St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1872-07-19

W eaker and weaker grew little Liz
Zie. From the coarse food that was
daily set before her. her weak stomach
turned. and she hardly took sufficient
nourishment to keep life in her attenu-
ated frame.
Poor child :" said the mother. one
morning ''she cannot live If she doesn't
eat. But coarse bread and potatoes
and buttermilk e" against her weak
stomach. All me- If We only had II
little that the rich waste"
There is Il curse in poveItyr' re
piled Claire. with ii bitterness that WIS
unusual to him. as he turned his eyes
upon his child. who had pushed away
the food that had been placed before
her, and was looking at it with an eN-
preston of disappointment on her wan
face. A curse is poverty - he repeat
ed. "Why should my child die for
want of nourishimg food. while the chill
drcn of the rich have every luxury p
In the mind of Claire. there was uISu-
ally dead calm. He plodded ON. from
day to day. eating his potatoes and but
telmilk, or whatever came before him.
and work ing steadily through the hours
allotted to labor. his hopes and fears in
life rarel ~ exciting him To an expires
sion of discomfort. But he loved Liz
| zic better than amy earthly thing. and
| to sec her turn with loathimg from her
coarse food. the best he was able to
/ procure for her. aroused his sluggish
nature into rebellion against his lot.
/ But he saw no remedy.
Cant We get something Il little bet
ter for Lizzic!' said he. as he pushed
/ Ia. lat, Il Ii.
gone before his meal was half finished
Not unless Nou can earn more. re-
/ piled the wife. Cut and carve and
manage rs will. its as much is | can
do to get common food"
Claire pushed himself back from the
table. and without saving Il word more
went up to his shop III the garrct. and
sat down to work. There was Il troub-
lcd and de>pondcnt feeling about his
heart. He did not light his pip,. as us
ual, for he had smoked mp the last of
his tobacco on the evening before. But
he had IL penny left. and with that. as
soon a> he had finished mending IL pair
of boots and taken them home. he
meant I" get new supply of the fra
grant weed. The boots had only half
an hours work on them. But Il few
stitches had been taken 10y the cob
bier. when he heard the feeble
voice of Lizzie calling To him from the
bottom of the stairs. That voice never
came unrrgardcd to his ears. He laid
aside his work. and went down for his
patient child. and as hr took her light
form Ill his arms. and bore her up into
his little work shop. he felt that he
pressed against his heart the dearest
thing Ia him III life. And with this
feeling came the bitter certainty that
soon She would pass away and be no
more seen. Thomas Claire did not of
tel indulge i'll external manifestations
OF feeling, but now. as he held Lizzie in
his arms. he bent down his face and
kissed her cheek tendeTlN. \ light.
like "A CLEAN of sunshine. fell suddenly
upon the pale countenance of the child.
while Il faint. hut loving smile PLAYED
about her lips. Her father kissed her
again. and then laid her upon the little
bed that was always ready for her. and
once more resumed his work
Claircs mind had been awakened
from It's usual leaden quiet. The wants
"t his failing child aroused il into dis
tuIrcd activity. Thought beat for a
while. like a Gagged bird. against the
bars nf necessity. and then tiuttered
back int" painting imhecilitN.
At last the boots were done. aud with
his thoughts now more occupied with
the supply of tobacco he was to obtain
than with anything else. Claire started
Ia take them home. A. he WAS walk
ing along he passed Il fruit shop. aud
the thought of Lizzie came into his
mind.
IF We could afford her some of these
nice things he said To himself - They
would hr food and medicine both to thc
dear child. Eut." hr added. with Il
sigh. I'VE are poor We are poor. Such
daIntic> are not tnr he children of p"N
ertN."
II" passed along. until he came to the
ale h"u>r. where he intended /" get his
penn worth of tobacco. F"r the first
time Il thought of self denial entered
his mind as he stood h> the door with
his hand III his pocket. feeling tnl his
solitary copper.
This would buy Lizzie an orange" q"
he said to himself: hut them" WAS
quickly added. Il would have no to
hacro to-day nor to-murroW. tor won't
he paid for these boots before SATURDAY.
/ Wllcn Barton gels his wages.
Then came Il long, hesitating pause.
/ There WAS before the mind of Claire
the image of the faint and feeble child
with the refreshing orange to her lips {:
and there WAS also the image. of himself
unchrcrrd for two long dlNs bN his
pipe. But could he for Il moment hest
tate if he really loved that sick child
he asked. Yes. he could hesitate and
Vet love the little sufferer: for one of
his order of mind aud habits of acting
and feeling. Il selt-indulgcnce like that
of his pipe, or IA regular draugIt "f beer.
becomes so much like second nature.
that it is as it We're Il part of the very
life: and to give it up costs more than
a light effort.
The penny was between his fingers.
and he took ii single step toward the
ale-houSe door but So vividly came
back the image of little Lizzie. that he
stopped suddenly. The conflict. even
though the spending of IL single penny
WAS concerned. now hecamc severe:
love for the child plead earnestly. and
as earnestly plead the old habit that
seemed as if it would take no denial.
1t was his last penny that was be
tween the cobbler's fingers. Had there
been two pennies i'll his pocket. all diff
Guilty would Immediately have vanish
ed. Having thought of the orange. he
wOnld have bought it with one of them.
and supplied his pipe with the other.
But as affairs now stood. he must utter
ly deny himself or else deny his child.
For minutes the question was debated.
Il will see as | come back said
Claire at last starting I'm his arroub