The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-04-11

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'.Norning again r and the weary, wasted inva
lid lifted his head nom the pillow and lookst
pitifully over the dim room 'OA, that the nigh
lad been longsr!" To the wrstshea, slssp i
dear dear; IN p:Ss Adj, yt atS t::-
gushing from his eyes, the pale man buried hi
head in the scanty covering and grsaned aloud
1t was no wonder that he was out Of heart on
that cold, dark .Decenber day. At best he had
harifstruggls b get food, and for tho past six
msl6hst the struggle had besa desperste, for his
r1fe had be6ns unable 70, assist him id tho least
being confined to her bed with . slow, wasting
disease. His little daughter Marie, . pretty
child OF twelve, kept the room tidy. and herself
and two little brothers like wax. By the aid Of
her mothers whispered directions, she slso man
aged to do up the weekly washing and ironing.
"MyDlittl% sunbeam" the father fondly called
her, while the mother would say, ii her low,
sweet tones, tour angel"
One night the young housekeeper waited until
pitch dark for her father to come home TO fru-
gal supper, and then, with fearful forsbodings in
her heart undressed the little. boys and put them
to bed, and tied ON her hood and cloak to 20 for
him. A crowd was at the very threshold. With
q wild cry, she rushed toward the inanimate
form they carried upon board. It was her faith.
er brosgitlho withaIbroken leg.
A week has passed since this misfortune. BY
the sale Of a few pieces. Of furniture, the wolf
had been kept from tbs door. But now. nothing
remained save tho coarse bed ON which the dis
treked ones slept. No coal for the little CRATE
ished children! What should be doncY
= 1t was a question little Marie asked herself
again, as they lay there Watching the few pale
sun-beams that struggled through the window.
And she asked 1t oftener after che 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 clamoring
for their breakfast.
Suddenly bright thought came to the little
daughter. She remembered having seen in the
coffee houses, young girls no taller than she,
waiting upon the customers. Perhaps they would
try her. "If they only would" she murmured
softly. 81 am handy, quick apd patient, and
would try SO hard to oblige." am pretty, too,
she might have added, had there been spark of
vanity in her heart for she was a sweet child,
with brow like q sunny snow-drift, and eyes
like the spring violets that nestle in the wood
lands II will try and see what can do !" and,
after Watching moment the weary sleep of her
parents, she whispered to the little boys that she
was going out to get some bread for them, and
hurried away.
She did go to the bakers but her pitiful story
failed to touch his hard heart, and there were
tears on her cold cheek as she turned away Even
il she secured place, she could hope for no
wages until Saturday, and there were four wea-
~ days between this and that. Bread would be
too late if she waited till then What should
she do? She asked herself the question with a
quivering lip.--Never before had poverty driven
them to that strait, and it was hard, even now,
with the picture of that wretched home fresh in
her vision, to plead for charity. But she did it.
Again and again she said to the passer-by,
"Please, sir, please ma'am, give me penny to
buy bread for my sick parents"
But the gentlemen had their overcoats button
cd t. their chins and the ladies were envelopsd
in furs, and it was too much like trouble to find
their pocket books or purses, just to supply a
beggars wants.
''Go to the soup house," said ono at last, more
churlish than the rest. 1.-THE city provides for
such you"
1T was new idea to her, and as fast as her
feet could carry her, she went, and entering in
breathess haste, told her story to the attendant
matron.
81 will report the ease to the comm ittes" said
the woman quietly, making a memorandum of
the name and number of the street. "Come
Tomorrow morning, and will do what can for
you"
Tomorrow! she would become too weak to
walk so far by that time and what would become
of the rest? tA
With heavy heart, she went home having no
courage to present herself as a waiter to any of
the cotfee-houses sho passed on her way
'Did you get some z" cried the boys gathering
about her, and pulling off her cloak to see if it
were hidden in her cloak or under her arms.
ibid you get some!" said two faint voices
from tho bed in the corner, and the cOverlet was
thrown off, and tive pair of thin, white hands
put forth.
No no." she answered, plaintively; "But I
will try again. Keep up good hope"
a''Ihere will be plenty out OF the oven now.
Yes, plenty" she said to herself, buttoning her
cloak on the threshold; "plenty, and I'll have
some too. They shall not starvs. Men and NO.
men forsake me; God dosen't hear m. any Ion.
ger There is nothing left for me to do but to
steal" .., .,.,t.. .i.-r.
Her face paled ~ she spoke it, and for . few
moments there was wild wrcstle in her heart
Then she went on quietly pausiny an instant be.
fore each bakers door, and looking anxiously
within. BY and by she found one that seemed
empty.
A whole pile of ste.ming loavcs lay upon tn,
counter.
She rushed in AID seized enc, and, hiding il
under her cloak, fled madly up the street. Blu,
the baker had seen her from the little sitting.
room, and was after her, crying Justify, "Stor
thief stop thiefT A crowd followed her and the
psor child was soon run down.
"A clear case said the police officer, who tool
ner "bhs must 90 to the court ROOM"
In vsiA she pleaded with them, and told he,
story. I-, gIl NJ .7TT'7TF
They must do their duty she might have beg
ged' she might have gone to the soup.houss
there was no excuse fer stealing at any rate.
NO excuse, and her mother was dying 70,
food 'o 'o'
An important trial was just closing and all tn,
avenues to the court house was thronged.