Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-12-23

want anything 10 eat, Ana pretty soon |
she burst into passion of tears.
My darling" cried mamma, "what is
the matterf Are you sickf Has any one
hurt your"
But Kitty wouldn't tell, and went on
sobbing. Mamma was very much
troubled but to all her questions Kitty
replied, "No" and Nothing" And at
last she went and sat over by the window,
with her head on the sill and her fingers
drumming disconsolately on the pane.
Baby called, and put out his hands as she
went by ;but she took no notice. The evil
tempter had got possession of her.
Z Night was falling gray over the streets
as she looked out. 1t was getting very
cold. People with parcels in their hands
went hurrying past, as If anxious to get to
their warm fires as soon as possible. Kitty
thought that each one was probably a
great deal happier and richer than she
was, and envied them accordingly.
BY and by little girl came in sight. 1t
would have been hard for any one to envy
her Her dress was ragged and her feet
bare a thin old shawl was pinned over
her head and shoulders, but it didn't look
as if it kept much cold out She walked
very slowly, and looked up at all the
lighted windows she passed, as If she
longed to be inside Kitty could see her
face quite plainly; it was wistful and thin,
and she grew so interested in watching her
that she forgot for while her own griev-
ances
The little girl passed down the street
and turned the corner. A strong wish to
follow and see where she was going came
over Kitty and all at once she found her
self doing so. How she got out Of doors
she didn't exactly know, but there she
was, and there was the little girl just be-
fore her. Street after street.-the night
growing colder every minute. Good
gracious p thought Kitty, Il wish she
would hurry"
But she didn't hurry, aud it was easy to
see that the feeble feet could go no faster.
At last they came to a narrow lane; and
| then the child opened the door of house
and went in. Up three pairs of crazy stairs
she went, and Kitty after her. Then she
called out, johnny, Johnny, are you
there ?"
Yes" replied voice; and there was
little boy. He was very little, not more
than three, and very dirty but he seemed
glad to see his sister. The room was cold
so cold. The little fellow had been hud-
died up in the bed to keep warm and even
80 Kitty couldn't think why he hadn't
frozen.
I" Oh, Liza" he said, beginning to cry ;
"Johnny's glad Johnny's so hundry"
Liza seemed glad too5 She opened her
apron and took out a little parcel of Gin
ders, raked from the street ashes. Then
she went down stairs to borrow coal
from somebody's fire, and very carefully
nursed up small flame in the stove Don't
cry, Johnny" she said; "here's something
nice I've got for you" The something
was few crusts of bread and scraps of
meat, which she took from her pocket
And Kitty didn't think 1t looked at all
nice; but Johnny evidently did not agree
with her, for he seized piece in each hand,
and ate ravenously.
While they were eating heavy step
was heard on the stairs. Both the chill
dren turned pale and trembled. Oh,
| Johnny, she's coming backl" cried Liza.
Hide it--hide it, quick" And she
| snatched the bread from him, and con-
cealed 1t under the bed. Then the door
opened, and a woman came in.
Such a woman! Red, fierce, and drunken,
with a smell of gin in all her garments and
bad words in her month"; woman you
would shudder to pass in the streets; and
yet she was the mother of poor little Liza
and johnny. -
Kitty watched with horror as she STUN.
bled about the room, muttering to herself
covered under the bed-clothes, to escape
notice. At last she spied them; and the
moment she did so Johnny began to cry.
! He knew only too well what was coming
Kitty could bear it no longer. She gave
a sort of scream and turned to run away.
But how was this? She was at home
again, her head on the window-sill,' and
her mother was just lifting her up to lay
her in the bed.
"My poor, tired little girl" she said,
"you q fast asleep"
Oh, the blessed sense of safety and COM
fort that came from the kind touch and gen
tie voice. Kitty chung to mammals neck
as if she were drowning.
"Oh, mamma" she cried, sobbing so that
she could hardly speak, "is it your Pm SO
glad! Oh, that dreadful woman! Poor
little Liza"
"Aud who is LizaS" asked mamma,
So Kitty, quite walked up now, cuddled
in her lap, and told her about it-about the
little girls with their fine clothes, and the
naughty feelings that had got into her heart
and little Liza, with her wretched home
and more wretched mother. And mamma
understood it all. Bless her, she always
did and in her soft kiss Kitty found for
giveness for all her wickedness
"And remember, my darling" she said
'if we want to know how much God has
given US to be thankful for, we must look
not at those who have more than we, but
at those who have less. The world is full
of sad homes, my Kitty, compared to which
this of ours is palace Let us never for
get that; and let us make ours even hap
pier by doing all we can to brighten such
. And now good night, dear; and be sure tc
hang up your stocking. Tomorrow We
will see if we can not find some little Liza
J and try to make her, too, have Happy
Christmas.-Independent.