The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1873-11-13
TIFFIN TRIBUNE.
Turning Ore,. a Ne,c Leaf.

ssItis 3 shame" :" said Mrs. FogR. as
she hurried away, after the funeral of
Mrs. Grant, escaping from the poor,
desolate room where two children, al
most babies, were sleeping, uncon-
seious that theV were motherless.
''It's a shame that nobody'H take
them 90
"Yes-a bitter shame." replied
neighbor, who was also going off as
fast as she could, so as to shift the re-
spOnsibility on some other shoulders.
There's Mrs. Grove; she might
take them as well as not. But they
may 90 to the poor-house for all she
cares"
"WelI, somebOdy'H have to answer
for IL, said Mrs. Fogg. "As for me,
I've got young ones enough of my
own"
"We left Mrs. Cole in the room.
She has only one child, and her hus-
band Is weli-to-do. / can't believe
she'll have the heart to turn away
| from them"
"She's got the heart for anything.
But we'll see."
Mrs. Cole did turn away from the
sleeping babes, signing aloud, with 8
forced sigh that Others might hear,
and give her credit for a sympathy
and concern she did not feel.
| At last all were gOne-all but man
named Wheaton, and poor woman,
not able to take care of herself. ~ ~
whats 10 become Of these chill
dren p, said Wheaton.
"Dszt know. Peor-hOuse, / 81 'pose,n
answered. the woman, .ra s
"Poor-house~
eyes. Nobody wants 'em, and
there's no place else for 'em."
"ManmaI mamma cried q
voice, and q fiaxen-haired, child
not much over s year old, rose up IN
the bed, and looked piteOusly about
the room. 81 want mamma"
A great, choking sob, came into the
mans throat. i-
Then the other child awoke and
said: "Don't cry, sissy. Mammals
gone away"
At this, the little one began crying
bitterly.
al can't stand this, no how" said
the man, speaking in a kind Of des-
| perate way; and, going to the bed, he
gathered tins two children in his arms
flushing and comforting them with
soothing words.
A"What on earth have you got
theTeg exclaimed Mrs. Wheaton, as
her husband came striding into the
i room, where she sat mending one OF
his well-worn garments. IN ra4-- p. q
i 1.-TWO babies !" he answered, in a
voice 80 unusual that Mrs. WbeRton
dropped her work on the floor, and
rose up in amazement.
"What vi i'.I,i
"Mrs. Grants two babies pve been
over to the funeral and ! tell you,
Lane, 1t wasn't in me to see these lit
tie things carted off to the almshOuse.
There wasn't q woman to look after
them-no, not one. Every soul
sneaked off but Polly Jones, and she's
Of no account, you know. Just look
at their dear little faces % And he
held them up in his arms, and let
their tender, fearful, half-frightened,
half-wondering eyes plead their cause
with his wife, and they did not plead
in vain.
| Surprised IS she was, and with an
/ instant protest in her heart, Mrs.
Wheaton could not, in the presence
Of these motherless little ones, utter q
word of remonstrance. She took the
| youngest one from the arms of her
husband, and spoke to it tenderly.
The child sobbed two or three times,
and then laid its head against her
bosom. There was an influx Of moth
er-love into the heart OF this woman,
who had never been q mother, the in
tstant her breast felt the pressure of
the baby's head, and the arm that
drew il closer with an involuntary i'm
pulse was moved by this new love.
/ Not many words passed between
| the husband and WHEAT least, not
then, though thought was very busy
with both Of them. MrS. Wheaton's
manner toward the children was kind
even to tenderness, and this manner
won their confidence, and drew from
them such looks and ways aud little
expressions of satisfaction as touched
the heart, and flied 1t with loving
interest. Ff.rerp vttr 81
After nightfall, when supper was
over, and the children asleep, Mr.. and
Mrs. Wheaton sat down together,
each showing little reserve and em-
barTAssment. Mrs. Wheaton was the
first to speak.
"Wbat were you thinking about,
John ?'' said she, almost sharply. ''I
can't have these children.n
I Wheaton did not lift his eyes, nor
answer, but there was certain dog
ged and resolute air about him that
his wife noticed as unusual.
"Somebody else must take them, "
she said.
"The county will do it," Wheaton
replied. ~
'The county ?"
"Yes. There's room for them at the
aImshOuse, and nowhere else, that 1
know of, unless they stay here"
"Unless they stay here H' Mrs.
Wheaton's voice rose q little. ''It's
easy enough to say that-but who's to
take care of them ?''
"It's a great undertaking, l know"
answered the husband, meekly, yet
with a new quality in his voise that
did not escape the quick ear OF his
wife, "and the burden must fall on
you"
4 wouldn't mind that so much,
butt
She kept back the sentence that was
on her tongue.
"But what?' asked her husband.
"JChn," said Mrs. Wheaton, draw
ing herself up in resolute manner,
and looking steadily into her hus-
bands face, ''as things are going
on--n ~
"Things shall go on differently" in
terrupted Wheaton. ''rye thought
that all over"
"How differently, John?"
"Oh in every way. Pll turn over
q new leaf" ~ .s-'
Wheaton saw light flash into his
wife's face.
| 'First and foremost, I'm not going
to lose any more days. Last month I
had six days docked from my wages" !"
| "Why, John !"
sfIt's true-more's the shame for
me. That was eighteen dollars, you
see, not counting the money | fooled
away in idle company-enough to pay
for all these babies would eat and
wear twice over"
"Oh, Johnr" There was some
thing eager and hopeful in his wife's
face as she leaned toward him.
| I'm in downright earnest, Jane" Z"
he answered. "If you'll take the ba-
bses, I'll do nay part. rll turn over a
new leaf. There shall be no more lost
days; no more foolish wasting OF
money no spending of evenings at
MeBride's."
nOh, John :" In her surprise and
delight she could only repeat the ex-
lclamation. AS che did so this time,
she rose, and cutting her hands on
his shoulders, bent and kissed him on
the fdrehead.
"You'I take the babits?" said he
q ssYes, and twenty more If you beep
to this, and say So" answered Jane,
laughing through tears b, hi. u Z
hAII right then. It's bargain. I"
And Wheaton caught his wife's hand
and shnnk II hY WAY of Confirmation.