The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-01-25
The Little Heroine.
BY MRS. CAROLINE soULE.

Morning again ! and the weary, vast
ed invalid lifted his head from his pillow
and looked pitifully over the dim room.-
'Oh that the night had been longer : Fc
the wretched sleep is dear. My poor, poor
wife-my darling babies-Oh, must they
freeze and. starvey Oh, God it is toe
much =
And with tears gushing from his eyes
the pale man buried his head in the scanty
covering and groancd aloud.
1t was no wonder that he was out oI
heart on that cold, dark December day
At best, he had a hard struggle to get food
and for the past six months the struggl,
had been almost desperate, for his wife
had been unable to assist him in the least
being confined TO her bed with q slow,
wasting disease.
Ills little daughter Marie, pretty child
of twelve, kept the room tidy, and hersel
and two little brothers like wax. Bv the
aid Of her mothers whispered directions,
she also managed to cook the scantv meals
and also managed to do up the weekly
Washing and ironing.
MY little sunbeam, the father fondIy
called her, while the mother would say, in
her low sweet tones, or angel
One night the young houSckeeper wait
ed until it was pitch dark for her father tc
come home to his frugal supper, and then,
with fearful forebOding at her heart, un.
dressed the little boys and put them tu
bed, and tied on her cloak and hood to 90
for him.
A crowd met her at the very threshold
With a wild cry she rushed toward the
inanimate form they carried upon board
1t was her father brought home to then
with broken leg.
a week had passed since the misfortune
BY the sale of their few pieces Of furni
ture, the wolf had been kept from theil
door. But now nothing remained saw,
the coarse bed on which the distressed
ones slept. No coal for the little crate
no tea for the frverish lips; no crust fol
the famished children! What should bt
done
1t was question little Marie asked her.
self again sS they lay there watching the
few pale sunbeams that struggled through
the window.
And she asked it oftener after she had
risen and dressed herself and brothers
and smoOthed the two beds. Bread they
must have that day. They were all faint
even now, and the boys clamoring for
their breakfast.
Suddenly bright thought came to the
little daughter. She remembered having
seen in the coffee houses young girls, nc
taller than she, waiting upon the custom.
ers. Perhaps they would try her. ii
they only would, she murmured softly
1 am handy, quick and patient and
would try so hard to obfigc.' '''' e B."
Am pretty, too, she might truly have
added, had there been a spark of vanity
in her heart; for she was a sweet child
with brow like sunny snowdrift, anc
eyes like the spring violet that nestles il
the woodlands. 4 will try, at least, anC
see what can do ; and after watching &
moment the weary sleep of her barentS
she whispered to the little boys that SHE
was going out to get some bread for them
and hurried away.
She did 20 to the bakers, but her pitt
full story failed to touch his hard heart
and there were tears on her cold cheek a.
she turned away. Even if she secured {
place, she could hope for no wages unit
Saturday, and there were four weary day.
between this and that Bread would b,
too late if she waited till then. Wha
should she do-bcg? She asked hersel
the question with quivering lip. Never
before had their poverty driven them t
that strait, and it was hard, even now
with the picture of that wretched home
fresh in her vision, to plead for charity
But she did it. Again and again she salt
to the passer-by, please, sir. please, mad
am, give penny to buy bread for my sicL
parents.
But the gentlemen had their overcoat,
buttoned to their chins, and the ladie'
were enveloped in furs, and it was toC
much like trouble to find their pocket
books and purses just to supply beggar'
wants. g.
Go to the soup house, said one, at last
more ehnrlish than the rest. The city
provides for such as you.'
1t was a new idea to her, and as fast a
feet could carry her she went, and enter
ing in breathless haste told her story Il
the attendant matron,
1 will report the case to the commit
tee, said the woman quietly, making 1
memorandum of the name and number o
the street. Come in to- morrow morning
and will do what can for you
Tomorrow she would be too weak t,
walk 80 far by that time, and what woulC
become of the rest2
With heavy heart she went home, hav
ing no courage to present herself rs
waiter to any Of the coffee houses sh
passed on her way.
Did you get some, cried the boys
gathering about her, and pulling off he
cloak to see if it were hidden in her cloal
| or under her arms