The Greenville enterprise. [volume] (Greenville, S.C.) 1870-1873, 1870-03-23
Sturg far tbs Iahi,B.
a PREVIOUS ENGAGEMENT.

fiakes was wreathing its white
pail over all, and the wind, inur.
maring sadly through. the streets,
seemed TO have an almost human
,, wall in its moan. &. s
It's an ngly kind OF a night, ,
muttered Mr.. Terryu to himself.
as he buckled his fur closer round
his neck. And a wind fit to cut
one in two. Halloo! what's this .
lie had very nearly stumbled
over something that looked like a
bundle, crouchirg at the foot Of a
flight of steps in the shadow of q
ruinous old brick archway; bnt,
as he checked himself abruptly,
the bundle erected itself into some
thing human in shape end looked
at him with wild, human eyes.
who are youP he demanded, =,
on the impulse of the moment.
Only me, sir--little Tess -
= Please give me penny, sir g
cried the child, suddenly subsid.
ing, into the regular professional al
whine of her trade. 'Only PEN
n.y. ..-.r
Where do you liver
Il don't live nowhere, sir-I
skulls round in the alleys
'Oh you do, eh . and who takes
care of you2'
odd Tim Daley used to, but he's
took up
Took up2' s.
Sent to the Island, sir,
Are you a boy Il? or a girlP
For the creatures tangled locks
and ragged garb gave no clue to
its SEX
''Im a girl, SIR
You ought to be ashamed of
yourself, begging in the street,
said Mr.. Terryn, severely. why
don't you work2'
AS he approached his own door
bright cbild's face peeped ont
between the curtains, and as Mr..
Terryn entered the CHEEKY sitting.
room, he could not but think with
a remorseless pang of the shiver-
ing bundle of rags under the brick
arch. way beyond. rr.2 '..
It's none of my business he
thought. L dare say the police
will pick the poor little elf up,
and take her where she'll be bet
ter off, ...
But Mr.. Terryn's conscience was
less adamantine than he had given
it credit for being It. pricked him
sorely as he sat toasting his slip.
pered feet before the bright en-
bers-it whispered to him as he
listened to the lullaby wherewith
his wife was lulling the babe 10
sleep upon her breast. Had little
Tess ever known a mothers era.
die song2 And she could scarce
have been six years old, either.
Where are you going, my
dear' questioned his wife, as he
rose up suddenly. ..H ..-
'Out into the street. There was
a child-a child there-A little
girl, crouching on some steps,
A child2 Homeless ? And on
such a night as this2 oh, Herbert,
you should have brought her here =
Fiv Q minutes afterwards Mr..
Terryn was ont in the driving
whirlwinds of snow bending over
the small stray who was bundled
up just where he had left her.
'Here-cbild-where are you q
But there was no answer. Lit
tie Tess was benumbed ard stupe.
fed by the cold. ...--.. -
He lifted her up,.a poor little
skeleton wrapped in miserably
thin coating of rags, and feeling
strangely light in his arms, and
carried her home. Mrs. Terryn
met him at the door.
'Oh, Herbert, what a poor lit
tic starved wretch! Her hands
are like birds, claws p - 3D..
Charley looked on in breathless
interest at the process of feeding,
warming and restoringisome vital.
ity to the torpid object.
When little Teas opened her
eyes, it was to the glow of a warm
fire and the mellow sparkle of gas.
lights. ss . 'a6. - =.
Am l dead?' cried tho child,
eand is this heaven
Poor little creature = said Mrs.
Terryn, bursting into tears. F
'Tesora, her name proved to be
"a sweet Italian synonym for the
word treasure and a treasure she
was, in gentle Mrs. Terryn's eyes,
especially after her little babe was
dead and buried.,eW
lss How Tesora grows y ssid Mr.,
Terryn suddenly, on one day as
the beautiful girl came in, rosy
and smiling, from a walk. why,
she is as tall as q grown woman! =
She Is grown woman," said
Mrs. Terryn, with q smile.
az