The Hickman courier., 1868-05-09
The Little Heroine.

pillow and looked pltifuliy over the dth
room. ''Oh, that the night had bee
longer! to the wretched, sleep is dear'
"My poor, poor wife-my daring babs
must they freeze and starye p Als
with tears gushing from his eyes, th
pale man buried his head iu the scant.
covering and ~groaned aloud
1t was no wonder that be was out q
heart on that cold3 dark December dad
At best he-had ashard struggle to "a
food, aud fN8the past six months II,
struggle had beendesperate, for his wi
had been unable to assist him in tal
least, being confined to her bed with /
slow, wasting disease His little daug
ter, Marie, a pretty child of twelf
kept the room tidy, aud herself. and i j
little brothers, like wax. BY the aid,{
her motner's whispered directions,
also managed TO do up the weekly was
ing and ironing
" Ny little sunbeam, the father NJ :
II called her, while the mother We
/ sSy. in her low, sweet tones -
/ waited until it was I'SsSs'- g : :
father to come home to fe1,-
and then, with fearful forell 80 ats.ss
heart, undressed the little49S prt..SS
them to bed. and tied on hs.rtS-4 ANN
cloak to go for him. \ crowd rs Az
the very threshold With wildNrxA
she rusI0d toward the inauimate forms
they carried upon a board. 1t was her
father, brought home with broken leg
A week had passed since this misfor
tune By the sale Of the few pieces Of
furniture the Welt had been kept from
the door. But now nothing remained
save the coarse bed on which the dis
tressed ones . pit No coal for the lit
tie crate no tea for the feverish lips /;
no crust for the famished children
What could be done? 1t was a ques-
ton little Mario asked herself ag In, a
they lay there watching the few pale
sunbeams that struggled through the
window. And see asked it oftener after
she had risen and dressed herself and
brothers. and smoothed the two beds
Bread they must have that day. They
we're all faint even now, and the boys
clamoring for their breakfast
Suddenly a 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 muir
INJURED softly Il am handy, quick, aud
patient and / would try so hard to OBJ
lige" / am pretty, too, she might have
truly added had there been a spark of
vanity in her heart for she was a sweet
child, with brow like a sunny snow
drift, and eyes like the spring yiolets
that nestled in the woodlands. . | will
try, at least, and see what | can do,
and after watching a 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 thesbakers but her pitt
ful story failed TO touch his hard heart
tud there were tears or her cLeek as 81 &
siaee,she could hope FOR no wages M d
til Saturday, and there were four weary /
days before this and that. Bread would
be too late if siie waited till then. What /
should she do-beg? She ked herself
the question with a quiveriug lip. Never !
before had poverty driven them TO that
state, and it was hard, even now with the
picture of that wretehed home fresh in
her vision. Again and again, she said !
to the passer-by, Please, sir, ma'anl,
give me penny to buy bread for NY
sick parents. "
But the gentlemen had their overcoats /
buttoned up to their ehins, and the la
dies were enveloped in furs and it was
too much hike trouble to find their pocket /
books or purses. just to supply beggar's
wants.
Go to the soup house" said one. at |
last, more churlish than the rest. {" The !
city provides for such as you.
1t was a new idea to her, and as fast |
as feet could carry her, she went, and, !
entering in breathless haste, told her I
story to the attendant matron
q will report the case to the COM
mittee, said the woman quietly, making I
} memorandum of the name and number
IF street. g Come in tomorrow morn
ng, and will do what l can for you.
To morroYs1she would become too
weak to walk SO far by that time, and
what would become of the rest?
With heay Aheart, she went home,
laving no courage to present herself as
waiter to any of the coffee houses she
passed on her way.
'sDid You get some p cried the boys
about her and pulling off her
loak TO see if it were hidden in her
loak or under her arms
" Did yoS get some?" said two faint 4
-oices from the bed in the corner, and II
be. coverlet was thrown of, aud two Q
,airs of thin, white hands put forth. S
No; no, she answered, plaip tivey;
but viii try aeainz lSaes s,,a..-.sooss.ss>r
There will be plenty out of the oyeE-Ii
row. Yes, plenty, she said to herself,
s she buttoned her cloak on the thresh
lold " plenty. aud III have some too
Thew shall ut starve Men and women
orsake me God doesn't hear me any
ongerl There IS nothing left for me to
10 but steal.
Her face paled as she spoke it, and
or a few moments there was Wild
grestle in her heart. Then she went on
luietly. pausing an instant before each
,aker's door and king anxiously with
n. By and bysbe found one that seem
: A Whole pisof ssssming loaves lay
spon the counter.
She rushed in and seized one, aud,
riding it under her cloak, fed madly up
he street. But the baker had seen her
rom the little sitting room, and was
Ifter her crying Justify. Stop thief.
top thiefr' A crowd followed her and
he poor child was soon run down.
g A clear case" said the police officer
Who took her. She must go the court
oom."
In vain she pleaded with them, and
old her story.