Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-02-24

is goney' he said at last
"The left.
ooh! wei! he could tend day-school
and Sunday school; they might make a
scholar of him, more than they ever could
make of me"
"Dear Tom said Mary, ave must get
at fathers heart somehow, and all will be
well | cannot bear to think of their
starving, perhaps, in that. horrid LoH-
dom"
"Horrid London!" repeated Tom. II
like that Oranges down here are a
penny apiece, and there Frank Fowler got
three penny-such beauties!"
On New Years Day the "Aunt Lyddy"
who had such strong hold on Mary
Boyd's sympathy, was literally without
fire, and almost without food the misera.
BILE attic where she starved and shivered
let in the bitter wind, and that day little
Joe had done everything but steal or beg
to procure his mother food. One gentle
man who had tossed him threepence for
holding his horse said that he was a fine
little fellow, and if he had two arms in
stead of one he would get him into the
shoeblack brigade Joe colored, but
quickly recovering himself, answered,
"Please, sir, willing mind is equal to
another arm" The gentleman smiled,
shook his head and trotted of. Poor Joe
put up his hand to the remains of his arm !;
it had been amputated just above the ell
bow in consequence OF an accident; 81
only wish | had to do all | could do with
one arm" he murDured. He wandered
up and down the streets; the air was
growing colder and colder; he was very
hungry, but he passed the temptations of
bakers and cooks shops, tightening his
fingers more closely on the little silver
coin.
81 may get something for mother; |
have another penny" murmured the boy,
He entered bakers shop, and asked for
penny loaf, laying down his threepence
Such fat, jolly baker, who was rolling
and laughing behind a counter piled with
cakes and dainties, looked in his pale
pinched face, blush from cold.
"Only penny loaf New Years night,
my little man? Well, there it ia"
Joe took it up; as the baker took up
the coin he fixed his eyes on the boy, and
said, sternly, "You are young to follow 50
bad trade; this is bad money"
"Bad money!" repeated Joe. 60, sir,
| had it from kind gentleman for holding
his horse"
Have you no other money!"
"Another penny
"And why did you not pay for the loaf
with that?"
please, sir, wanted change; | wanted
to buy something more for my mother"
and his large blue eyes filled with tears
81 must keep that threepence. What a
shame for gentleman to do such a
thing as give bad money to child like
that
"Please, sir, know he didn't intend it
he spoke kind to me, he didn't know it
was bad"
The jolly baker looked attentively at
the little boy.
"See here, my lad if you knew the
coin was bad, the sin will be heavy on
you; but | believe you did not; you
wanted food for your mother, and you
would not let the blame fall on the absent
two right things. God help you, child"
he added, pityingly; "you look half
starved! Give me back that loaf and
here is bigger one; and, missis hand
over one of those ounces of tea and half
pounds of sugar we made up for our poor
customers; and there's three sound pen
ny-pieces for you, little one; only always
look to your silver beflre you pass it in
futurew
Joe could not speak fol quite minute;
he walked to the shop-door, and then
turned back.
aft you please, you do not think knew
that money was bady"
mo"
"Thank you, sir. l'll-never forget it
never, sir!" and giving vent to enc large
sob, he left the shop.
There was feasting in the widows attic
that night to be sure, Joe was obliged to
make a candle-screen with his hat, or the
poor, thin little candle would have been
blown out by the wind that whistled
through the chattering window; but there
was blush cup Of hot water with an in
fusion of tea and milk, and tiny little fire;
and there was much thankfulness for what
would nave seemed to many very small
mercy; and there was earnest prayer; and
huddled under their scanty clothing, the
mother and child slept soundly, and awoke
in the morning to the consciousness that,
as the snow, having found its way through
the broken panes of the little attic win
dow, was heaped on the floor, and the
neighboring roofs and ohimneys were like
mountains of dazzling white" there
must have been heavy fall'' during the
niCht.
"We're showed up, joe" said the poor
widow; land the end will soon come !;
this cold will kill me"
mot a bit of it, mother" said little
Joe, cheerily, while moulding.a SNOWFALL
out of the snow on the floor.
Il shall go out as snow boy while you
remain there, just as | wrap you up,
and see what lots of cash | shall earn
God has sent the snow to be our friend !;
the snow shall make us fire !"
My poor manned child" whispered
the widow to herself " but God has gra
ciously given him cheerful hearth
The snow had fallen as heavily and