Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-07-14

Of Z beautiful world. Yet TO the very
lowest there - always heaven ct hand
One bitter night he was returning home.
Az he passed under an archway he saw .
child seated upon step, her eyes closed,
her face and bands blue with cold. He
bent over her. For the first time IN bis
life he recognized link between himself
and fellow creature. She was also cold,
poor and lonely. They were equally mis-
ersble. Seized by sudden impulse he
lifted her In his arms and carried her
| through the streets to his wretched garrett
Then taking of his coat he wrapped her
| in It, and commenced rubbing tho icy
hands and feet. After some time the child
opened her eyes, and from that moment
| the strong bond between them was sealed
forever.
She never EFT him. He soon lavished
upon her all the devotion OF IN undying
nature. In return, the poor little heather,
who had never entered church IL her
life, thought nothing on earth 20 wor'
shipful - Tom, and sdored no other
Deity. A new life had dawned upon
been opened. They were no longer poor,
lonely. desolate. Cali 1t infafuation, or
what You will, IL was . wonderful power
1
plenty, cold into warmth, cOmfOrtlessness
INTO luxury-one Of those few inexplicable
powers which combat and conquer Death.
II can now he understood what was the
| old mans despair when the Postmistress
| sent for him and proposed to adopt the
| child. She had taken q fancy TO the little
thing, and having learnt the destitute
condition In which the two lived, never
doubted her charitable offer would be &C
cepted. The old man could not rejoice.
He could only realize the one miserable
fsct--she must 70. He fastened home
very detected, and when in sight Of the
house, thought II had never looked -
poor. The roof was broken In several
places and states wanting. The window,
In which . faint light glimmered, was
patched with paper, the walls were dis
colored with the damp, and the door was
low. Al he CROPPED his way up the rickety
stairs, he sighed involuntarily:
"Oh, Dot, Dot, I'd like to take all the
warmth and shine out of that house be.
fore ever tell OF II to you"
On entering he peered through the
darkness for the one object which made
the room light TO him. The child knelt
close to the FIRE, sewing some coarse gar.
ment. Her gentle, quiet face, with the
short brown hair brushed smoothly OF 1t,
possessed oil the thought, power and pur.
pose of womanhoOd Her eyes spsrkled
with pleasure on seeing the old man, but
she greeted him with comic pretence Of
Al was hoping" she said, with dignity,
ut wasn't you. / thought you'd have
stayed outside oil night rather than come
In and look me In the face. Perhaps
you've forgotten what told you yester.
Tom hung his head with happy con.
sciousness Of guilt, and could not restrain
chuckle Of enjoyment.
"No," he said, meekly;"I remember.
Il was not to be late again."
"The very words" replied Dot, sternly.
"And vet here you are. What did you
think I'd doi Weren't you frightened Of
me-"
"No," said the other, submissively.
"Well, wonder You weren't" she con.
tinued, with cruel determination "Vve
been thinking, and have settled what 10
do. First, hit upon no fire, but that's
too common TO be any punishment ct all.
And then I said no supper, but that
wasn't hard enough. 80 now have It.
dry bread, and nothing TO eat with IT.
I've put the beer, butter and bacon into
the press"
"At this, unable to keep up her part
any longer, she looked at him, and they
both laughed gaily. The fact was, the
three aforementioned articles were dain.
ties never seen In poor Toms cupboard
from years end TO years end.
Enough was truly feast to them, and one
of very rare occurrence. This grand
stretch of imagination fully supplied the
absence Of these luxuries. Tom was en-
chanted.
IL don't wonder" continued she. grave
minds made up, and however much you
| There was no doubt the table was bare.
The assortment Of glass and china was
anything but magnificent. Il consisted Of
one cracked Jug, one tumbler, two sau.
Gers, and clumsy pocket.knife, rather
the worse for wear. Nor was the palate
tempted by much variety. In solids they
had the choice between two things -bread
or nothing-And In liquids, water or moth.
Ing -,
The old mans face clouded. All his
former misery returned, and his mirth
was gone. Dot observed the change.
II see," she said, quietly, "you're dis
contented, and I'm glad. It's we'll you
should feel uncomfortable for . little
just what want"
They seated themselves, but he could
not take mouthful. His eyes were fixed
on the child with q long devouring gaze.
She, indeed, was his sustenance and re-.
treatment. How could he live without
herr
"Dot," he whispered, with . sudden
effort, "dont everything look poori
Wouldn't the door be warmer to tread II
II had carpcti and the room feel less
cold If tho CRATE held al the Goals Il could
holdi and wouldn't curtain Ut the win
dow help TO keep out the winds Say,
don't you feel It poori"
She opened her eyes In silent aatonish.
ment and looked around her. After : few
minutes scrutiny, ~ should say" she re-
piled, "there sint no doubt you're the
pleasantest thing In the room to look at."
And In truth that was not saying much.
"Tell me-" repeated Tom, anxiously,
us II poor, very po0ri"
The child nodded assent.
"Ahr he sighed, II knew 1T" then
added, gently, "How would you like to be
always warm and well fed-to have every.
thine sOft underfOOt and no wind 70 keen