Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-10-28

| soon, my ladS ana tnen--
Aud then, will there be bretfas, daddy p
asked the youngest boy.
Yes, yes, Midgkins; at least, / hope there
will
Here the poor fellow took the boy on his
knee, drew Alfy towards him also, and tried
to beguile the time until mother should come,
! by hearing them repeat the little songs aud
hymns which that mother loved to teach
/ them.
Now, Midgkins, it's your turn said the
father, after Ally had gone through his little
! hoard of knowledge, and yet no mother, and
no breakfast.
! Accordingly the child began to -ecte, and
prettily too, that infant favorite, The Busy Bee,
but when he came to- with the sweet food
! &c, his voice failed him, the tears started into
his eyes, and he wept loudly and bitterly, with
| his pale tiny face hidden in his fathers breast
| At this moment Il weary step was heard slowly
/ ascending the cracking stairs.
| Mother, mo.hern shouted Ally who sprang
/ to open the door. Little MidgkinS's eyes
| frightened up; his father set him gently down
/ and hastened to meet his wife and release her
/ from the burden of q baby some ten months old
which she carried with great difficulty, for the
woman was slight and pale, haf-starved, and
! half clothed. The most cursorv glance might
serve to inform You that she was indeed the
mother so anxiously waited for; she was so
/ like her boys. The same expression of patient
| endurance was on her long thin face and in her
meek blue eyes. \ girl, who might have seen
/ two summers, toddlel in clinging to her gown.
/ The child's nose was red, her cheeks blue, and
! her eyes were filed with water; it was evident
/ indeed, from the appearance of both the chill
dren, and the mother too, that the morning
was intensely cold Alfy met his sister, took
off her lilac cotton bonnet, which, long innO-
cent of starch, tapped uneasly ever her fore
head lie next dveSted her Of an old, coarse,
brown overcoat, made originally by mother for
I Mid"kiRS to wear over his heShingS, but which
Lucy had on because her own green stuff pc
/ liSSe had last week been converted INTO din
ner Strangely enough the fire seemed to burn
brighter as soon rs mother entered the room
She sat down: Midgkins climbed on her lap;
, Alfy took possession of low STOOL seated Lucy
on his knees, and began chatting her poor half
frozen hands and feet: while father united
baby'S cloak and hoOd-put on certainly more
for appearance sake than for warmth four
Young mountebankS in succession having worn
them completely threadbare.
No use your long walk, | know, Agnes
said father
Very little. The guardians gave me q
shilling. and told me-not gruffiv. but as if
they were sorry TO say it to me, for they look
ed pitifulIy at the poor babeS-they told me
that the turnout aud the lockout together
had made matters so bad that in justice TO
their own townSfolk, they oughtn't to have
given ne even that, and that | mustn't trouble
them again
On the mention of shilling, Alfy quietly
filed the small tin kettle. and set it on the
now sparkling fire slipped on his overcOat and
I cap and then nodded TO mother, who OF course
understood him to mean: I'm ready to go to
the Shop' She popped the coin into his hand
and away he trotted on his joyful errand-
During his short absence, what preparations
Mdgkins and Lucy madel how they busted
about: how they set out the odd cracked cups
[ and SaucerS, the two battered leaden teaspoons
and the old brOkeH-Spouted brown teapot
Father meantime recounted the particulars of
Mrs. Niggs'S visit, which grieved his wife, al
though it did not surprise her Laden with
a loaf. tea. sugar, and two red herringS Ally
returned. and the whole family-in spite of
landIadies and tUrn-OutS. and he cold weather
-enioved hearty meal; babkinS (baby
mean tucking in wonderful quantities OF weak
tea aud Sopped bread Poor fellow! the ma
ternal nouriShment must needs have been but
Scanty.
Breakfast over, everybody looks more lively:
father thinks that, after all. the snow mayn't
come today mother fancies the weather'S
milder than it was two hours ago:' and the
bows button on their coats
Well, we'll we must even try our luck,
saws the mouutebauk: we must see If we can't
get as far as EglinShorpe: there's a fair held
there tomorrow Its no use trying the town
again; what with the strike and the dearnesS
Of food poor folks can't give, and the rich ones
never stop to look at Us. Keep up yonr spr
its. Agnes; perhaps we may make pitch at
some village on the road; and if we do, I'll
send YOU half of whatever we get; so look out
FOR a letter
So saving he strapped a drum round his
waist over miserable ragged gray coat, and
pinned a little square of worn carpeting over
MidgkinS shoulders: Agnes tied her own cot
ton shawl round Ally, kissed her boys. said
/ goodbye 10 them and father. but still seemed
10 Iinger about them; and when they were
quite ready for start, she laid baby on the
bed followed them down stairs kissed them
once more. thrust the remains of the loaf into
AlfT'S pocket. and whispered to him: BE kind
10 little Mdgkinsr Mother watched her
treasures in their progress down the street;
and when they were quite out Of sight, she
turned away with heavy heart to her infant
charge in the garret. Poor mother! TAy was
her heart 80 heavy? Often and often had she
I been separated from her husband and the boys
for three or four DAYS at time. while they
pursued their calling. Why, then, was her
/ heart 50 heavy!
II. THE MOOR.
1 On they went-the mouBtebank and his