Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-04-21

d .
"How strangel' replied Hannah. 'fYoung girls
like you don't ever Come up aTicksty, staircase
because they hear loud talking. They hurry and
get out oi the way" -
"oh 1 couldn't do that" said Lucy, with a
veIy serious look; for before Mamma went
away she tIld me that whenever wanted her
very much must 60 out into the world and See
IL there wasn't some poor, sorrowful person bo
wanted me more than wanted her. 1t don's
seem to me that any can want me as much
as want her but l am sure you want some
body"
As Lucy said this, she seemed to have caught
some OF the light ON the shining way" rud
my iners, as ifshe longed TO brighten everything
with her own sunshine,
Cant L DO something for you y she asked.
"Oh! good God !" exclaimed Hannah Pike
again wouldn't like TO 60 up the shining
way you talk about and take all nv children
with me. But it seems to me shell always go
up and down and up End down that old ietel,
staircase. can bear it better though, I'm sure,
now that know there's been an angel OIL the
stairs You're an angel, child" she added, as She
Saled into Lucy's face; "end It's strange enough
that you've come up that old rickety staircase
and just IN time too, 10 save my baby's ife Poor
| ragged baby ~ added Hannah Pike. "You have
not been saved for anything good. You'll have
hard time OF it, little Kitty rnd Teddy and the
rest OF em, budding and shiveIiug over The green
wood lire. Aud what your fa!hef'n do 10 you next
is more than can tell"
Lucy sahceu Ut the Old boGstead, and saw
silght movement beneath the old ragged bed
clothes.
"lies there" said Haunah, in a low tone: sand
II little comfort he is TO us or to hims. II eithe
though VII say when he's 4 sober man he's kiud
| to the baby"
Lucy looked rotnd again, and thought 10 her.
sell that there was little eotafoIt for anybod, IN
| such rootu.
Cant make the lire CO." said Teddy,
Aud lie put his little rcd hands into the ashes
q no etfotr,
| with all his little breath hoping to start a fire
You won't ever get warm here little pink LADY,
| he added as he stared at Lucy Travels.
ana why do you call Inc little pink LADY,"
| " because there's pink in both OF your cheeks.
and you arc II little pink lady"
| "Aad 80 you think won't ever get warm
here :"
You couldn't" replied Teddy, shaking his
| head. NoDodys put any water in the Wood
stove, too."
fouil see IN day or two if | won't ever cot
warm here, SAID Lacy and, after saying lew
more hiha words to Hannah Pike and pattipg
tue olby, she disappeared down the riekety stall
case. "'
Poor Hanna felt that che had seen an anosI
And Lucy Traver's uncle felt that he. foo hal
looked ON an angel when Lucy, with her cheeks
glowing with the winters cold, came rushing in.
10 the honse, after her walk, 10 tell him where
she had been.
IL cant believe m 10 the same world I was
in half an hour ago" she said, as she stood hv
the register and looked around the room. thar
was 50 bright With gaslight and pictures and ALI
oeanlini things. "Oh nnce II had TO live
where | We beea this afternoon | should be 20
ugly that nobody could endure me- | couldn,t
be half so good natured as that little bow Teddy
aud I'm sure | should meyer show bis nst;encs
IN trying 10 make green wood burn"
Nhen Lucy had told all her story, h9r uncle
said "A won't let the sun Set 10 morrow night
until I've let that family know what il means 10
be comfortable. Poverty and lis miserable train
cold and hunger and dirt and smoke-sre ct
favorable TO the growth Of eny of the virtues
That man gets only days work now al d
then, his wits told me-" said Lucy.
wen, we'll give him every encouragement
to be sober, and see what it will do for him Or .
Of The best Of the little houses Ia at rent il vacant,
and I'll have good stove put in it, and two
loads OF dry body maple sent there and goe d
, bedslead and table and few chairs, and your
aunt shall send SOME bedelothes there and IN
3 give the man steady work. I'll altead 10 thi a
. business Immediately after breakfast tc norrt "
, morning"
l "oh! how glad | am that / went np that
rickety staircase" said Lucy TO herself Now
Know what HANNA meant when she said thar
there were people 10 this world who wanted ME
, mo than l would want her when che was
gone.'
Mr. Travers did not forget his promise. TIE
A stove was sent up to the empty house early the
next morning, and before noon Two loads Of wood
we're piled Ia the lille shed back OF the house
beiore sunset every thing was ready for the new
1 tenants. aud the angel ence more went up The
} rickety staircase.
When Hannah heard ha news she kissed her
baby in a kind oil frenzy of delight, and Peter
Pike covered his face with the ragged bedclotfe e5
aud cried, while Kitty laughed Nj d danced. 81 d
Teddy hurried to get his hat.
Not quite SO fast, my little man - said Lucy
: "Some one will be here 10 few minutes with
a bundle Of clothes for you ALL" And turning
to Hannah, she added: SIT will be easy moving,
for there isn't much here that you Il care 10 lake
with you, and you'll lind every thing there. As
soon as you are all ready go over 10 the horse
and ste how you like it. No one will be ihue
10 disturb
The sun had gone down and the Stars were
all shining when Peler and Hannah Pike ard
the children turned their backs forever on the
} old bedstead and the ragged bed clothes, on tie
cracked stove aud lis green wood, on the colo,
, smoky FOOL, and on all discomfort.
"Geod God ~ said Hannah, as she sat down
in the now house and looked sll around. shave
come 'up the shining way and brought Peter
and all the children with mey
81 know who pu, us in here" said Teddy. IL,
is the little pind lady" But Hannah cried for
JOY, and said something, which Teddy could net
understand, about "the angel on the rickey stair.
case r... a8t
For five years Peter Pike has made Hannah
and all the children happy, and the liquor-se-