The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-04-09

Morning again a" and the weary,
wasted invalid lifted his head from the pill
low and looked pitifully over the dim room
"Oh, that the night had been longer. :"
To the wretched sleep is dear. MY poor,
poor wife-my darling babes-must they
freeze and starve?" And with tears gush.
ing from his eyes, tho pa!e man buried his
head in the scsnty covering and groaned
aloud
1t was no wonder that he vas out of
heart on that cold, dark December day.
At best ho had a hard struggle to get food
and for the past six months the struggle
had been desperate, for his wife had been
unable to assist him in the least being con-
fined to her bed with slow, wasting dis
ease. His little daughter Marie, pretty
child of twelve. kept the room tidy, and
herself aud two little brothers, like wax.
By the aid OF her mothers whispered d.
rectious, she also managed to do up the
weekly washing aud ironing.
My little sunbeam" the father fondly
called her, while the mother would say, in
her low, sweet tones, " our angel"
One night the young housekeeper wait
ed until it was pitch dark for her father to
come home to frugal supper, and then,
with fearful forebodings at her heart, un-
dressed the little boys and put them to bed
and tied on her little hood aud cloak to gs
for him. A crowd was at the very thresh-
old. With wild cry, she rushed toward
the inani,na:e form they carried upon a
bosrd. It was her father, brought home
with broken leg.
A week has passed since this misfortune
BY the sale of the few pieces Of furniture
the wolf had been kept from the door.
But now nothing remained save the coarse
bed on which the distressed ones slept.
No coal for the little CRATE no tea for the
feverish lips; no crust for the famisheG
children what could be done.
1t was a question little Marie asked her
self again, as they lay there watching the
few pale sunbeans that struggled through
the window And she asked il otteneI
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
slamoring for their breakfast.
Suddenly bright thought came to the
little daughter. She remembered having
seen in the coffee house young girls nc
taller than she waiting upon the custom
ers. Perhaps they would try her. III
they orly would" she murrured softly
q" am handy. quick and patient, and
would try SO hard to oblige." =. am pret
ty, too. she might have truly added, had
there been spark Of vanity in her heart
for she was a sweet child. with a brow like
a sunny slowdrilt, aud eyes like the sprins
violets that ne-t.e in the woodlands. :. /
will try, at least. and see what | can do !; ,
and after watching a moment the weary
sleep of her parents. she whispered to the
little boys that she was going out to sc
some bread for them and hurried away
She did 90 to the bakers but her PHI
ful story failed to touch his hard heart
and there we're tears on her cold cheek a
she turned away Even if she secured 8
place, she could hope for no wages unit
Saturday. and there were four weary day
between this aud that. Bread would b.
too late if she waited till then. Wha
should she do-begy She asked hersel
the question with quivering lip. Neve
| before had poverty driven them to tha
strait, and it Was hard, even now with tn
picture of that wretched home fresh in he
vision, 70 plead for charity. But she do
, it. Again anc agaiE she said TO the pass
er-by, " Please, sir. please, ma'sm. Civ
me penny to buy bread for my sick pa
rents"
But the gentlemen had their ovorcoat
| buttoned up to their chinS. and the ladie
, were e,veloped in furs. aud it was to
much like trouble to find their pock
3 or purses. just to supply begsar's wants
Go to the soup house" said one. u
last, more churiish than the rest "Th
city provides for such you
. feet could carry her she went, and enterin
= in 5reathless haste, told her story to th,
3 attendant matron.
O Il will report the case to the comi'
: tee" said the woman quietly, making
i memorandum Of the name and number @
: The street. Come in Tomorrow morning
# and will do what can for you"
g To-morrow. she would become too wea
IS to walk SO far by that time. and wha
II would hecome OF the rest
II With heavy heart she went home. hay
J. ing no courage TO present herself as wal
1t or to any Of the coffee houses she passe
y on her way.
l. did you get some!" cried the boy
IT catering about her, and pulling off he
Is cloak to see in were hidden in her cloal
ID or under her arms.
l. did you get some? said two sa;I
h voices from the bed 10 the corner, and I'll
u cnverlet WAS thrown off. and two pairs
r. thin, white hands put forth.
Is "No, no, she answered. plaintively
3, "but 1 will try again. Keep up GOO
q hope"
y, There will be plenty out of the ove
d now. Yes, plonty," she said 10 herself.
=. she burtoned her oiosk on the thresholc
ID " plenty. and I'll have some. too. The
B-b~hsy MA arayvA Men vnd vUuaan &usal