Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1867-07-24

was almost crying.
A few persons stopped to listen Julian
walked out to the door. What voice the
child had-like bind
After the last note died away, he went up
to her. She looked wistfuly at him out of
her large blue eyes.
wv no taught you to sing?' he asked
directly.
mo one.
''Where do you live?'
II haven't any home now. | did live
| with Granny, but she's dead. She went
| round with an organ. F"
wv hat your name p
Cherry"
Arather blue cherry" Julian said, sun
less 1t s the end of your nose. And then
he gave such a warm, honest smile that
| Cherry smiled too, albeit the tears ran over
her pale cheeks.
where are you going to- night ?"
Il don't know" She glanced furtively
down the street.
Julian looked in the window again. Not
at music boxes this time. He was thinking,
in sort of crude, boyish fashion, of this
poor child, and the other little one at home
| Just the same age, may be- What if he
| took her home? She could sing to Alice
! and amuse her; she could save his mother
| for sewing. 1t would cost something to take
care of her, and they we're poor but then
his eight dollars would last a while And
| since he couldn't have the music box
DO you know any other songs?" he
| asked.
20, lots; ever so many. | wish | could
| sing EN- for you. You look so kind
Il have a little sick sister at home; Moth
er h asn't any voice, and Alice is so fond of
music Would you like to go and sing to
her p
20, so much but tomorrow will be Sun
day, and [ don tknow many Sunday tunes +"
We'll manage that. Poor Alice
wish she could run about like you but /
wouldn't want her out here in the cold.
Come along.
When they turned into darker by-street,
Julian wanted to put his arm around her to
the courage. How this frosty air must blow
through her thin clothing. One more cor
ner and they were there Through long,
dark hall, up flight of stairs. The light
from the open door almost blinded Cherry,
and the warmth was so nice.
I've brought home a poor little girl,
mother, who must have been taken to the
Station house. for she haSn' any friends
And | want Alice to hear her sing.
Alice raised her head from the pillow
Her hair was fair and golden, as was Cher
ry's when she pulled off the old hood. You
might almost fancy they were sisters, save
that Alice had bright red spot in her
cheeks. while Cherry's were blue as Julian
had said
They warmed and fed her She thawed
into charming sunniness; she sang some
wonderful ballads, and made the room ring
to the music of her voice. Alice drew
long breaths OF enjoyment She told them
her story, and of her own dear mamma,
who had first call her Cherry. Mrs. Evans
tears fell silently on her work.
When both girls had been dismissed to
bed, Julian related how he had been saw
ing his money for the music box. And
thought we'd have little birthday feast
over it, he said; ''but now II give it to
yOn. 1t will help to take care of Cherry
while. If was only man, mother; but
boys seem such great useless things, earning
so little, and wanting so much.
His mother kissed him for his birth day
1t was all the gift she had.
They kept little Cherry. She grew
round and rosy, and deserved her name
She did errands, swept the house, and was
SO useful they wondered how they had ever
without her. Always bright, sing
ing like bird, and full of tender care for
Alice. The sick child was so happy that
they hardly noticed how much weaker she
grew. And at last she lay in her mother
arms, waiting peacefully until the angel of
God came and took her up to heaven.
Poor little Cherry! This seemed harder
than even mammals S death, SO long ago.
other voices would sing to her day and night,
No n,a ,oaJa1 bar n if tho World ,vacnit
quite 50 wide and dreary. So she crept about
with her sad, silent face, and asked mute
questions with her pitiful eyes.
Mother, Julian said, one night,
have you thought about Cherry? The
moor child is breaking her heart
'She loved Alice so," the motherre ponded
81 know it. And | don't feel as if |
could ever part with her. I'll work for her
IS | would have for Alice. She will not |
De much trouble, mother. Let us keep |
her
Part with her!" Mrs Evans re-echoed. |
why, she seems almost like Alice L
ion't know how | could have given up my |
own child, if God had not sent Cherry to
AXE her place. Every day she has grown
more and more into my heart
81 m glad you feel SO. Up in heaven her
mother has our little Alice; - and Julian
made a great effort to steady his voice.
And so even little Cherry had her mis-
ZION. Growing up into womanhood tender
Y cared for, she never forgot the cold
light in the street, when, homeless and
irIendless, in the very depths of her child
sh despair, she had sung because her
,eart was strangely moved, and she could
lot help it. The one truth she bad been
aught proved even so. God cares for us all
80 ------
A Lively Hibernian exclaimed at party
where Theodore Hook shone the star of the