The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-07-19
FOUND A WIFE.

When the theaters were letting out
lin days when theater hours were
longer than they are nowhere STEP
ped forth into the frosty winter night,
amid q crowd of play-goers, man of
about four-and-twenty and about the
middle height. broad shouldered,
dark-haired, and with black eyes--a
very handsome man, and dressed in q
style which, costly and elegant, be.
came him wonderfully well.
There came little wall upon his
cara cry almost like that of an in
fant-and, looking down, Harry Boil
ton saw upon the pavement, close be-
side him, a little girl not more than
FIVE years old. She wore what ap.
peared to be a handful of rags, and
her tiny feet and curly head were
bare. A more miserable object the
moon never looked upon, and the
moan she made touched the young
mans heart. He knelt down and
caught her as she passed by.
"Stop little one,n he said. "What
brings you out this night? Where
do you live? And where is your
mother?" S@@
The child struggled to escape, but
when the last question came, stood
still. and answered with sob:
I'm heaven. l want to go there. -
"You are on the right road, then,
this winter night; halfnaked and
starving, too, / fancy" said Harry to
himself. lie began to question her
again.
"Where do You live? ?"
II don't know"
"Who takes care of you?"
Nobody"
at looks like it. Have you had
any supper ?"
Il don't want supper, I want my
mamma" and the child began to cry.
Harry Bolton endeavored to re-
member some portion of his childish
education.
You want to go to heaven, do
you," he asked. at appears to me |
remember being told that children
who cried never went to heaven, and
| am very sure that children who do
not mind never do; remember that
The child understood, and the eff.
feet of this doubtful moral teaching
was at least to silence her. Then the
moon witnessed phenomenon. Har-
ry Bolton, the dandy, the dashing
gambler, the man of betting books,
shouldering ragged child and walk
ing away with her in the most self
possessed fashion.
"We must have some supper" he
said. ave must not be too tashiona-
BILE under the circumstances, howev-
er; and SO saying he descended into
q cellar eating-house, where, at the
late hour, the few guests were too
much intoxicated to notice the singu-
lar pair, and only the proprietor and a
few of his employees remained to be
Marching down the room with per-
feet sang troid, Harry Bolton perch
ed the child upon one. of the chairs,
and seating himself at table ordered
beefsteak, brandy and water for two.
and the order being filed, ordered
his companion TO "go ahead" and
to see the mandate obeyed
in vain; the child stared at the viands
in astonishment, but made no attempt
to eat.
Harry remained in a puzzled condi-
ton for some time, then beckoniug TO
8 grinning waiter made him his conf
dant in this wise:
You look like a family man, wal
ter. Do you know any way of max
ing child take to its feed?"
"Not such feed as that, sir" replied
the waiter. milk and water is what
they likes, and bread and butter; or
if meat, chopped up into bits like
Bless ye! look at her tiny teeth, sir. !"
ITO be sure," said Harry. "Well,
cut the meat up, then bring her some
bread and butter; but milk and wa
ter-you'll make the poor thing sick,
won't you? 1t would me.n
oN 1hN hCt 10 COucti OCtC0 uIuCT~
ent," said the waiter.
Harry nodded.
Food being prepared to suit her ap-
petite the child ate greediiy, to Har-
ry's satisfaction, and after suficing
her to her hearts content and strip
ping himself of his oyercoat, wrap
ped the waif in it and started for
home.
He had splendid set of bachelor
apartments, and there he found a
glowing fire awaiting him. The
child, when he opened the coat, was
sound asleep; SO tucking her into bed
in grimy state, which would have
shocked any good housewives heart,
Harry composed himself in great
arm chair, and lighting cigar began
TO smoke.