The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-12-13
THE GENTS ON THE SAND.

THE CENTS ON THE SAND.
+" Gretchen Gretchen Where is Gret-
"Here, mother, here"
meal, and be quick"
give pounds of meaLfrom the mill 2"
eyes, yes, child don't dream"
"Gretchen - The gate was clicking be-
hind her as che stopped with her straw
plated hat swinging on her shoulders, and
stop by the way, little girl, and lose the
cents have nothing more to buy meal
with"
ayes, yes, mother; my feet shall not
stop, and will hold fast the cents" And
she peeped in her hand to see if the cop
pers were safe and sound, and she scattered
the dust with her bare brown feet as she
skipped up the old mill-road.
81 have minded to-day and been almost
good" she said to herself, as the mill came
and to see the rabbit by the wall, aud my
cents are safe, if did drop them moment
ON the road"
"Gretchen! Hi, ho Gretchen Won
Tskie =, come see the fish shining in the
the pond Z"
y 81 see them shining come, and you can
see. If had cent to buy hook, could
catch every one."
poor if you have not one single cent to buy
. hook but I cannot spare mine"
''Mother's cents and mine mean the same
thing, guess" thought Gretchen, coloring
mp in spite Of herself, as che wondered if
abe was telling quite the truth, and think
say could she see her bending over the fish
pond, gazing at the fish instead of bringing
the meal from the mill.
"If could catch a single one in my
~ - Ill
swim in jar or fry in pan, she would
not care, guess, and what harm can come
of my only stopping to look at the fish ~
And she tossed her bag and cents on the
sand, and leaned over the pond with
waiting hand.
"Bobbie, Bobbie, will they bite me
Bobbie, will you catch me if fall in ?" But
Bobbe Brown was gone.
The pond was deep and the place was
lonely, and there was q cross looking man
going by, all of which Gretchen saw, and
thought of, when she called in vain for
Bobbie Brown, So she snatched her bag
and looked for her cents but she might as
well have given them to Bobbie, for they
were not on the sand.
Gretchen never knew if it was the cross
man or Bobbie Brown or the sand that had
stolen her cents, although it was easy to
guess, for Bobbie soon had lots of hooks,
and sat by the pond many day and hsh
ed. But as Gretchen laid in her mothers
: arms and wept, and saw the tears in her
eyes that looked fondly yet 80 sadly in hers,
because she had done wrong, and because
there was no meal and no bread, and when,
supperless and sobbipg, she went to bed,
she knew how sad it was to disobey, and
Dever in her life forgot about stopping to
look at the fish and the cents she threw
upon the sand.
Not long ago, on board an English steam
or, four days out from Liverpool, small
boy was hid away behind the cargo. He
had neither father NOR mother, brother nor
passengers or crew. Who was he Where
did he come from 2 Where going Z Only
nine years old, the poor little stranger,
with ragged clothes, but beautiful face,
full of innocence and truth OF course, he
was carried before the first mate.
Chow came you to steal passage on
board this ship Z" asked the mate sharply.
'My step father put me in" answered
the boy, che said he could not afford to
keep me, or pay my passage to Halifax,
where my aunt lives. I want to go to my
aunt"
The mate did not believe the story. He
had often enough been deceived by stow
Always. Almost every ship finds, one OF
two days out at sea, men or boys concealed
among the cargo, trying to get passage
across the water without paying for it.
And this is often troublesome, as we'll as
expensive. The mate suspected some of
the sailors had hand in the little boys
escape, and he treated him pretty roughly
Day after day he was questioned about his
coming, and it was always the same story
nothing less nothing more. AT last the
mate got out of patience, as mates will, and
selling him by the collar, told him unless
he confessed the truth in ten minutes he
would hang him the yard arm. A
frightful threat, indeed.
Poor child, with not friend to stand
by him Around him were passengers and
sailors of the mid day watch, and before
him the stern first officer, with his watch
in his hand, counting tick tick-t tick of the
minutes as they swiftly went. There he
stood, pale and sorrowful, his head erect,
and tears in his eyes but afraid mo, not
bit
Eight minutes had already gone.
"Only two minutes more to live" cried
H. L. H.