, 1871-04-20
The Little wait

How cold it is I" said little Peter, as
be tucked his matches under bis arm and
thrust his purple han into his ragged
pocke,s To warm them. Il haveonly sold
three bunchrs to-day aud | had ;ust
enough n buy me three crackers. How l
wish had saved one-but they tasted 30
! goNd couldn't stop. wonder if rich
| folks have breakfast, aud dinner and sup
per evrIy day--it could have enough 10
eat once day should be happy. How
! would It seem not 10 be hungry or cold !.
But mothr used 10 say before she went
to heaven that she should never be hun,
CRY or cold there, and she would not be
sick any more, nor have to work hard
she said everybody was happy In heaven.
She told me to be good boy and never
forget to say my prayris, 50 that might
gel III, re too, and have tried real b I'd
ever since mother died. / never will
steal if l starve but l don't believe l
ever can b- as good as mother wak for
when the boys call me- rag-bsg, and
scare-trow, get angry and forget my
promise to mother. anu answer back aud
don't Try to be good. and then when say
my prayers a night, mother sud heaven
serm 70 far off that am afraid ehall
never see mother again. wonder where
l shaIl sleep tonight They have car
ried # that box Of shavinsS-whai a nice
bed that was? | could shut my eyes and
make believe il was mOther's feather bed
that the landlord took when she was sick
aud could not ray the rent. l wonder if
it would BE- wicked to go into that little
e try between the two doors of that nice
house. They have all gone to bed, and
saw such pretty lady come out and look
up to see if the lights were put out. She
looked Ii tie sorry when she turned
away; bat l know she is god for saw
her call little lame Jimmy up to her the
other day and give him a pair Of nice
warm mi:trns. He let me- try them on
alter she was gone, and he said she told
him about Jprns who loves little children
like us. doH't believe she will care if
do sleep in thiA nice warm place, tor will
go away early in the morning. l will say
my prayers the first thing. am so
sleepy. Our Father whichart in heaven,
Hallowed be- thy nam, Thy kingdom
! come, Thy will be done on earth as il is in
heavtn. Give us--ihiszE2day -o6r-
daily-bread-bread-'"
y
"Nrllie will not be expecting me 10
night it is so late. Why, Lion, you here!
did you get locked out, poor fellrw :
Bless me, it isn't Lion, it's boy, sleep
ing out this cold night. Come, wake up,
young man or you'll freeze"
| At 81 -. 7
right away but it was so nice in here,
and houghl every body was asleep"
Where do yon live, little boy? Why
don't you go home p
!" don't live anywhere siuce mother
died, sell matches in the day time aud
SLEEP where can at night"
"W-ll, you must NOT stay out TO night
thai is certain 30 come in aud will see
what can do for you. Here 10 a shawl.
If roll you up in this, and put you OH the
lounge, you think you can manage 10
sierp till morning !"
"How kind you are sir. have not
been real warm before since last summer.
l shall keep awake as long as can, juIt
to keep thinking that am in nice house
Oh a snEl bed"
"Well, be as happy as you can till
morning, and then we Will see what WE
Can do for YOU"
"Nellie come here AMI see what l found
on our doo step last night, aid mistook
for Lion. II is fortunate that I missed
the train, for this little fellow would never
have seen the sun again if hp remained
outside tn ough last nights bitter frost.
He must have seen better days than this.
See his little delicate hands grasping hold
Of I e shawl as though he was afraid it
might be taken away from him. Those
little curls with little OF yuur training
would be as beau iul a. Willie's"
"What shall We do with him, Charlie /:
We can never turn him out in the cold
street again. Poor little thing, he looks
sick now. Do you see lis little punches
OF maj ches laid on the chair so carefully.
Wsuldn't it he nice to have him stay aud
srr to Willie. have been wishing had
someone TO take him nut in his little car
risge, and smnse him when am busy"
81 have been wal ing to hear yuu ,ay
something of the kiud; yoar hat is al>
ways in the right place, Nellie but our
conversation has disturbed him. He is
} awake"