The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1873-12-26

l want her to think Santa Claus sen
| them"
"Dear little Faith" said Miss Ware
brokenly, " take me with you. i woul,
do something for these poor people, too
No wonder your sweet eyes shine will
such perfect content. You have fount
the secret of happiness in helping other
and forgetfulness of self"
The wretched tenement was all asti
with human life when they reached it
Red-faced men, haggard women, ant
wan-eyed children pressed past them OF
the stairs. Miss Ware shrank back, bu
Faith went on bravely, and had for eacl
a kindly look, or word, or smile. Ant
oh it was beautiful to see how ever
the brutal faces of the men softened
and what glad, grateful look cam,
into the eyes of women and children a
her greeting.
! Up, up they climbed, until Miss Ware
could scarcely draw her breath, and wa!
sick with horror at the misery she saw
around her everywhere. At the las
landing they stopped, and Faith pointed
to door that stood slightly aiar.
THAT is the room," she said. The1
she went forward and peeped in, ani
Miss Ware heard a child's voice, and {
sudden joyful cry. Faith looked
slightly disappointed, but tried to hid,
it, and beckoning Miss Ware to follow
entered.
Miss Ware stopped at the door, aud
looked around. The room was smal
| and dingy, and almost bare of furniture
but scrupulously neat and clean. Upon
a rude pallet in one corner lay the Grip
pied child of whom Faith had spoken
She was pale and emaciated, with rings
of yellow hair clusteringabout her blue
veined temples, and large eyes that gilt.
tered strangely. Miss Ware started al
sight of her and pushing past Faith
lifted up the little face and looked into
it eagerly.
What is your name, child ?" she
questioned, and her voice shook ovel
the words.
" Hannah, was the trembling reply
Il was named for mammals sister"
And her'sis Miriam, and your papa
Richard, and the woman caught up the
child and rained down kisses on the war
lips, ard rings of yellow hair, and blue.
veined temples.
Yes, but papa is dead" said the
wistful little voice, land so is baby
brother; but they're up in heaven,
mamma says, and are better offthan We,
for they're never cold, and sick. and
hungry. Mamma coughs dreadfully,
and | heard the doctor say she wouldd'!
live long, and ask her if she hadn't any
friends. And oh how she cried that
night, and moaned to herself, and kept
repeating my name over and over,
Hannah Hannah = But | don't think
she meant me, for she said Sister Han.
nah once, and went down on her knees
and asked God to forgive her some aw,
ful wrong she had done" Faiths eyes
were wet, and Miss Ware shook with
sobs. "But, o Miss Faith - said the
child, eagerly, mayn't see what is in
the basket now?"
Yes, dear" answered the girl.
"Opcn it yourself"
Twas pitiful to see what light came
into the large eyes, and how the wal
cheeks flushed, and the tiny little hands
trembled, as she took ont the treasures
one by one.
Mamma mamma = she cried,
"come and look And att the words Miss
Ware turned and stood face to face with
a pale, hollow-eycd woman, the wreck OF
her sister Miriam.
90 Miriam Miriam ~ she moaned,
and held out her arms with pitiful cry.
But the other shrank back, white and
horrorstricken. ct is /, your sister
Hannah. Have you 10 word of well
come %
Then spasm passed over the wo-
mans face, her knees tottered, and she
fell at the feet of her wronged sister.
'' Forgive. forgive - she cried, " for
Richards sake and the childs if not for
mine"
Miss Ware lifted her up with words
of love and comfort, and then turned to
the little cripple and asked her how she
would like to live in bright, sunny
house, with pictures on the walls and
flowers in the windows. The child's
eyes sparkled, and so did Faiths, and
the poor. heart broken mother was over.
come with emotion.
Out from that wretched tenement
went four instead of two, that morning
and when little later i'll the day there
floated into Miss Wares room the
strains of that Christmas anthem, ''On
earth peace, goodwill toward men," the
sisters sat with clasped hands and lis
tened, and at their feet knelt the little
cripple, and wondered, childishly, il
the angels knew all about what had
happened, and were singing for Joy up
in heaven"
THE teller of the Vile Marie Bank nj