Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1867-09-06

ment
"There," said he, now you-wiil do
something"
her bosom, and sobbed out, 90 Pauli Ny
little bifd,f o Paulr' Then she lay down
upon the pavement, and burst into such
| loud crying that Paul, to hush her, ran of,
and said he was going for policeman to-
| lock her up, ~ 4 Ell Es@ 81
| Nora had now lost her only comfort
No, not her only comfort, for she could
still watch the little girls walking with
beautiful ladies, and colld still listen, stand
ing upon the back piazza, to the singing of
evening hymns. And one day she discov-
cred something which gave her great joy.
/ Without knowing that she could, with
ont meaning to try to sing, she herself
sang AT first it was only faint humming
noise but she started with pleasure, for it
was the very tune in which the lady sang
HYMNS to her little girl. She tried again,
and louder. Then louder still, and at last
cried out go Paul! It's Just the same !
It's lust the same |! / didn't think could I
How could |, Paul p How did sing?"
| That was, hard summer tor Nora.
They had to go everyday out of town, and
1-earisome work it was, climbing fences
/ nd walking. over the rough ways. And
| yery few pennies did they get.
| But when winter came, 1t was much
worse. Nora begged few clothes for her
self and Paul but all they could get was
not half enough to keep out the cold, and
when night came they piled upwhat old
straw the cartman would give them, and
I crept under that.
| One very cold evening Paul said, ",Now
tonight we shall surely freeze to death"
| 90 moi" said Nora, 81 know where
there are such. heaps of straw. A man
came and emptied whole bed full" I
i And when it grew dark, they brought
bundles of this straw, and made bed OF
it in the corner of wall near church,
| "Now, if we only had something for
blanket" said Paul. Cant you beg
something for a blanket" ~ e
go no /" said Nora. " 1t is so cold. Let
me creep under the straw"
"Go, tell you," said Paul. .DIA
90, don't want to beg in the evening !"
said Nora.
/" You shall CO." said Paul, And he gave
her push.
Then, as he grew very cross, she said,
"Ill try Paul." and ran off in the dark.
1t was bitter cold night. The sharp
wind cut through her thin garments like a
knife. Men stamped as they walked to
keep their feet from freezing. ladies hid
| their faces behind their furs. Scarcely any
| one spoke but all went hurrying on, eager
to get out of the cold
"None of these people have anything
to give me for blanket" thought little
Nora.
She ventured to beg at few houses, but
the servants shut the doorsin her face, and
! she could hear them answer to the people
above stairs, "Only a beggar-girl"
For all it was SO cold, Nora could not
pass the window of the back piazza with
out looking in for moment The curtain
was partly drawn aside. No one was in
the room. But through the door she could
see another larger room, brilliantly lighted,
/ There were wax. candles burning, and a
bright fire was blazing in the fireplace.
There were vases of flowers upon the ta-
BILE, and the walls were hung with large pic
lures in shining git frames. Around the
the fire many people were seated, and the
little girl was bidding them all good night.
Nora could see them catch her up in their
| arms. One gave her ride on their foot,
another gave a her a toss in the air, and
one made believe put her in his pocket.
And to every one the little girl gave kiss
on both cheeks. 1ai sr 1"' "5 Fl
When her mother led her into the room
where Nora had so many times watched
the going to bed, and Nora saw, as she had
often seen before, the white shoulders
catch kiss, when the dress slipped Oft,
then the bright face peep through the
night gown and catch kiss, and the little
rosy feet put up to Lave the toes counted.
4 Then there were hugging and showers OF
kisses, and the little girl was laid in her
crib, and blankets tucked close about her.
Next came the evening hymn, which the
mother sang sitting by the crib. Poor lit,
tie Nora was almost benumbed with cold
but this singing was so sweet, she must
stop just few moments longer. Wrap
ping her thin shawl tight about her, she
stood bending over, her ear close to the
window, 80 that not a note might be
lost.
And soon, almost without knowing it.
she too was singing. But as Nora had new
err learned any hymns, she could only sing
what was in her mind: "Nora is cold. No.
ra has no blanket. Nora cannot kiss any
mother"
She sang very softly at first But hel
voice would come out. 1t grew louder
every moment; and this so delighted hel
that she forgot where she was,Aforgot the
cold, forgot everything except the Joy o.
the music. And when the tune ran high
her voice rang out SO loud and clear that
the lady heard inside, and came towards
the window.
Then Nora was frightened and ran away
She ran back to the corner of the church
where Panl was lying. He was asleep
now She crept in among the straw, AND
sat there shivering, looking up at the stars
She looked up at the stars, but she was
thinking of the goodnight kisses in the
lighted room around the Preside, and the
little girl lying asleep in her CRIB and the
loving mother watching near. And the
more these pleasant thoughts passed
through her mind, the more lonely and sor
rowful she felt
90 Paul p she whispered, "ifrI didn'
have you, shouldn't have anybody in TIT
world. Cool night, Paul" She put he
, arms softly around him, stroked his hair
and then tucked her thin shawl closel.
about him, just as the lady had tucked tn
!. him. GOOD night, Paul" she Whispers
\ again. - -, .lsas, :.
s shoulder and began to sing; but very soft
9 Nv. lest some one should hear. She sang c
q the blazing fire, of the candles burning, {
the flowers, of the pictures, of the undress
d inc. of the sleeping child, and then of tn
e other little children walking in the street
d led bv beautiful ladies' Then it seemed q
q if she herself were one of these little girl
In her dream, she too was dressed in ga
q clothes. warmed herself by glowing fire
Il or was led along in the warm sunshine
e 4 gentle lady. And all the while sh
,oaTood 70 Laor, on SINGING and eVprVhOd-