Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-07-06
From Hearth and Home
THE LOST LINCH-PIN.
BIZ A. n. DANA.

II no use, SuSy, we can uuu IT. |
I'll just have to take the whipping"
There was a detected thrill in the
sad child voice, telling alike of phys |
ical dread and of utter hopelessness of
spirit.
wait minute, Robbie" answered |
Il cheerier tone. ''Wait until l look |
under the hay-bed A Inch pins lit
tie, you know, and it might roll. I
can't bear to give up yet" And as
the girl spoke, she swung her lantern
under the huge vehicle, and STOPPING,
began to search carefully among the
loose chaff and wisps af hay scattered
over the floor.
The scene was the threshing floor
of a large barn, with great mows
frowning darkly above on either hand,
and vast granaries stretching away in
the rear, and the speakers were poor
little orphan boy who had lost Inch
pin, and the sympathetic kitchen girl
of the farm. As the latter rose from
her fruitless search the bright glow Of
the lantern fell full upon her, revealing
a face-not pretty, certainly, if viewed
from a cultivated artistic nd-point,
but fresh and giIiish, and just now
gloTified by a soft halo of womanly
pity.
20, Robbie! I'm SO sorry" she
SAID, rising. ''Can't you think where
you had it last p
No, Sue, can't. I've tried, and
tried. reckon old Beeson will near
ly kill me-he did last time" Then
with a shudder, throwing his childish
arms around her waist: 20, Sue, he's
awful!''
Poor baby" cried the girl, clasp
ing him closer, while her soft gray
eyes filled with tears. 81 wish I could
save you. How did Tyou ever come
to be left with him, anyhow ?"
"Why, you see," was the reply,
when mother died there was only
me and Chris, and Chris. amt like
me. He's strong, and smart, and
afraid Of nobody So he thought he
would go away and make fortune
for us both. His name is Christie
pher-like Christopher Columbus you
! know-and he meant to do some
great thing too. Not in a ship though,
but in the big city. He had read
of poor boys making money there, and
as the homestead was gone he was
bound to try it. And then old Beeson
offered to keep me while he was away.
But Chris. never meant for me to be
abused. l heard him say that I was
to go to school and be well treated.
and that he would pay for my board
and expenses when he came back
But reckon he'll never come now"
And the poor child's tears fell at the
thought
90, maybe he willp' answered the
girl soothingly. well hope so any
way
''Well, maybe" he assented dreari-
ly. "But o Sue, if l were only of age,
like you, wouldn't I go to seek him p
Then, as with sudden thought, "Sue,
what makes you stay. You were of
age six months ago"
81 kuow," she said, and paused as if
the question was an unsettled one with
herself; then, with the light still upon
her brow, partly foryour sake, may
be, Robbie, and partly because
don't know where to go. I don
mind working, and I must do that
in any place. Besides 1t is better for
me I'm in the house with Misses, and
Robbie, she isn't Ike him. Many a
piece of bread and meat she gives to
the hungry beggars, and many poor
tramp she allows to sleep in the barn
when he amt around"
The last clause was unfortunate, fol
the boy clinging yet closer, cast 8
= shuddering glance upward toward the
great mows where the shadows were
scarcely disturbed by their feeble
7 glow Of light.
90, Sue!" he cried wildly. What
if he should make me stay all night
in the barn He has threatened tC
: many a time. Any way he is going
to horsewhip me- o Sue, Sue, what
can 1 dor'
: The poor excited child sank dow1
= in despair.
1--WE might pray said Sue timidly
"PEhaw! He prays."
There was a whole volume of incip
lent skepticism in those three bite
words.
, Il know answered Faith, sorel,
puzzled, yet clinging to her anchor
Il know, but it don't sound like tn
prayers I used to hear at the 'sylum
There they spoke to some one clog
ot at hand, so gentle, so loving, and We
so mighty. o, Robbie, now just re
member the words, so strong to de
liver Who knows but He nigh
save you. There was the man in tn
n den of lions, and the three children i
the fiery furnace"
"It's no use, Sue," he interrupte
sadly. ''There's no deliverer bu
: Chris and he'll never come now. e
on to the house and tell the old ma
that I can't find it. It's as well to Sc
it over"
Poor lamb p said the tender-hear
ed girl, kissing the quivering liz
which were trying so hard to be brav,
''I'll leave the light, and I'll beg har
for you" And repressing a sigh owe
the hopelessness of the task. she glide
out into the starlight, leaving the poo
ng little victim to await cruelty whicl
nd considering the centuries Of Chri
on on tian progress that have elapsed sint
the slaughter of the innocents, Ut
q. only out-Herods Herod, but is one
the darkest blots upon our social lif
Just here 1 must pause to offer
plea for the children, the most d
feuceless objects in all Gods creatio
We sigh over the miseries of poC
Smike over little David Copperfeld
sorrowful journey; alas that the ma