Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1868-03-20
THE LITTLE HEROINE.

Invalid lifted his head from the pillow. and
looked pitifsily over shc din,room. .1i,, tha
the night had been longer y 10 lie wretcheI,
sleep is dear. "My poor, poor wife my dar
ling babies must they freeze and starve p
And, with tears gushing from his eyes, the
ra'e man buried his head in The sc;.,.ts cover.
ing aud groanej aloud. asis a-
II wns no wonder that he was out Of heart
on that cold, dark December day. At best he
had hard struggle to gel food, and for the
past six months thes struggle had been des-
peratc, for his wife had been unable to ASST /
him in the least, being c,nfned 10 her bed
with slow, wasting disease. His little daugh-
ter Marie, pretty child of twelve, kept the
room tidy, and herself, and Two lille brotLers
like wax. By the aid of her mothers whis-
Pered directions, she also managed to do up
the weekly washing and ironing.
My little sunbeam,r the father fondly call
ed her, while the mother would ssy. in her
low, sweet tones, tour angel"
One night the young shousckeeper waited
until it was pitch dark Tor her father 10 come
home toa frugal supper, and then, with fear.
ful 70, eboLings at her heart, undrcssc.l the
little boys. and pnt them to bed, and tied on
her hood and cloak to 60 for him. A crowd
was At a yer, threshold. With a Wild cry,
she rushed toward The inanimatc form they
carried upon board. II was her father.
brought home witLa brokep, leg.
sAN E Il IL x
f,week has passed since This misfortune.-
By the sale Of the fcwfieccs Of furniture the
wolf had been kepsfrot the door. But now,
nothing remained save The coarse bed on
which the distressed ones slept No coal for
the little gratei no tea for the feyerish, lips
no Crust for the famished children What
should be done. 41a Er sr s
Y vas question little Marie asked herself
agAia, a. they lay there watching the few rale
snabeams that struggled through the window.
And che asked j, ofteper after she had risen
and dressed herself ana brctLers, and smooth
ed the two beds. Bread they must have that
day. They were all faint even now, and the
boys elamorias for III breakfast. w.
Suddenly brig 11ahsA Asht came to the LITTLE
daughter. She remembered having seen, in
the com e.hooses, young girls no taller than
she, waifiag bPonn the casiomers... Perhaps
they vouldfryl her. III they only would
she rnurmured softiy. Il am handy. quick
and patient, and would try 20 hard to obliee.
am pretty, too, she might truly have aided,
hadAhsrc. .hee4 > ppetk .sf vanity ia her Aeaft
for she *asA sweet chiid, with brow like
sunny sass-drift, sud syeSlike the spring
vioie,s That nsitle IN tbs.Foodlauas. Il viii
tryii~t lsnsti and sts< <hft can DO = and af-
ter watching . nodeht 1he weary slscp Of her
parents, abe whispered sstheiylitue boys that
shs Nas sssiAs sat 4 to set some bread FOR them,
and hurried sway Z r.e5 eas ai ,.eal,aa-ilSs
She did 60 70 the bakers but her lpitifnl
story failed to touch his hard heart, and there
were tears On her cold cheek as she turned
away. Even II shS secured flace. she could
hope for no wakes until Saturday, and there
we're four weary days between this and tha4.
Bread would be too late If she waited I'LL ther,
What should she do-beg? She asked her.
self the question with quivering lip. Never
before had their povsfty driven them to tina, |
strait snd it was hard, even now, with The |
picture of that wrstq6ed home fresh in her |
vision, to plead for eAsrity. But shs did It.
Again and again she said to The passer-by, |
please, 'sir, pleass, ma AM give me penny |
to buy bread for my sick parents"
But the gentlemen had their overcoats but /
toned up to their chins, and the ladies were
enyeloped in furs, and it was too much like
trouble 70 dnd their poeket. hooks Or purses,
just sesdppay abeggars wants. -
"Go 70 the soup-house,". said one, at last
mofs cfuriisn thsd liz rest ssrhe city pro.
vides for such % you." ''''~ - -
II was . new idea to her, and, as fast Is her !!
feet could carry her, she went and, entered |
In breathless haste, told her story to the A.
At9lfsiA. o!,.l n i. ...pl,...,
saisiteV1l1i1S huietI, 0&Amk ) ,Asnemn.
aom OF the name and number Of street. "Comc
n Tomorrow morning, and win do what I
pan for you"
Tomorrow she would become too weak 10
walk 90 far By that time, and what would be.
|(ss %'i ,.,s w. ..,., ! ....s... ...,..
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