The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-08-30
BIDDEFoRD, ME-. FRIDAY MORNING, AUGUST 80, 1867

wardly, the glrls courteslcd. afer which the
delegation retired. @G r..
"What manly boy that young Talbot
is," said Mr.. Elliot to his head clerk. lie
speaks good English. He will make bis
mark" ...-r.3 a.
When the work was done for that day in
the factory, John Talbot went to tho boss
Of the second floor.
"Mr. Harding" he said, :" little Ella Par
ker died ut daylight. She is to be buried
on Thursday. Mr.. Elliot has allowed MS
to attend the funeral. Mrs. Parker is very
poor She is not able TO give her child re-
spectacle burial. She has no relatives, no
friends here" s % .
81 suspect she has friend in you, Mas
ter Talbot. lrrcollect having seen her sew.
eral times. She is frnil woman, with
bright eyes, and small, delicate. hands. She
moved to this place from tho East about
two years ago. What do you want me to
do in the mattcr?"
"To start a subscription among the boss
workmen."
al will do It, Master Talbot would do
il to please you, even if there was no other
motive to prompt me. ] will head the SUBJ
scription with FIVE dollars-or, get MIR. Ell
liot to start it with twenty-five"
80, thank you, Mr.. Harding. She will
be so glad! And you will do this to.
night7" ...
al will do it now. I viii wayluy the
workmen as they go ont oftlhe door. Where
does the widow Parker live ?"
"At No. 43, Leonard street, second floor"
"By nine o'clock tonight | will call
there with tho money. You can take my
word for that, and creditablc sum II shall
be-"
The widow sat in her room, with her
llunds folded in her lap, rocking to and fro
and moaning. On a little bed lay the dead
child, dressed in a plain shrowd Of com
monest muslin. Her golden ringIets were
slowed away under the snowy cap, tho lips
were closed with smile, aud the long eye
lashes swept, like fringe Of gold, the
cheeks of marble whiteness.
The door opened, and the landlady en-
tered. She was robust. red faced, kind
hearted, very quick in her speech, and yer,
slow in her movements
"Wha, do you think, Mrs. Parker3' sh'
commenced. Didn't you offend me tli'
morning by limiting about the trife Of rem
that is due me, and so on: just as if it wa
in me to turn you out, and fail you VIII er
you needed me most2 And didn't ltry Il
console you, telling you that could wait
till it suited you to pay me, and lend you a
trhe Of money besides, yet, for the matter
of that-the good Lord would provide
Well, hasn't he been here and done II ?"
"Who? Done what?" asked the bewil
dered widow.
"Why, the Lord-or some one sent oi
the Lord A man thrust this roll Of bills
into my hands at the door, and said 1t was
for you. 1t is two hundred dollars, by
count-and not cent less"
The widow was overpowered. She
covered her face with her hands and wcpt.
10 Lord, | thank thee !" she murmured.
The morning of the funeral came. The
body was in the coffin. The landlady, q
clergyman, and few others were there.
The widow thought Of her old home, iar
away in the East, where she had friends in
abundance. and sighed. Yet what did II
matter if but few followed the beloved re.
mains to the grave? Had not little Ella
died triumphanty? Was shc no, already
singing among the shining legions?
80. Mrs. Parker, come anil look !" cried
the landlady, from the window. 30, II
makes ones heart come up in their throat"
The widow went TO tho window to look.
Down the street came slowly, walking two
by two, and cleanly clad, fifty boys and fifty
girls, followed by as many men, with Mr..
Harding ut their head. The procession
halted at the house and opened order.
Eigh, little girls, all Of one size, and dressed
in white, came up through the centre. They
were pail bearers. =.
need not carry this sketch farther. Any
little boy can understand what il teaches.
Thoughtful Master Talbot was at the bot.
tom Of il all. ..-