The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-08-05
BREAD UPON THE WATERS.
BY HELEN FOREST GRAVES.

II was a gloomy room, in a crowdec
tenemout house, low. narrow, and un
wholesome; aud palefaced child wa
its ouly inmate. She was a confirmed
invalid-you might trace that in her hol
low cheeks and the strange unnatura
lustre Of her large blue eyes = the fam,
of life was burning low on the altar oI
her childish being; yet here she was a
lone The OLD arm chair in which sh,
reclined, with one or two pillows, and ;
rude pine box, was the sole support OF be-
tiny blue -veined feet. There was no car
pet on the moulderiug floor, aud in ore
than one place doors had yielded to the
remorseless hand of decay, and present.
cd most dilapidated aspect. Yet all
the scauty furniture was arranged a,
neatly as possible, and there was even
some faint attempt at taste, as, in lit
of gaiiy colored chintz spread over the
child's foot-stool, and solitary flower
10 the window-scat, where the suubeams
could touch its emerald leaves.
That flower; it bad been poor Katy's
companion long. Its royal beauty and
luxurance seemed strangely ont Of place
iu the squalid, low ceiled room; Yet it
grew aud fouri,hed as if in the velvet
sod os Bendeemcr's stream. And little
Katy lay back in her comfortless chair :,
and looked at the splendid rose which
quivered like ruby drop among the
leaves, and watched the sunlight writing
its golden message on the crimson folds
of the blossom, with a vague feeling OF
wonder.
Ii was so strange that the radiant sun,
whose glory lay on marble pillars and
stately dwellings far away. should come
to peep into her lonely, lonely room.
is that you, Jamie!' said she softly, as
the door opeucd, aud q boy Of twelve
came in.
Yes. Do you feel any bette.', Katy?
Are you tired of being alone! And the
boy looked tenderly into her blue eyes,
and parted the auburn hair from her
forehead with loving touch.
Not very, but there is such an aching
around my heart, and sometimes it see ms
all on FIRE. How cool your hands feels,
JamieI
Never mind, Katy, I've been saving
wood, and have earned whole quarter
aud sm going to lay it out in apples and
oranges, to sell down town | II make
nint of money, and then won't t we have a
good supper wbcr mother comes home
from work! | shouldn't wonder if We
had bit of cake and bunch Of grapes
oser aud above the medicine the dIspeD-
s,ry doctor ordered for you
Katy smiled and shook her head, as if
deprecating this piece of extravaganza.
Yes We will, Katy resumed her
brother; 'tsiut ofteu that VIC taste any
thing but dry bread aud cheese, and [
haven't forgotten it is Jour birthday, sis
you're ten years old to day. Be-ides
you peed something to put shade of
color into these cheeks; the doctor said
you must have something to tempt your
appetite He bent down to kiss the
marble forehead as he spoke.
.llow lovely that rose is, to be sure!-
II is almost as good as company to you,
Katy, isn't i'll Are you willing should
leave you alone for little while, dear!'
Yes, Jamie, | don't mind it much, :"
she answered, with deep, weary sigh,
'but be back as soon as possible, please
And the wistful hollow eyes watched
him from the room with tha: earnest,
startling look that we only find beneath
the shadow of death. -
Down at the piers all was confusion
and uproar-busy passengers hurrYing
from newly arrived boats-turbid waters
dashing and rolling against messy posts,
swsying crowds and loud dlSsonant voices
created a small bedlam around the docks,
and little Jamie wandered around with
his board of fruit, feeling very lonely and
bewildered. He had piled up the golden
oranges with their sunniest side upwards;
be had polished the red checked apples
until they shone like mirrors, yet nobody
stopped to buy.
Carriage sirl' Take you to the Astor
HouseP up Broadway in twilkliDg
ma'amp 'Ere's your Erald, Tribune
and Times. Latest steamer from Europe!
Have paper, sir!'
Poor Jamiel amid all this tumult what
chance has be of being noticed! He had
picked out the bunch of grapes that be
intended for Katy, in Taylor's window,
as he came by-a plump, aPoPlectic bunch
dangling from crimson thread, where
the sunshine lay full on the purple bloom
and amethystic shadows lurked among It's
fulness of fruitage. just at present the
tempting morsel seemed very far OF to
JAMES imagination.
Determined not to give way without
vigorous effort. however, jamie stepped
boldly forward to the FIRST person be saw,
and held up his wares with modest