Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1869-02-19

| w no are you ne demanded on tn
impulse Of the moment.
"Only me. sir-little Tess"
''Please give NE penny. SIR" criet
the child suddenly suhsiding into the re
gular professional whine of her trade
"Only penny"
Where do you live?"
II don't live nowhere, sir, [ skulk
round in the alleys
"Oh, you do, eh? Who takes care o
you p
'Old Tim Daley used to, but he's tool
up"
Took up?'
Sent to the Island. sir"
"Are you boy or girl?'
Cor the creatures tangled locks ant
ragged garb gave no clue to its sex.)
"A girl, sir
'You ought to be ashamed of yourself
begging in the Streets % said Mr. Terryn
severely. why don't you go to work ?
As he approached his own door, brigh
child's face peeped out between the cur
tains. and as Mr.. Terryn entered tn,
CHEEKY sitting room, he could not bu
think with pang of remorse of the shiv
ering bundle Of rags under the brick arch
way beyond
But Mr. Terryn's conscience was les
adamantine than he had given it credi
for being. It pricked him sorely as h'
sat toasting his slippered feet before th'
bright embers-it whispered to him as ht
listened to the lullaby wherewith his wifi
was lulling the babe to sleep upon hel
breast Had little Tess ever known /;
mothers care, or heard mothers cradle
song? And she could scarcely have beer
six years old. either
"Where are you going, my dear ?
questioned his wife, as he rose up sud
denly.
''Out in the street There was "a.
child there-a little girl crouching on some
steps"
"A child? Homeless? And on suct
a night as this? Oh, Herbert. you shoulo
have brought her here p
Five minutes afterward Mr. Terryr
was out in the driving wbirlwinds of snow
bending over the small stray who was
huddled up just where he had left her.
''Here, child. where are your"
But there was no answer. Little Tess
was benumbed and stupi6ed by the in
tense cold. zssss s'-'ss
He lifted her up, poor little skeleton
wrapped up 10 miserably thin coating Of
rags, and feeling strangely light in bis
arms and carried her home. Mrs. Terryn
met him at the door.
"Oh, Herbert, what a poor little starved
wretch! Her hands are like bird claws.
Charley looked on in breathless inter-
est at the process of feeding. warming
and restoring some vitality to the torpid
object
When little Tess opened her eyes. ii
was to the glow Of warm fire and the
mellow sparkle of gaslights.
Am [ dead p cried the child, land
is this heaven p
Poor little creature r' said Mrs. Ter
ryn, bursting into tears.
''Tessora. her name proved to be-a
sweet Italian synonym for the word ''trea-
sure," and treasure she was. in gentle
Mrs. Terryn's eyes, especially after her
little babe was dead and buried.
''How Tessora grows" said Mr.. Ter
rvn suddenly. one day. as the beautiful
girl came in. rosy and smiling, from a
walk why she is as tall as grown
woman"
She is grown woman" said Mrs.
Terryn. with a smile ~.
How old is she p -,
Sixteen. day before yesterday" Z
''Is it possible?' said Mr.. Terryn,
thoughtfully. How time slips away.
Tessora sixteen Why, then, Charley
must be twenty"
1T is true my DEAR" said his wife,
"We are getting to be old people, now :"
Il wonder what will become of Tesso-
ra." said Mr.: Terryn, musingly ''Sbe
would make capital governess, her ed
ucation has been so thorough or"
Father" said Charles Terryn, reso-
lutely, as he walked up in front of his ia
ther, and stood with folded arms. Il can
tell you what is to become of Tessora.
She is to be my wife,
Nonsense calculated Mr.. Terryn.
"Charley," said his mother, when the
indignant father had jerked himself out of
the room, don't waste your breath in
arguing with your father. Argument
9"ver conquered yet, in such case as
this"
but what am | to do p
Have you spoken to Tess yet7'
s'No."
'.Wait then--let matters rest. I will
manage it?''
So Mrs. Terryn gave little dinner par
ties and select soirees, and drought out"
Tessora according to the regular pro-
gramme. She made sensation. Mrs
Terryn had known that she would. Tes-
sora was belle-a queen of fashion
Suitors congregated around her.
"Well Tess," said Mr.. Terryn, one
night-he was getting wonderously y proud
of bis adopted daughters success in the
world OF society-''are you going out to-
night?"
''Yes. papa"
"Whom with p
'Colonel Randolph