The Shasta courier., 1870-04-02
NUMBER 2.

10 Caleb her own hunger overcame her-and
she was so selfish, SO wickedly selfsh-and
now she must go. But Caleb started up and
called back that waiter, and gave him sundry
orders very rapidly and when he went away
10 MI them, put this hand on her shoulder
ana told her to sit quietly for few moments.
and he would go with her, And then she
sat down, like very child, as she was, and
told him the rest of her story Poor green
Caieo had never heard one of those stories
before.
Tney had been very poor, she said, ever
since her father died, and that was when shs
was ABOUT ten years old. Her mother had
supported them for good while with her
needle. and then Josey-that she said was
her name, Josey Carroll-had been able to
sew, too and thus they had managed to
i've; but that was not ALL And then her
mother had taken sick. and then-tle waiter
came with large, covered basket, which
Caleb seized and, after be had paid the bill.
ne tucked Josey under one arm. and they
hurried up the steep saloon stairs and out
into the starlight and the glare of street
lamps again.
Ihey took car, and about twenty minutes
alter were finding their way up dark court
yard, into narrow alley way, up fights of
rickety stairs, and so to room on the ton
floor of a tumble-down tenement house. which
was Josey s home
There was no fire in the little stove a
spluttering bit of candle burned on a rough
pine table; and on the floor, upon mattress.
and covered with few old quilts aud rags,
lay huddled the widowed mother and the
poor little brother.
Caleb dropped his basket, and saying that
he would be back in moment, fed to a cor
ner grocery which he had seen a boy about
closing as he passed.
Five minutes later he was back in the room
with the boy, following laden with coal, wood
and candles
Then be made fire with his own hands. for
he had learned that accomplishment when
he was boy at the old homestead
The candles were lighted, the table was
spread, the mother and little boy was seated;
and when they were fairly at work, and he
saw how hungry they were, then Caleb broke
down.
He went and opened the window and look
ed out at the stars; but he didn't see them,
for his eyes dropped tears too many to see
through.
And presently little hand was slipped
into his, and as he turned around Josey eaid,
I" Don't cry you have made us all SO happy,
and you have saved US from SO much Don't
cry ~
Caleb pressed her hand then he looked
at his watch, and said he must go, but he
would come to them the next morning And
then he shook hands with them all, and went
out, while blessings and prayers Of the poor
widow followed him.
1t was nearly daybreak before Caleb had
finished his offce-work and got home to his
bo riding house but at ten o'clock be was
again in the room in the tumble down tene-
ment house.
1t was nicely swept, and a bright fire burn
ing, and the few bits of furniture made to
look as home-ike as possible.
And three smiling faces met Caleb when
he entered, and welcome that made the
young man blush for very shame. That was
the last day they spent in the tenement house.
Caleb, delighted to have some one to spend
his money on, found them comfortable apart
ments, neatly furnished huntred up some
lady friends of his, who gave the widow all
the plain sewing she could do with the aid
of a sewing machine, which Caleb furnished
her, got Josey profitable position in a pub
lie institution; and. what then?
Well, then-thatis is to say. about six mouths
after, when the public institution gave Josey
a fornight's holiday, Caleb took the whole
family-the little brother had been going TO
school all the time-out in the country to the
old homestead. And when the fortnight's
vacation was over. Caleb wrotSto the direc-
tors of the public institution resgining Josey's
position and one bright summers morning
he tucked Josey under his arm once more,
and the widow and Caleb's mother-alsoa
widow-and Caleb's little sister, and Josev's
little brother, and a whole troop of Caleb's
ucnles, aunts, cousins and friends, all strolled
quietly Gown the quiet country road and
into the little village church; and there
Josey and Caleb were married And as the
two widows had become fast friends they lived
together at the old homestead, while Caleb
took his little wife-thin and pale no longer,
but plump and flushed and happy as any
robin-back to the great city. And surely
it is recorded somewhere by the good angel
that Caleb never again should be unhappy,
or regret that he had taken TO wife the poor.
little, half starved girl he had found in the
street.