The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-12-23

had a hearty supper we will talk with her,"
/ A gay trio Of young girls came ir. The
nettlngs were put ap; the gas buried brightly; |;
and music and mirih banished all thoughts Of
care. Suddenly, Nell Haywood remembered
the little odd figure, and clasping her hands,
cried. "Oh. Pve something to show you, girls,"
and disappeared.
Susan was picking gocseberries near the
pantry in the kitchen.
sWhere is the child, Susyl % asked Nell
haywood.
"On the doorstep, Miss" Susan replied,
picking away.
.sWhy, no Susan, there's nobody here ;
nobody to he .een."
eyes Miss" Susan placed her pan down,
held her apron mp to catch the stems of the
berries and walked deliberately to the door.
'Why, she sat here some time after supper.
turned. and came in she was sitting there,
locking up at the stars, expect. I thought
she was a mighty quiet child but she's deep,
deep, Miss Nelly she's gone. Let me see
there amt any silver round-I should be
afeared she'd took something they're mighty
aItful."
| "Why, didn't you tellher she might stay all
night?" Nell haywood was peepng here
aud there, to spy her il possible.
s.Yes, Miss Nell ; and told her what good
bed there was over the woodshed but she
looked strange out of the m large eyes of hers,
an! never seemed to hear''
.sThs poor child is in trouble," said Nell,
quite sorrow ful that she could not further re-
lleve her necessities. sPd have given her
something to wear, and We could have sen,
her to Sirg Sing; but, perhaps she will come
back again; If so, will yon send her to rne ?''
"lf she do, will, Miss" answered Susan
going at The gooseberries again.
But little Kate did not cone back She
had been watching her opportunity to get off
and had already been gone some time. She
slept in an open field crawled into some hay /;
| she would have walked all night, if she had
dared bat she was afraid of the darkness.
ssMr. Warden, there's Qneer case over at
my house, said a bluff looking fellow, meet
Ing the Warden of Sing Sing prison. I'VE
[ found her last night in some out OF the way
! place, and nu,aing wonli d, but my wife must
, take her in We cau'i find out her name, ex-
cept il /, K l;y, aud expect she wants 20 see
somebody il. the prison. But we can't get
anything out of her; where she came from, OF
anything about it."
s.Bring her over here" said the Warden,
.'my wife is wanting little girl for telp ;
mavbe she's Just the ote." So Katy STOOD
trembling more than ever, in few moments,
in the presence OF the Warden and Janor-
J Katy was pretty child. Her large blue eyes
wore an EXPIRE ssion Of intense melancholy
her hair had been nicely combed and curled.
and some one had put a good pair vt shoes on
her feet.
swell, my little glrl," said the Warden,
kiudly for he was prepossessed in her ia
vor, sswhere have you como from"
s:New York." said the child, fai;tly.
The men looked at each other incredulously.
) .sDo you mean to say that you have come
: to Sing Sing, from New York, on foot?"
..Yes sir" said the child, frightened at his
manner, which had something Of severity.
Sand what have you come for 2"
sTo see my father,'' the child burst forth
with one great sob, and for moment her little
frame was shaken with tempest of feeling.
Sand who is your father?" asked the War
den, kindly.
.sHe Is Mr. Lloyd" said the child, as soon
as she could speak for her rushing sobs.
The Warden looked at the jaiIor.
"Loyd; there are three Loyds here: Jim,
| pnnd,, api nirk >, ia tha iailor
"Thsy may not be tEer proper Names" re-
sponded the Waroen.
THAT'S so," said the. jailor, ''but can try
'em all. Little one, was your fathers name
Jun Z"
| s.The child nodded her head, or they
thought SHE did she was all convulsed With
the reaction bro4ght on BY the termination Of
her journey.
slf it's jim, he's bad one," said the jailor,
in low voice; she's in irons this morning,
for tempting to break Jail; he don't deserve
little gal as looks like that one, the william.
Come, child, I'll go and find your father.o
He took Ksty's shaking hand with the
other she dashed the tears away fast as they
fell 1t frightened ber almost into calnness,
to see the ponderous door at which the jailor
applied the great key and the stiffness OF the
long stone passages; the dimness thrown over
all the constant succession Of bars and bleak
black walls was terrible to sensitive mind
like hers. How the heavy tread Of the Jailor,
and the tread of the Warden behind him,
echoed through the gloom and the space. 1t
was in truth great tomb through which they
moved a tomb in which were confined living
hearts, whose throb could almost be heard in
the awful stiffness. On, on they went, now
through this massive door, now through that
passage way. EVERYTHING spoke Of crime, of
fierce passions subdued and held in stern con-
troll; everything from the grim face Of the
fsrocious watchdog, to the sentinels armed.
4 Then they turned, and went up sths stairs,
the jailor holding the sacred bird close to mis-
side with tender clasp, the Warden follow.