Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-06-24
THE GOOD ANGELS.

THE GOOD ANGELS.
"Come, Ady and Jane, it's time you
were in bed" said Mrs. Freeman to her
two little girls, about nine O'Clock one
evening. Ady was nine years old, and
Jane was year and a-half younger.
The two children had been sitting at
the work table with their mother, one
of them studying her lesson, and the
other engaged on piece Of fancy nee
die work.
"Papa hasn't come YETI" answered
Ady:
"No, dear. But it's getting late,
and tits time you were in bed. lie
may not be at home for an hour :"
Ady laid aside her work and left the
table, and Jane closed her books and
put them away in her school satchel.
"You can light the little lamp on the
mantle piece" said Mrs. Freeman, af-
ter few moments, looking around as
she spoke !; when she saw that the chill
dren had both put on their bo:nets and
were tying their warm capes close about
their necks. She understood very well
the meaning Of this, and therefore did
not ask question, although the tears
came to her eyes and her voice trem
bled as she said:
cit is very cold out tonight, child
rem"
"But we won't feel it, MOTHER" re-
piled Ady; ''we will run along very
quick"
And the two little ones went out be-
fore their mother, whose feelings were
choking her So, could say another
word. AS they closed the door after
them, she raised her eyes upward, and
murmured
God bless and reward the dea,
children"
It was bleak winter night and as
The little adventurers stepped into the
street, the wind swept fercely along,
and almost drove them back agains,
the door. But they caught each other
by the hands, and bending their little
forms to meet the pressure of the cold,
rushing air, hurried on their way as
fast rs their feet could Love.
The streets were dark and deserted
but the children were not afraid. Love
filled their hearts and left no room fol
fear.
They did not speak word to each
other as they FASTENED along. Ate,
going a distance Of several blocks, they
stopped before house, ever the door
Of which hung handsome ornamental
gas lamp. bearing the words coy.
sters and Refreshments"
1t was strange place for two little
girls to enter, and at such an hour
but after standing q moment, they
pushed against the green door, which
turned lightly on its hinges, and step.
ped into a large and brilliantly illumi-
mated bar-room.
"Bless us - exclaimed a man who
sat reading; "here are those babes
again."
ABLY and Jane stood near the doc,
and looked all round the room. Blu,
they did not see the object Of ,hei,
search, and going up to the bar, they
said tim'dly to man who stood behind
it, pouring liquor into glasses
"Has papa been here to night ?"
The man leaned over the bar unit
his face was close to the children, wher
he said in an angry way:
81 don't know anything about you,
father. And see here don't YOU
come here again! If you do, III cal,
my big dog out Of the yard and make
him bite you"
p Ady and Jane felt frightened, as well
by the harsh manner as the angry
words Of the man, and they started
back from him, and went turning to.
wards the door with sad faces, wher
the persons who had first marked thei,
entrance, called out loud enough for
them to hear him:
.'Come here, my little girls "
The children stopped and looked al
him, when he beckoned them to ap-
proach him, and they did so.
care you looking for your father %
he inquired.
@''Yes, Sir" replied Ady.
"And what did the man at the ba,
say to you %
''llc said that papa wasn't here and
that if we came any moro he would Sc,
his big dog on us.''
'sHe did?''
eyes, sir.'
The man knit his brow for an in.
slant, and then XII Oily said:
1ss..Who sent you here 2"
q "Nobody," answered ADV.
'.Don't your mother know that YOU
have come %
Eyes, sir. She told us to 90 to bed
but we couldn't 60 until papa was al
home and so we came for him first. D
"He is here"
sIs he ?'-and the children's faces
Frightened.
"Yes, he's at the other side Of The