The Opelousas patriot. [volume] (Opelousas, Parish of St. Landry, La.) 1855-1863, 1858-05-08

ice ' syel
for
48ho witt
r could bt
~ .4. caring tossa on!
b - Two littlrgarl.
WI .slssite garret, also ySfrs
forth. and Anna. ~despairing and nearly Z
with hunger and cold, went ont after the
She soon found herself in a street where every
surrounding showed wealth and luxury. She
thought Of the more respectable mode Of beg
ying. to ring at the front door, and asking 70,
one Of the family. tell her story. But her pride
shrank from that even more than from fitting
down an arca-steps. And this a, length SIC
did. &..
81 hav,nt anything said the servant, who
answered her knock. " Won't yon let me
warm myself by The fire r said Anna. " ]
guess not, = said lhe servant. " The lady don,l
like such people about the kitchen. . aid sht
smut the door in her face. She could have
ain down and died on the cold stone door
willingly. After two or three gasps she stun
bl=d down the Steps. rolled her frost-bittel
fingers in her thin de Bage cape and went Of
down tile Avenue, with bitter thoughts Of mar
and of God-may He forgive her 81 rieking IL
her heart. The long rows of costly liouses
were to her like Notifications. reared by hare
triumphant selfishness, to keep her from shar
ing in common comforts, defended ly cruel, un
errihg weapons. Oh! what pitiless tyrant,
seemed human law, human society He,
feet were numb, but they carried her over The
ice cold paveimcnts like one in a dreem sensibI,
only TO the biting tooth of cold. and the rnr
ing Of the hnnger-pangs. Dawna bread steol
a little below her, came a young handy, muf
tied IN tnrs to her rosy cheeks. She lansed
suddenly with a look of compassion. You
seem very poot- Cant l do something for
yon?. f w. .5-J 5I7.sa
= am hungry-1am cold said Anna, s
Cold! shonid think yon would be- said
the young lady shutAcring w.
For pity sake, Harriet. 9 struck In 4 pen.
%tlenlan, who had opened The door and GENE
out Immediately after her, don't stand to talk
10 that girl YonN catch your death. Here
J H'glve her these, and do come along. You'll
have to walk fast to keep warm this bitter
morning" =,
He held ont two three cent pieces. They
SLIPPED from his t~hickiy-gluved fingers and he
left Anna to pick them up. Before she had
succeeded in doing so he was on, Of sight. With
The Young lady pressed close 10 his side. Anna
ran !" the nearest bakers aid bought a LOAF Of
bread. "You can't stay here 10 cat it, said
The b%akeress, and she reluctantly left the we'll
warmed shop, inrned The corner into the Az.
enhe, and sat down on q stoop. The breld
was hot, and after filling her mouth she plunp.
cd boih hands into the middle Of the smoking
loaf, she pressed it TO her freezing bosom.
"Come, young woman" said a nolicoman
taking her by the shoulder, "these are fine
tragedy airs, Don't you know you mustn't
sit here z" %
The wretched girl rose and tottercd away.
completely overcome. Surely she had reached
Inc depth OF degradation, she had been " moved
on by a policeman.
The gentleman and the lady renassed.
here's That girl hanging abont here vet
Anna heard him say. "0h! father" re,nlied
me Young lady, "she is eating a loaf of bread
mat she bought with the change YOU payr
her ~" 6"'f
We'll let her go home and eat it pronerly
then She's not starving now certainly" said
HONE!
Inc plate-glass doors of their house had only
Just closed after them, whenxAnna espied nnon
me pavement a lady's watch, dropped, by the
bright, rich girl, who had just d~i<appsared
She RS sed it, and held it a u moment in her baud
Within hat small enamelled thing was hid
!ond' warmth, closing, shelter, What wonder
II hef eyes fingered upon it, and her brain grew
1lzzy when temptation. let us not attemnt
to estimate that conflict, we who have never
'hlvered hopeless and homeless out side of \
rlch mans door. Anna had taken a stem to
'es'ore the watch, when out hustled the tajl
gentleman. !"
Here police, police, my daughter has lost
'er watch, stolen, ] think likely, by a Girl Who
here she is behind this post"
The watch was in Annals hands. ye,v for
innate y said Wr. Miller Bat how hardaned
IS wen as adroit you must be to steal from one
VINO stopped to give you a kind word !"
Believe me-" implorcd Annas"I did M,
teal it. The lady dropped it."
Nonsense! 1t would have shivered in :,
thousand pieces. You do much better 10 con,
81 seed her around, not a quarter Of an Eonr
60 and told her to be off. but she knowod
What she wanted to be at too well for tbat =
aid the policeman. 'N"'
"oh be mercifuI" shrieked Anna. wildly
l am innocent, | can get no work 7 am
'arving' am perishiug with cold. Yon will
""y VI your
Nonsense said Mr., Miller.