The workingman's advocate. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1864-1877, 1868-03-07
THE LITTLE HEROINE.

/ invalid hfted n's DeAu HVth eu0 PiA'V" 80
looked pitifuIly over the dim room ph,
that The night had been longer To the
wretched sleep IL dear. my poor, poor
wife-my darling b&bies-most They freeze
and siarveg Aud, with tears gushing from
his eyes, the poor man buried his head Ia
the scanty covering and groaned aloud:
Il was no wonder tnat be was out OF neart
on the cold, dark December day. AT best
he had hard struggle 70 get iood, ana ipr
the past SIX months the struggle lad been
desperate, for his wife had been unable 70
assist him In the least, being confined to heF
bed with slow, wasting disease. his httie
daughter Marie, pretty chlld OF Twelve,
kept the room tidy, and herself, ani two ht-
lie brothers, ike Wax. By the aid OF her
mothers Whispered duectioDs, she also
managed tc do up the weekly washing and
ironing. s.,i.
NV little sunbeam, the fathe- fondly
called her, while the mother would say, IN
her low, sweet tones, our angel
Que night the young bousekeeper waited
until it was pitch dark for her iAtheT = come
home tc frugal supper, and then, with fear
full forebodings at her heart, undressed the
little ooys and put them TO bed, and tied on
her hood and cloak to e. Tor him. A crowd
was at the very threshold. WITH Wild cry,
she rushed toward the inanimate form they
carried upon q board. Il was her father,
brought home with broken leg. a week
passed since this misfortune. By the sale OF
the few pieces OF furnIIure, the wolf bad
been kept from the door. But now, nothing
remained save tha coarte bed on which The
distressed ones slept. No coal for the Hide
srate. no tea for the feverish lips; no crust
for the !smished childIen! What should be
done
was question little Marie asked her
self again, as they lay there watching the
few psle sunbeams that struggled through
the window. And she asked 1t oftener after
she hal risen and dressed herself and
brothers, and smoothed the two beds.
Bread they aust have that day. They Eere
all faint even now, and the boys clamoring
for their breakfast.
Suddenly 4 bright thought came 10 ths
Iiufe daughter. She remembered having
seen. IL the coffee-houses, young girls no
taller than she, waiting upon the Customers.
Perhaps they would try her. III Ibey only
you'd she murmured softly. ] an handy,
suick and patient, and i would try 80 hard
% oblige. / am pretty. too, she pight ars.Y
have ADDED, haE there bAs:- Spark OF vanity
IN her heart. e. S1e was a sweet child, with
h-gmnke sunny snow drift, and eyes ike
the spring viois.s ma, nestle in the wood
lands. d wllI try, at least. and see what l
can do;' and after watching a moment the
weary sleep Of her parents, she whispered TO
the little boys that she was goiag out to get
some bread for them, and hssried away.
She did 20 to the bakers 1T her pitiful
story failed to touch his aard heart, and
there were tears on her cold cheek as she
turned away. Even If she secured place,
she could hope for no wages until Saturday,
and there were four weary days between this
and that. Bread would be too late If she
waited TIL then. What should she do
beg ? She asked herself the question with
a auivering lip. Never before bad their
noyerty driven them to that strait, and it
was h ard, even now, with the picture Of that
wretched home fresh 10 her vision, to plead
for charity. Bot she did it. Again and
again she said 10 the passer-by, Please, sir,
please, ms'am, give me emmy to buy bread
io- my sick parents
But the gentlemen had their overooats up
TO their chirs, and the ladies were envelopcd
IN furs. and it was too much like trouble to
find their pocket-books or purses, just to
supply beggar's wants ...t +.
'Go to the soup house, said one, at lasG.
more churlish than the rest. 'The city pro-
vides for such as you
Ii was new idea to her, and, as fast as
her feet could carry her, she went, and
entering in Greatness haste, told her story
to the attendant matron.
81 will report the case to the committee
said the woman quietly, making a memoran-
dunn Of the name and number Of the street.
Come tomorrow morning, and viii Do
what IAN for YOU
Tomorrow she would become too weak
to walk so far by that time, and what would
become of the rest
With heavy heart, s.e " .nt home, haY-
ing no courage to present herself as waiter
to sny Of the coffee-houses $40 passed on
her way.
sDid you get somer cried the boys,
gathering about her, and pulling of her
cisza 80 Sc y :. Sc:-s tiddes id or s:5ss as "a
under her arms. ~
did you get somef; said two faint voices
from the bed in the corner, the covsrlet was
thrown of, and two pairs Of thin, white
hands put forth. +
No, no. she answered, plaintiyely but
will try again. Keep up good hope
'fhere viii be plenty out or the oven now.
Yea, plenty she said to herself. as she but
tom toned y. her s.ao cloak o on the thfsSsold PIsn:
.tarve N. Men ana so@sn forsska me Ioe' Goa SSi
s.Als. - AZ. o.nen .o NJ NJ uvu
ooesns ,.c ncal me .nI iUns 'usfe =
ooslins .e's -. .,as me " ~ Dus s.s.
~ so+.sr,. - s, shsrs ..s ia rrss,Is NJ 4 y
heart - Tnen sbs went on Quietly. pausine
an instant before each bakers door. and
= ~. Z 80 - -