Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1867-03-30

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incessant toll she sat, with her wailing
babe upon her bosom, gazing out with
hopeless, fearful eyes, upon the dismal
scene beneath her attic-window.
In the meantime, little Louise made
her way through narrow by-streets, and
squallid alleys, into the most populous
and fashionable part of the city The
biting wind still continued to blow with
dreary saddening wall, drifting the
low, leaden clouds, and the mist-like
snow. But she walked on bravely, and
reached at last Mrs. Rawdon's. A
dazzling glow of light poured from all
the lofty windows, and sounds of music
and merry making foated out upon the
frosty air. Mrs. Rawdon was giving a
grand party in honor of her eldest
daughters birth-night. Louise crept
up the marble steps, pulled the bell.
A footman in livery answered her timid
summons.
"Can I see Mrs. Rawdon, please
sir ?'' she asked.
"See Mrs. Rawdon, indeed and she
in the parlor in the very middle of COM
pany! Of course, you CAN'T
He was closing the door, but Louise
caught at his sleeve, and cried out i'm
ploringly:
"Oh, sir please wait! Here's the
work she wanted Miss Violet's frock,
you know. Mother promised it by to-
night; do let me take it up to her."
The man hesitated a moment and
then turned back.
Miss Violet's frock," he said !;
"she wanted it, l know. I heard her
fussing because it didn't come home.
Maybe she'll see you. I'litry, anyhow.
Come in here and wait"
Louise followed him through the
arched hall and past the glittering par
lors, into a kind of ante room adjoining
the upper apartment. Here, motioning
her to seat, he went in search of his
mistress But it was full half hour
before Mrs. Rawdon could disengage
herself from her guests and poor little
Louise, tired out with waiting, and be-
numbed with cold, was Just on the
point of bursting into tears, when the
lady swept into the room.
"This is pretty business, now ism t
it ?' she began, as she received and
unfolded the bundle that Louise prof
fered her. Il thought you promised
to bring this yesterday ?"
Yes, a'am; but little Willie was
so sick that mother couldn't sew"
"Oh, yes that's always the way
you have some excuse ready; but l
shan't trust you again, you may depend
on it. Here Violet's been crying for
an hour, and refused to come down be-
cause she was so disappointed about
her dress. John ring the bell for Jane
to take it up to her. l must go back
to the parlor now"
She was sweeping out again, her sat
in robes rustling after her; but Louise
sprang up with a piteous cry.
"Oh, ma'am! little brothers so ill,
and must have his medicine please
let me have the money!"
" can't to-night-Pm entirely out
of change. You can call day after to-
morrow"
But Louise was not to be repulsed
She caught the ladys hand in both of
her little frozen palms. One of the
rings that adorned Mrs. Rawdon's soft
fingers would have procured all the
comforts her mother and little Willie so
sorely needed. Some such thought
flashed through the child's mind as she
made her appeal.
"Oh, madam she said, cher blue
eyes full of imploring entreaty," you
are rich and happy, and have all you
want; but my poor mother has nothing;
and my poor little brother will die with
out medicine! Do let me have the
money!
Mrs. Rawdon shook her off impa-
tiently.
81 tell you I've no change. You
must call again. John show her the
door"
The footman obeyed, and Louise
soon found herself upon the marble
steps, while the lofty doors closed in
her very face with heartiess slam.
The wind howled more dismally than
ever, and the keen, singing sleet fell
like a shower of shot. Louise descend
ed the stairs and crossed over to the
opposite sidewalk with a dull, aching
pain at her heart, that almost took
away her breath. How could she go
back to her desolate home, and tell her
poor mother that she had failed to COL
lect her hard-earned wages-to tell her
that they were not able to buy even so
much as solitary loaf? Was it right
that others should have so much, while
they lacked daily bread? Just then
something beneath her foot, soft and
slippery, almost threw her to the pave
ment. Looking down, she saw a pock-
et-book. She caught it up with a sup
pressed cry, and thrusting it into her
bosom, darted off at the speed of an
antelope. At last, out of breath, and
half beside herself with excitement, she
paused beneath lamp post, and after
glancing stealthily around her, drew
the treasure from her bosom. 1t was
large, thick and heavy. Her fingers
huttered nervously as she unclasped it !;
and when she caught sight of the green