The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1856-09-04
81 90 A YEAR,
PAYABLE IN ADVANCE.
WHOLE NUMBER 279

I But she is dressed nice, and they
know that she has got money, if she
don't buy bread and cakes with it,
Do you want a cake, Hettie , If
you do, come right in here and I will
buy you one,' AMI Albert showed her
the bright coin he held in his hand, and
he thought that he didn't care if he
didn't have any ball if Hettie weuld
only stop crying and not look so sad.
The little girl was ashamed to say
she did want the cake, and too hungry
to say no and as the boy looked into
her sad, little face, he forgot that he
was dressed in broadcloth and she in
rags, so he took her hand in his and led
her into the store. AS Hettie entered
the store, the owner looked at her in
such manner that if Albert had not
been with her she would have run out t;
but the boy led her to the stove, and
then called for some cakes and presented
them to her,
/ wish you had some shoes, Hettie,'
said Albert, why don't you get some ?
1t is too cold now to 60 without Shoes
Mother has been too poor since fa-
thcr died.
What will you do when the snow
comes =
Mother says she shall be dead then,'
said Hettic laying down the cake and
sobbing so loud that the shopkeepcr
looked up with threatening air, Het-
tic looked towards the door as if she
would like to make her escape, but her
little protector stood between her and 1t
and whispered You must get warm
before you 60 but what makes you
think your mother vii die p
%, she is so sick, and the doctor
don't come there now, for mother told
him she couldn't pay him so she must
die, and then [ shall have to 60 to the
poor-house. They have shoes there,
but they arc very heavy and Hettie's
cake lay untasted in her lap, as she
crouched by the stove with her sorrow
full face.
Albert no longer cared about the ball
for he had known little Hettie long
time; that is, he had met her almost
every day when he was on his way to
school, and she was passing to her
school-house in an opposite direction,
and how often he had wished, when the
baby was alive, that she wenld grow up
and look just like the prim little Hettie;
for it was only lately that she had gone
barefoot and worn such tattered clothes,
so now as he saw her grief, he bent low
and whispered in her ear
You shan't 90 to the house
my mother hasn't got any little girl, and
| will ask her to let you come anil live
with US and then ha took the coin he
had received in exchange when he pur-
chased the cakes, slyly dropped it into
her lap, and told her to buy something
to carry home to her mother. The
little girl hesitatcd to take it, and deep
blush oversprcad her features, but Al
bert urged her, saying he could get plen'
ty more so she accepted IL with a
secret ioy at the thought of what she
could purchase for her mother.
Uettie now began to tuck her ringlets
under hor hood and get ready to step
ont again on the flags. All the custom
crs were busy at the counter with their
backs towards the children, so the boy
drew from Hcttie's shoulders the faded
shawl and shook it out wider, and just
as he was in the act Of replacing it, his
father entered the store to get . new
supply of cigars. Mr.. Griswold did not
speak Immediately, but listened and
watched for moment, aud then step
ping across the floor, ere Albert knew
he was there, seized him rudely by tho
collar aud babe him purchase his toys
and 90 home, nor spend his time talking
with beggars. The little girl was fright
ened, aud scarcely knowing what she
did, sprang towards the door, while the
coin that the rich mans son had given
her, rolled in various directions across
the floor. She did not stop to gather IL
up, but ran along the frosty stones as II
she we're fleeing from the just punish
ment of crime.
tconcludcd in our nsIt1