Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-01-04
MI &C T. l. l. A Y.
F'Om the Flag of Our Uaion.
THE LITTLE HEROINE
Ut MRS. CAKoLINE A. soULK.

Y
20, that the night had been longer. Il
the wrrtched, sleep is dear. Nv poor VII,
my babe.-mu., they frSere' u God
this - too much" And with tear. gush,
ing from hi. eyes, the pale man buried hi,
bead in the sc,niy coverings and grOanei
aloud.
IL was no wonder be wa. out Of heart on
that cold, dark December day. A, bss, b,
bad bard struggle TO gvt food and clothes
for hi. family. aud for the pas. six mon,b.
The struggle bad been almost desperate. for
M. wife bad been unable TO assi-, him. bS-
ing confined 70 tho bed BY . slow wasting
disease. III, little daughter Marie. pretty
child Of twelve. kept the room tidy. and her,
sf and two little brothers ike wax. By
the Aid Of her mothers whispered direction.
,se also cooked the scaniy meals and she
even managed to do up the weekly amour;
Of ironing.
My little sunbeam her tthe- called
hsr, while her mother would say in bsr low
i5nss " our angel"
one night, the youn. housokeepsr wait
81 I'LL il was pitch dark for her father to
come home to hi, frugal supper, and then
With fearful forebOdins- a. her heart, un.
dressed the little boys and pu, them TO bed
sni tied on her hood and cloak 70 20 Tor
him 4 crowd net her AZ the threshold.
With a wild cry she rushed towards the in.
animate form they carried upon a bard.
I, was hsr father. brOugh, homo with .
broken lsg
week bad passed ,ince this misfortune.
BY the sale Of few pieces Of furniture, the
wolf bad been kep, from their door. But
nothing remained aSe the coarse bel on
which the DISTRESSED ones slept. No coal.
f1r the Little CRATE; no tea fOr the ieverish
lip.. no cru.,s Cor the fmishsd children.
What should Dc dons3
liwas a question little Mari. asked her
.eli again aud again, as she 10y there
watching the few pale 'anhsans ,ha, .,ras.
glrl through the windows. And she asked
4, oitensr after she bad arisen and dressed
herself and brothers and smoOihei two bsd..
Bread they mus, have ;ha, day. They
were all flin. even then, and the boys clam.
oring f5r their breakfast. Suddenly a
bright though, came 70 the little daughter.
She remcmbercd having seen in some coffee
houses, young girls no taller than she,
waiting upon the customers. Perhaps they
would try her. "lf they only would, ." she
ngrnurcI softly. II am handy, quick
aai patient. aud would try 50 hard 10
o5Iisc." Ian pretty, too, she nigh, hav.
Alted. had there been spark Of vanity IN
Der heart. fJr she was swee, child, with
brow like sunny snow-driI,, and eyes
Ike .pr,ng violets .ha, nestle in the wood
lands. - wall Try =, lSas, and see what |
can 90 - aud AFTER watching few mo-
usuis the weary sleep Of her parents, she
whispered 10 the lilsls boy, iha, she was
going oct 10 get some bread Tor them, and
buried away.
She DID 20 70 the bakers, but her pIsiiul
story failed 70 touch has hard heart, and
there were tears on her cold cheeks Is .he
turned away Even Il she secured a place,
sic could bops Tor no wages tall Saturday,
sni there were tour days between this and
that Bread would be too late IL she wait
si al then. What should she do" beg
She asked herself the question with aquiy.
srins lip. Never before had their poverty
driven them 70 that strait. and 4, was hard,
even now. With that picture Of iha, wretch
et home, fresh in vision, 20 plead for chart
~. Bgi she did not. Again and again
she said TO the rassers-by, please, cir,
please ma'an, give me a penny to buy
bread for my .ck parents" But the gen
t.enen had their oVercoais but,oned 10 their
ehin,. and The ladies were onveiopet in furs,
aud it was too much trouble to snt ,heIr
pocks,So0ks or purses ju,i to supply her
wants
eco 10 the soup.house." said one al
last, more churlish than 'the rest. The
city provide. Tor such as yoa."
I, a.. new idea TO her. and as, as feet
could carry her she went. and entering in
sreathle.. haste, told her story to the at.
iendant mairon.
- will report III. case to the commit.
ies. said the woman, quietly, making q
memorandum Of the name Of the street
"Cone in tomorrow morning and | will
DO wha; can for you"
Tomorrow She would be TO weak
10 walk - far BY that time, aud whA'
would be become Of the rest' With hea
y hear, she went home, having NJ eourag'
- present. herself as waiter 10 any coffee
house she pas-ei on ber way.
"Dh YOU &c; some - cried the boys
and they gathered about her, pallins of
her cloak 10 ses il 4, were hidden in bet
apron or under her arms.
Did you get 'Ous7' said two faint vol
ce. from the bel ia the corner, and the Gov
srlst "a. thrown Of and Two pair Of hand
pu, forth.
"No, no." she answered plain'irely
"but will try again. Keep up good hope
There wall be plenty out Of the oven now
Yes plenty" she said to herself. as she but
toned her cloak on the threshold; " plenty
and I'll have some, too. They shall no
s;arve. hen and women for.aks me /. Co
doesn't bear me any longer; there is moth
l. -. Il