The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1869-02-23

was provided for She must not die un'
til Maggie had home. No! no! she
could not
| There, in the weather beaten cottage,
she toiled There, in the mansion, her
sisters idly sat, never thinking of their
! poor outcast 81 ter The money lavish
| ed upon the grand children would ~Iy
| near provide for the widow and the faith .
| erless. Here in the cottage she lay, dy-
ing--starving Maggie had begged
| very little was given her. On the pile
| of straw Nellie lay, breathing away her
life, while mile away her relatives
were rolling in wealth. You, who have
always sat in the drawing room, or in
the spacious parlor; you who were born
with golden spoons in your mouths,
know nothing Of the sufferings of the
poor. I believe with the old colored
prercher, who said, I'VE might know what
God thought Of money by the class of
people he gave it to- But this is no
lecture, but real occurrence of life.
Little Maggie and ner dead mother
tinted Autumn leaves which the wind
had thrown in upon them. The candle
was out and the room was perfectly
dark All was still save the low means
Of the now subsiding wind. The shut
ter had ceased to bang, the boards on
the fence were quiet. and the walnut
trees, as if aware of the dead one so
near, had stilled their long, black limbs.
Maggie arose from the straw, and,
wrapping her scanty shawl around the
nearly naked shoulders, went out in the
dark night. 'Pa:a, ba-a,' she heard her
lamb cry, and going to the rear of the
house she came upon her pet, the only
thing she had to love.
Poor little lamb-everybody hates
Maggie, but you dont-you love her,
don't your
'Ba-a,' he answered, licking her face.
Come, Tommy, you can go to Grand
pas with me, come on; and untying
Lis fastening, she led him up the hill, in
the direction of the blazing windows Of
the mice, big house,
On she trudged until the front door
was reached. How she hated 10 meet
that awful big man. her grandpa.
Would he scold her? Would she be
kicked from the house? Plucking up
courage she stood on tip toe and pulled
the bell The door was opened by a
servant, who laughed at seeing the
strange picture Mary had little
lamb he said Sir, want to see my
grandpa
You do. Well step right in here, let
the lamb follow, may he the old man
will be touched, I'll swear 1 came near
crying when I saw you, poor thing!'
said the old domestic, leading Maggie to
the drawing room door, through which
came sounds of mirth.
Your grand child, SIR said the SER
want, as she opened the door.
In walked the child and her lamb, be
fore the astonished gaze Of John Hard
we'll
ooh, Grand pa, mother is dead, she
cried.
| who cares2' he answered cooiiy, but
| careful observer could see he was
touched by this bit of news
Child, you go out Of this house,
soon!
/ OH
&c, say, you've nc business here
Grand pa, let her stay. I'll love hei
l know; is she my cousin? she called
you Grand pa;' said one Of the childre n
a boy, Of perhaps nine years.
Pooh. boy, you're foolish. Love thai
bunch of rags?'
Yes sir and the boy drew himsel
up proudly.
Let her stay. want the lamb sale
little five year old fellow.
sYou can have the lamb but she can
not stay, and John, taking Maggie b.
the arm, led her to the door.
Please, let her stay Grand pa criet
all of the children.
John stopped, and great tears course,
down his cheeks. He seemed to b
coming to the conclusion to keep tlie
child
Grand pa, said Maggie, Mother sai
once you was poor boy, and
Poor child, you have made me repent;
and the old man sank into a chair, an
covered his face with his hands.
What q wicked man I've been,' h
groaned
That night Nellie's dead body wa
brought to her fathers house, and TIA
following day she was buried in til
church yard beside her mother.