The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-02-20

repeated question was this time an
swered in the affirmative. Yes, they
were here. Fallen so low as this
The Boultbys mounted the filthy
stairs, sWarming at every fight with
squalid children, up and up till they
reached the topmost garrett Here
they knocked, and In a minute a
woman came out, closing the door
behind her. A woman-but could
that lean, careEorn creature. with
untidy hair and threadbare clothes that
hung closely about her pinched figure.
could that really be the bonny eomely
Mrs. Timmins of old days? Jane
Boultby was past speaking by this
time, her knees were shaking under
her; she could hardly stand, but she
signed to her husband to tell her
story. He did so at once, in a frank,
manly way, standing all the time In
the dreary passage. He touched ten
derby upon the various incidents, but
he omitted nothing, AID he ended by
humbly entreating forgiveness for ais
wife. His listener heard him in en-
tire silence, and as he paused, wall
ing voice called from within: " Moth
er, mother, do GOMEZ
Mrs. Timmins turned without a
word, and hurried back, leaving the
door wide open. The Boultbys fol-
lowed her. There was not an atom
of furniture in the wretched room
except two straw pallets, and some
old boxes which served as seats; no
signs of food, no FIRE on that bitter
day. On the floor beside the empty
CRATE. crouched two boys of nine
and ten, while girl, year or two
older, was trying to infuse some
of her own vital warmth into a
little child of four. They were all
dark haired, and Mrs. Boultby's eye
passed them, and Went to where Mrs.
Timmins was bending over a pillow
of straw, on which a little golden
head was lying. The mother could
contain herself no longer. She few
across the room, and threw herself
on her knees by the side of the pallet.
My baby, my babyl" she cried.
Johnny opened his blue eyes with a
look of wonder, but did not speak.
He is dying" hoarsely whispered
Mrs. Timmins, dying Of hunger. y
For one moment Mrs. Boultby
turned away her eyes from the child.
" Fetch food, she motiOned with her
lips to her husband; and he was gone
in a moment. a4H.t
There was a silence in the room
till his return, both women brood
ing over the child At last he
came, laden with all that
he had been able to seize
in raid of two minutes upon the
pastry cooks, and followed by a boy
bearing a steaming can Of soup. The
children on the floor looked up, and a
ray of hope shone on their white
faces. Mrs. Timmius held a spoonful
of soup to Johnny's mouth, and hi
mother raised his head A kind of
stupora seemed to have crept over him,
but he swallowed the soup, and one or.
two spoonfuls more, and then as they
laid him down. light came into the
blue eyes, and a murmur from the
childish lips Thy will be done.
Forgive us. oar trepasses as We" 1t.
was the right word. 1t touched the
hearts trings of both his hearers.
With food of tears, Mrs. Timmins
held out her hand to the woman who
had been the cause Of her HUSBAND
ruin, saying, God bless You for hav-
ing come In time to save him; he is
like my own. forgive you for his
sake. And the two women embraced
aud kissed each other by the side of
the child's poverty-strieken bed.
The sun rose bright and clear on
Christmas Day. About noon Henry
Boultby carried little, weak johnny
in his strong arms to warm CHEEKY
lodging in a healthy neighborhood.
Most of the family had moved some
hours before, so as to be ready to re-
ceive him, and the child looked round
with amazement when he had been
softly laid on the little white bed in
the corner. Mrs. Boultby had deck
ed the room with holly and mistletoe
.boughs, cosy fire was cracking
out It's welcome, kettle was singing
iOn the hob, and the table was spread
for the dinner that was already
sending out savOry Whiffs from the
adjoining Kitchen. Mrs. Timmins
was there. already beginning to smile
and beam again, surrounded by her
children 10 beautiful warm winter
dresses, and Mrs. Boultby waiting on
them all. Johnny's ideas were vague
as to the relationship IN which she
stood to him, but he had no objection
TO find a second mother in the loving
woman who watched and petted him
so tenderly. m. aa fea
Presently in came Mr. Timmius,
who had been forbidden to make his
appearance earlier, aud his astonish
ment was a sight worth seeing. An
arm chair had been drawn up to the
fireplace, and Henry BouItby's CHEEKY