Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-02-03
The Little Match Girl.


"Buy my matches, lady, will you
buy my matches?" Once or twice |
had passed through the street and
heard the cry without stopping to no
tice it, but few nights ago, it was al
most dark and the wind blew fierccly
cold, as was hurrying on, when again
it rung in my ear, "Oh, buy my
matches, lady," and felt gentle
pull at my dress, which induced me TO
stop and speak to the earnest pleader.
She was little girl, with that bon
ny, blithe expression, which indicated
the land Of her birth beyond the sea.
and her faxen hair fell in tangled
masses upon her brow and neck; her
feet and legs were bare, and her frock
was tattered and thin and soiled.
"Oh, l do not need any matches,
DEAR" | said, as | put my hand kind
ly upon her head and smoothed her
temples. al do not keep. house, and |
have no particular use for Matches"
"Oh, but you can buy few" she
said, as she looked up beseechingly,
first at my face, and then at my dress,
as if she were thinking, "You are
able to have such nice things, you
might buy few," and | began to think
so too.
"But what will you do with the
money ifI buy your matches?" "0h,
I'll give it to my mother" And
what will your mother do with it?'
"Buy coffee and bread" "And does
your mother never buy any of that
naughty stuff that makes her cry some
times, with the money you get?"---
Here the little girls cheeks grew red,
and she held down her head without
answering at all. All. thought ]. the
money will not buy bread if give it;
but the little girl hesitates to tell a lie,
so, to encourage her in speaking the
truth, 1 will put the pennies in her
hand, and pray that God will give her
bread.
Her blue eye sparkled brightly as
she took them, then away she ran,
crying "matches, Matches" till she
was out of sight, and SO far off | could
not hearher voice.
But the matches served to remind
me of her, and L hoped again to meet
her in my walks, where children seem
to be as sand upon the sea-shore for
multitude; and tonight, though twas
fairly dark when was passing a long
way form where l met her before, she
came running, as fast as her little feet
would carry her, crying. ooh, now dear
lady, will you buy more matches?"-
'Dear child have not used up half |
bought of you the other day, so | do
not need any more;" but this time she
did not urge her plea, though she
seemed more sad than when | met her
before.
"Come, said /. evil you show me
where your house is; it is too late for
you to be in the crowded stree" -
How my heart sunk within me as l
took her hand to be guided down a
dismal alley, where | could see nothing
but filth and dirt and squalid poverty,
and thought, "0h, dear, that little
girl must grow up in such place as
this" Coarse, brutal men were
lounging around, and now and then
the brawl fell on my ear, and oaths and
blasphemies made me shudder as !
passed.
To the little creature at my side
these were familiar sounds; and when
she is a little older, what's TO preserve
her from the path of SIM and the
"way of death?"
Her home was not, indeed, the
worst among the miserable huts that
surround it, and yet it was miserable
in the extreme. Her mother was not
in, but there was another little girl in
the corner, on pallet of straw, fast
asleep. "And is this your sister?"
said /. eyes; sells flowers, and | sell
matches" "And where does she get
her flowers" "0hl of the man who
has house-full up here, aud he gives
her two cents for every boquet she
SELLS" "And how many does she
sell in day?' Sometimes only
two or three, and sometimes none"
"Is this all the wav you have to buy
your bread and coflec?" "No; moth
er washes when she is well, but, -.
Here she hesitated. and the sad look
came over her face / had noticed when
first asked about her mother. ]
could easily imagine why her mother
was not well, but did not wish tc
draw it from iier, for oh, it is the most
humiliating Of all trials when a child
must blush for its parents sins.
There was not what l should call 9
single comfort in the room. The All
was fetid, and everything was covered
with dirt and slime; and yet here were
two little girls alone, with only q
drunken mother to care for and pro-
tect item. They were pretty, too ior
which could only pity them the more
L could not stay longer now. but telling
my little friend l would come again
| kissed her brow, and dropped Il teal
upon her check and left them, pray
inc that God who feeds the ravens and
clothes the lilies of the field, would
guard and guide them.
/ had only TO cross from avenye &
avenue to enter one Of those princel,