Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-05-30
From What Next.
The Nay-Da y.
BY HELEN SrANNARD,

ne -rh may
Ky HELEN sTASNARD,
Only 4 few moments before, the
stars were brightly reflected in the clear
waters of little inland lake, but now
their light had paled and huge fiery
ball was slowly rising from the very
bosom Of the waves, Round about 1t
thousands ofipples danced mernly, and
across the eastern sky rosy glow shot
upward and outward to the north and
south. Upon the bank gentle breeze
stirred lightly among the dewy grasses,
buds and blossoms, filling the art
with fragrance, while over head the
tender foliage of the trees quivered I'M
patiently, till every leaf ttrning TO the
sunlight caught upon It's edge golden
tinge.
For it was morning! glorious morn
ing! and already the birds and insects
were waking to greet the new May
day. High up in the branches of a
stately old elm Mamma DownYwing
carefully brooded over her three little
birdlings Peeping from the edge of
its cosy nest, she nodded cheerlly to
papa Downywiug, who, perched watch
fully on twig close by, was rut1iing
his feathers for grand toilet.
"Twit, twit, tweet.' said he, and
twit, twit, twit, said all the birds
around, and simultaneously they burst
into grand chorus of song till the
whole grove rang with their music.
While the concert OF feathered song
sters were at its height,a bundle, which
had been calmly reposlng at the foot of
the elm tree, began to unroll itself.
First one little arm flew ont, a leg
stretched itself leisurely, then there was
a good Old fashioned yawn after which
a small boy-pretty in spite of his
rags and mourntul face-scrambled to
his feet. "Why, where am l." he
murmured atirightedly. ''Oh yes / see
in the grove I've slept here all
night and Mrs. Smith wont get me
very soon again; not very soon,' he
added almost tiercely. cts pleasant
here but I'm so awful hungry. She
didn't give me Il bit OF dinner nor sup
per all day Yesterday
Sobs choked the child's utterance
and tears rolled down his wan checks.
But gradually the quiet loveliness
about him soothed the tumult in his
heart Then the sparkling stones upon
the beach entced him thither, and lie
flung them far out, singly, and by the
handful, INTO the water at times laugh
ing gleefully, with boyish abandon.
But what was he going to do; whore
could he COZ This thought struck
home to his heart in the midst of his
play, and walking slowly back to the
elm tree he sat down beside it to
think
He was only a poor little bound boy
whom nobody loved but God. lie was
everywhere, for she had said so, and
the last words she ever spoke were,
God will be a father to my orphan
child He could never forget these
words, though he was now only ten
years old, and three years had passed
since her dying lips uttered them.
How near this seems to Heaven and
mother, whispered the child. per
haIs she sees me now, and is sorry that
ain hungry NJ there. She told me
mustn't forget Cur Father, but /
couldn't say it Mt Mrs. Smiths, she
beat me too bad, and | hated her So
now I'll try.
hneelng and with closped hands.
the little boy prayed, his heart growing
lighter with every word, and when he
said, amen, there was trustful look
upon his face. All this time the sun
was rising higher and higher in the
bright blue sky, which smilingly crown.
Ell a lovely day, tit for festival Of song
and flowers.
A curious rumhhng sound now made