Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1875-12-24

their father had fallen from scaffold,
and been brought home to them
dead. Turie picked up a scanty liv-
ing by selling the laces and crochet
tides, in the day, that her fingers
woTe 50 deftly at night. Some three
years before, the father, then car
penter in a minor theatre, had be-
friended ballet-girl; and in return,
Mademoiselle Corinne MARY Brady
had commenced teaching Turie to
dance. Through all their poverty and
want the lessons had continued, and
Turie had been an apt pupil. \ great
grief to Corinne was the fact that
Turie couldn't, or wouldn't, grow fat
and many were the comical consulta-
tions held with Tim on the subject.
Turie entertained the shrewd idea that
more food would solve the difficulty
but she kept this idea secret, and the
Others had not yet stumbled on it.
Unfortunately, Corinne had been away
with her troupe in the north country
towns, or Turie would have gone to
her, sure of kindly help. Poor little
woman; the Christmas Day was not a
very hopeful or happy one. Tins
rapidly failing health had kept her
more at home of late, and her stock of
pennies had dwindled TO one.
With resolute look dawning
through her tears, she started up and
wrapped her ragged shawl about her.
4 straw bonnet, without trimming OF
any kind. and so large that it slipped
down and rested on her ears, she fas-
tened by tying an old veil over it.
From under this ludicrous headgear
beamed the same resolute face. as she
ran down the stairs, through the mar
row street, and ont into broad tho
roughfare. Watching her chance. she
crossed the crowded street, went into
a bakers, and. holding ont her penny,
said: "a penn 'orth of buttered cakes,
and stood with wistful eyes rs the
man buttered the steaming edibles,
slapped them together. and bade her
''eat 'em while they smoked She
was only a child, and her heart swell
ed as the delicious smell rose to her
pitched nostrils; and it took all her
] e for Tim 10 restrain her from tax
Not morsel had she tasted all day,
ana hunger was tempting her sorely.
Keeping her head we'll up, so that no
sight of the cakes might make her
false 10 Tim. she started for the OPP
posite side of the street. The roadway
w. crowded with carts, but Turie was
not afraid. She had almost gained
the opposite side, when an infuriated
horse broke from its masters guiding
hand. and sprang forward. Turie
heard the warning shouts. and even
then would have been safe. but her
hat fell forward, binding her eyes,
and in the next instant she was under
the trampling hoofs, down in the snow,
with the wheels crushing away her
life. Around the pale form q pitying
crowd gathered, some only curious
many with the Christmas softness
resting in their moistened eyes.
For she was dead. Her fragile
bones were broken in many places
and her face, unhurt, and smiling
with the triumph of a vanquished
temptation. and one hand grasping
the precious food, were all that look
ed like Turie. just before, a boot-boy
had ridiculed her comical hat: now,
with his bare cold hand he stroye to
shape it round the still face. No one
seemed TO know who she was, or where
sn lived. A poor man drew his cart
to the walk. and laid her on its rough
boirds. With an ashamed movement,
he pulled off his warm coat, covered
the broken form with it. then drove
away with the policeman, and faced
the bitter day, bare-armed. The
mairon at the hospital dropped tears
of sympathy on the white flowers she
laid around the child face, then kiss
ed the peaceful lips, and saw them
close her last frail house, and bear
Tu-is to the field of everlasting quiet.
Nomore of dancing, no more of knit
ting, no more want, but rest immor-
tai, a peace eternal, and the raiment
and glory of the angels, for Turie.
Tim lay quiet after Turie had left
him alone, eating his cracker slowly,
and trying to believe that it satisfied
him When it wa, gone he watched
the clouds sailing ", and thought OF
the angels that Turie had taught him
to believe dwelt in them. Surely
Tufe was staying long. He covered
hissthin arms more closely, for the
scrap of fire she had left was ashes,
col9and dull. A great heavy cloud
of gray, he thought, must be the home
of his father, sturdy and strong of
yore, and changed in no way in his
sons mind. Another, soft and bright,
he thought must hold his young mo-
ther, who had left him at his birth ;
and he knew her waiting for him was
almost at an end, for his strength fail
ed very fast, and he could scarcely lift
his head unaided. Surely Turie was
a long time coming!
1t was getting SO dark, the shadows
were gathering so fast, but he heard
no footstep. He felt faint and weak
from want of food. Slowly the tears
rose, and dropped silently one by one.
1t was so dark. A frightened sob,
and the child-nature conquered as the
stiffness of the room was broken by
his sobs. He was soon exhausted, and
lay terrified and shuddering. Then
he called: ''Turie, Turie." No an
swer, and with frantic effort he rails.
ed himself and slid off the bed, falling
so heavily that he was stunned.
He woke with the rays of the candle
showing him the face of Corinne, on
whose arm his head was pillowed, and
his crooked limbs covered by the folds
of her dress. He was too weak te
speak; but, following the motion ot
his lips, Corinne thought he was try.