The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-08-21

begging when it's for them"
And then the door shut beh ind her
and poor Nick limped after her, IA,
though to stop her, then paused, ant
fhirly flung himself on the floor, wish
Ing he were under the ground beneath
Fit.
! "God forgive the man that marries a
woman to starve her, he sobbed. "Why
II I'd know II would have come TO this
I'd never had courted her. IT'S time
was dead"
|, Perhaps being a strange, impulsive
little fellow, there might have been d
tragic end to this scene, but that tho
| children came in from school, and be.
gan to cry-psrtly at the sight of their
PROSTATE father, and partly because OF
hunger aud Nick forgot hinisclf to do
what he coull for them. 80
=. lie had no dinner, but hc had great
deal of love to give them, and some
fpieces of red kid. And the fact that
kmOthcr and the basket were gone to.
. .gether, impressed them with the hope
fof provisions.
/ Meanwhile, Becky had gone begg-
ing. 1t would be horrible, no doubt,
she thought,t to take food from strangers
but she found that there was one
thing even more tcrrible-not to take
n.
Door after door was slammed in her
face. Once dog was set at her, or she
thought so. Professional beggars had
made themselves nuisances to many
people, and how were they to know
when real poverty asked aims. Men
whom they had pitied as paupers prov
ed to be owners of real estate. Cripples
and blind men whom they had aided,
were found to have bound up strong
limbs and glued their eyes together-so
they were hard upon real distress and
refused 1t broken bread.
At six that evening Becky stood ut a
street corner, with one crust in her bas-
ket--no more.
Beyond lay pawnbroker's shop; and
Becky looked Mt its golden balls and,
her wedding ring. She had worn it fif-
teen years, and it was thin and frail,
but pure gold. Through all, she had
kept it until now. Must it go? The
thought was worse than begging.
Becky took step forward, another
back. Then she began to cry little.
Nick's ring, that he put on her hand so
long ago--Oh, dear! oh, dear!
:. But she grew brave again, and walk
ed into the shop, pawned the ring! 1t
was not much they gave for it, hut il
would buy supper, and perhaps she
could get 1t back. That was very faint
fidea, perhaps, however. .....
\ "A woman was in the pawns hop, as
! she waited, bargaining with the pro
prietor over suit of little girls cloth
things. out OF place In hs'
hand. Becky noticed this, saying Il
herself that they were never fairly
tome- by. But she had forgotten al
about it, when, coming out of the ba.
ker's, a little voice fell on her ear, anG
looking down, sawa barefoot child, in
wretehed rags, sobbing piteously.
Becky was soft hearted; but, in poor
quarters, crying children are common
enough, and her own were waiting fol
the loavcs. in her basket. She walked or
hastily, and so upset the toddlcr, Their
Becky needs must stop and pick hci
up.
"Why don't you go home to y0ul
mother this nighttime" she said, "anC
not stand here to be knocked down"
And little sivcr voice of thrcat
answered
81 can't find mama. can't find my
home. Where il mama! oh, mama !!
Becky knelt down. A white head OF
crumpled curls, and pair of blue eyes
swimming in tearA, she could just max,
out.
"I'll take you home only sa.
where" she said.
, Rnt the child could tell nothing. |
J wa- plainly lost. Becky took 1t in he
arms, and made inquiries at the corne
, Grocery where she bought slice O
ham ; but no one knew the child. /
was growing late, too, and Becky coul'
not leave it to its fate.
"I'll take it home,' she said and "to
morrow find its folks"
, So, when the cobbler and his childre
in their juvenile views of such matter
opinioned that they had another litn
: sister.
"It's poor lost child" said Becky
w'n going to keep it tonight. Its pa
! rents are poorer than we are: you ca
see that by its bare feet and only on
. little frook poor thing Now hold hel
l Nick while cook supper didn't he
it, Nick-so don't fret"
l And then, keeping her ring-hnger ou
J of sight, Becky fried the ham, and mad
the gravy, and cut the bread, and sen
/ for two cents worth Of milk--which ju
!. diciously diluted, made quart of mil
and water, and tried to be very cheer
, full.
: The lost child cried, but Becky fed il
and soon coaXed it TO talk ; then came
3 story of Il blue dress, and nasty We
r man.
4 The youngest, who had chewed tn
( red kid, acted interpreter. Soon 1t va
discovered that some person describe
, as nasty, had taken away the child
blue dress and other garments, and ha
whipped her.
I Becky listened intently.
"That dress was blue, Nick" sh
, cried. II know iswasn't hers-a n tips,
: ragged woman; and folks that ow
1 them don't come pawnlng. I"
q Then she paused-the secret was on
D Nick's eye had glanced toward her wee
t ding ring, and back again to her face
80, Becky" he cried. "Decky, "
q didn't think
Rpcky flushed scarlet