Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-12-19
Gonn Miste luany,s
BETTER THAN DlhMGNDS,

i ! was standing in the broac
crowded street of alarge city. /
was a cold winters day. Their
had been rain; and although th'
sun was shining brightly, yet th'
long icicles hung from the caves OF
the houses, end the wheels rum
bled loudly as they passed over th'
ground. There was a, clear brigh1
look, and cold bracing feeling in
the air, and a keen, north-west
wind, which quiekened every step
Just then little child came run
ming along-a poor, ill-clad child
Her clotheswere scant and thread.
bare; she had no cloak, no shawl,
ard her little bare feet looked red
and suffering. She could not have
been more than eight years Old
She carried bundle in her hand.
Poorlittle shiveringch child! I,even
|, who could do nothing else, Pitied
her. As she passed me, her foot
slipped upon the ice, and she fell,
with a of pain; but she held
the bundle tightly in her hand
and jumping up, although she
limped sadly, endeayorcd to run
ION as before. =. ~ las
"Stop. little girl, STOP" said a
sweet voice; and abeautiful woman,
wrapt in large shawl. and with
furs around her, came out of jew
elcr's store close by. Poor little
child,r she said ''are you hurt
Sit down on this step, and tell me. ("
How | loved her, and low beau
tiful she locked s'Oh, ! cannot,
said the child, II cannot wait-l
am in hurry. | have been to
the shoemaker's, and mother must
finish this work tonight, or she
viii never get any more shoes to
bind" Tonight" said the beau
Itiful woman-.'to-night!" "1es, !"
said the child-for the stranger S
kind manner had made her bold
-"ycs, for the great ball tonight;
and these satin slippers must be
spangled, and The beautiful we-
man took the bundle from the ehild's
hand, and unrolled it. You do
not know why her face flushed,
and then turned pale; but !, yes |,
locked into the bundle, and on the
inside of slipper / saw q name
"a lady's name, written: lut |
shall not tell it. ra
"And where does your mother
live, little grip So the child told
her where, and then she told her
that hel father was dead, and that
her little baby brother was sick, and
that her mother bound shoes that
they might have bread; but that
sometimes they were very cold;-
and that her mother sometimes
cried, because she had no money
to buy milk for her little sick
brother. And then / saw that
the lady's eyes were full OF
tears; and she rolled up the bun
die quickly, and gave it back to
the little girl; but she gave her
nothing else-no, not even one SIX,
pence: and, turning away, went
back to the store from which
she had just come out. AS she
went away, i saw the glitter of a
diamond pin. Presently she. came
back, and stepping into hand
some carriage, rolled,oH. The lit
tie girl looked after her for a mo-
ment, and then, with her little
feet colder than they We're before,l
ran quicklyaway. | went with the
little girl, and | saw her go to a
narrow, damp street, land INTO a
small dark room; and 1 saw her
mother-her sad faded mother, but
with a face SO sweet, so patient,
hushirg and soothing a sick bahys
And the babe slept; and the MOTH
er laid it on her own lap, and the.
bundle was unrolled; and a dam.
candle helped her with her work;
for though it was not night yet her
room was very dark. Then, after
a while, she kissed her little girl
and bade her warm her poor little
frozen feet ersthe scanty fire in
the crate, and gave her a litac piece
of bread, for shehad mo more; and
she heard her say her evening
prayer, and, folding her tentierls
to her bosom, blessed her and told
her tLatthe angels would take care