Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1858-07-17
BREAD UPON THE WATERS.
ny HELEN FOREST GRAVES.


II was n gloomy room, in n crowded tcnc-
mcnt house, low, narrow, and unwholcsomc,
and pale faced child was its only inmate
She was confirmed invalid-you might trace
that in her hollow checks and the Strange ull-
natural lustcr of her large blue eycs-the flame
Of life was burning low on the alter of her
childish being; yet here she was alone The
old arm chair on which she reclined with one
or two pillows, and a rude pine box, was the
sole support of her tiny blue veined feet
There was no carpet OH the mouldcring floor,
and in more than one place door and window
had yielded to the rcmorSelcss hand of decay,
and presented most dilapidatcd aspect. Yet
all the scanty furniture was arranged as neatly
as possible, and there were even some few at
tcmpts at taste, as, in n bit Of gaily colorcd
Chintz spread over the child'S foot.st0ol, and u
solitary flower placed in the window seat,
where the sunbeam could touch its emerald
leaves.
That flower; it had been poor Katy'S conf
panion long. Its royal beauty and luXuriancc
seemed strangely out Of place in the Squalid,
low ccicd room; yet it grew and ilOWishcd
rs itin the velvet sod of Bcndcmccr'S stream.
And little Katy lay back in comiortlcss
chair and looked at the splendid rose which
quivcrcd like ruby drop among the leaves,
and watched the sunlight writing its golden
message on the crimson, folds uf the blossom
with vague feeling of wonder.
1t was SO strange that the radiant sun, whose
glory lay on the marble pillars and stately
dwellings far away, should come to peep into
her lonely, lonely room. m. -..---.
Is that you, Jamcy" said she softly, as
the door opened and boy of twelve came in
"Ycs. DO you feel any better Katyy Are
you tired Of being left aonc?" And the boy
looked tcndcrly into her blue eyes and parted
the auburn hair from her iorhcad, with low
ing union.
met very, but there is such weary ach-
ing around my heart and sometimes it seems
all on fire. How cool your hand feels, Jamie. -"
Never mind, Katy, I've been saving wood,
and earned whole quarter, and am going to
lay it out in apples and oranges to sell down
town. I'll make q mint of money and then
won't VIC have n good supper when mother
comes home from work shouldn't wonder
il we had bit of cake over and above the
medicine the diSpensary doctor ordered for
you.
Katy smiled and shook her head, as if dep
recating this piece of extravaganza.
Yes, VIC will, Katy" resumed her broth
cr "taint often we taste anything but dry
bread and cheese, and haven't forgotten that
it is your birthday, sis-you arc ten years
old to-day. Besides you need something to
put shade of color into these checks the
doctor said you must have something to tempt
your appetite.
lie bent down to kiss the marble forehead
aS he spoke.
"llow loycly that rose is, to be sure! Its
almost as good as company to you, Katy, isn't
:, \
for little while, dear"
"IcS, Jamie. | don't mind. 1T much," She
answered, with a deep, weary sigh, "but be
back as soon rs possible, please"
And her wist[nl, hollow eyes watched him
from the room with that earnest startling look
that We find only beneath the very shadow OF
Death.
Down at the piers all was confusion and
uproar-buSy passengers hu,rying from newly
arrived boats turhid waters daShing and roll
ing against mosSy poSts-Swaying crowds,
and loud, diSsonant voices, created small
bcdlam around the docks, and little Jamie
wandered around with his board of fruit feel
ing very lonely and bcwildercd. lie had piled
up the golden oranges with their sunnicst side
upward he had polished the red-chccked ap-
pies until they shonc like mirrors, yet nobody
stopped to buy.
"Carriagc, sir?" "Takc you to the Astor
Ilousc:' up Broadway in twinklng,
ma'am" "EIc's your 'Erald, Tribune, and
limcS--Iatcst steamer from Europe! Have
paper, sir?"
Poor Jamie! amid all this tumult what
chance has he of being noticed? lie had
picked out the very same bunch Of grapes
that he had intended for Katy, in Taylor's
window, as he came by-a plump apoplcctic
bunch dangling from crimson thread where
the sunshine lay full on the purple bloom,
and amcthystic shadows lurked among its
fullncSS of fiuitagc. Just at present the tempt
ing morscl seemed very far off to Jamics i'm
aginatiOn.
Determined not to give way without Wig
orous effort, however, Jamie stepped boldly
forward to the first person he saw, rand 'hc,l
up his wares with modest, Buy an orange,
sir"
Now, as ill-fortunc would have it, this pos
Siblc customer was fat, i'll tempered pussy
old man, whose color had just been inilamcd
to fever heat hy the inadvcrtant descent of a
heavy nailed boot on his iavoritc corn. At
all times he considered orange boys nuis-
ancc, but just now his slender quota of pa
tience was entirely exhausted. He aimed u
muttcrcd oath and furious blow at the fair
haired boy, and pushed past to catch re-
treating omnibus.
Jamie Sprang aside just in time to escape
the brutal blow; but it descended full upon
his stock in trade, scattering apples and oran-
gcs far and wide. lie was standing close to
the pear, and most of the fruit flew into the
water, where it went bobbing up and down
with the tide in the most tantalizing manner
a few apples rolled under the feet ofthe crowd,
but it was impossible to secure them again.
Jamie's first sensation was that of indignant
wrath. The blood rushed in angry torrents
to his check and brow, and he shook his small
fist impotcntly in the direction which the fat
man had taken. But in an instant feeling OF
forlorn wrctchcdncss came Overhim; no tempt
ing bit of cake, no purple grapes for poor
katy-pcrhaps not even supper; for he
knew that his mothers wages must 60 toward
the rent of the room. They depended entirely
Oh his cXcrtionS for their evening meal, and
the SUI was declining in the west already.
The-rcilcction was too much for his boyiSh
heart, and he was sobbing violently, when n
gentle hand was laid on his shoulder. lie
started up, and before him stood pleasant
gentleman, who watched the whole transaction
"ThCrc, my boy" he said laying silver
dollar in the boys palm, /" that will set you
up again. No thanks. The money was in-