lamb was bound, and
Notwithstanding the cries of the child
en-, Dick Brown put him on his wheel
and started away with him, his
ather, who had added another dollar to
he price of the lamb, following with
lim at short distance. Mrs. Stan
wood wiped away the tears, which, as
Don as the butchers back was turned,
rushed from her eyes, and calling the |
hildren into the house, tried to explain
o them why it was necessary that their
title companion should be sold; and she |
,ut in the hand of Willie piece of
liver, telling him to go to the bakers
nd get a nice loaf of bread for their
but the child put back the bit
n his mothers lap; he could not eat
'read bought with that money, and |
stephen repeated his brothers words.
The mother offered the money to
'usy. but the little girl only put her
prom to her face and sobbed alond.
"My children, do you love me?" said
Irs. Stanwood, in voice of agony.
"No, we don't love you, you wicked
notherI' exclaimed Harry, looking
,oldly in her face, "and my father don't
owe you, eitherl He won't come home
o see you any moreP' and the other
hildren were silent, only Nettie, still
IOlding the grass in her apron, was
rying to coax Willie to run after the
butcher, and get back Cossie.
The children had never before dis
,beyed their mother, and her heart
ank under this new grief. "Merciful
she exclaimed, surely the
light of sorrow is now at its deepest
loom; when will the morning Gomez"
nd she took from the shelf, where it
iad long lain unopened, the family
bible.
In her bitter grief she had forgotten
ii now, the book from which her hus-
and had always read TO his family in
he morning. II had been placed on
he breakfast table the day after he had
Eft home, but was returned again 10 the
helf, unopened, and had not since been
emoyed. But every other support
Ias now taken away. and Mrs. Stan
Tood looked again to that which, alone,
unfailing. As she opened the book,
Bo papers fell from it. One containing
ank Bills to the amount. SO the en-
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