The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-07-22

when she don't care for her supper"
"Do you know, mother, that tay-kettle's
found speech for itself? 1t woke me up
talking and singing away this very night"
said Nora, earnestly. "It made sort o.
song about somebody's being at the door,
and there being room at the table for one
more. And sure enough there was Tina
at the door, though hadn't heard her at
allw
"Och, you were dreaming, me dear;
tay-kettles don't spake"
why, no, 'twasn't exactly spakin',"
said Nora; it was just singing along a
sort o. song"
1t was fearfully cold night, and as it
grew later the wind arose and blew fear
fully. Mrs. Murphy had thought of tax
ing Tina home herself as they had but
one bed, and that one hardly wide enough
for two; but she could not have the heart
to take such a frail- looking thing out into
such bitter cold But warm hearted Nora
would have slept on the hard floor herself
rather than have her brave that dangerous
aunt, to say nothing of the cold, for, aside
from the pity she felt for her, she took a
great fancy to the child. She told her
fairy stories until bed-time-the wonder
full adventures of that sagacious youth,
Jack the Clam Killer, the fascinating story
of Puss in Boots, and the perils and tri-
umphs of those valuable philanthropists,
the Seven Champions of Christendom.
Tina's brown eyes shone like stars out of
the tangle of white hair, and she hardly
dared to breathe, for fear of losing the
spell
Il like stories," she said, claspih her
little brown hands; "and you are so
good. / never saw anybody so good be-
fore, 'cept mamma, and she went away so
long ago can't hardly member. Ispect
you're an angel, aren't you: Angels are
gooder than anything
Poor Nora, with her little, freckled,
Irish face and funny, turn-up nose! She
didn't look much like an angel. She
couldn't help laughing at the idea herself
though she felt immensely tlattered. She
thought that Tina looked like an angel
when she was attired for bed that night
She had put one of her own white dresses
on her, and had combed the corn-silk
locks back from the little, fair, wistful face
The child's beauty was striking, and it
was high-bred beauty, too; even Nora
recognized that. But there were black
and blue marks on the delicate shoulders
nnl hot fn h,r Tr,C
ache, and she kissed them with something
like tears in her honest blue eyes
/" 1t isn't me that'll ever let you go back
to the aunt again." said she, half to her
self "If have but a crust the bit thing
shall share it, and I'll slape on the floor
meself, if me mother objects to being
crowded"
The next morning Tina was flush and
feverish, but still said she wasn't sick her
head ached-that was all Nora hurried
home from mass as fast as ever she could,
to keep her company, and the two chill
dren spent happy day together. Nora
kept bright fire and told stories until her
stock was entirely exhausted. Tina seemed
thoroughly happy and took no thought of
the morrow. Nora, to her, was like one
of the good fairies in her stories-she
would take care of her. Aunty and the
days when she went begging were already
like a dream.
Its unlikely that spalpeen iv woman
she calls aunty is any relative of hers"
said Mrs, Murphy, as she watched her
while she was sleeping that night. Mind,
Nora, that child has gentle blood. These
vile women steal pretty, frail-like children
to send begging, bad cess to 'em. The
mothers a weepin' for the poor little lamb
now, doubt not"
"Ah, mother, we'll never let her go
back to the likes ov her, will we? Didn't t
the praste say as the good saints would
give back all body spent in deeds o.
charity?"
"But, me dear, how are you iver going
to provide for another? Aren't your own
Door bits of toes almost out of the ould
shoes now? And when will ye be able to
huy another pair? Coal is so dear, and
there's so much spint in this weather.
Then l want you to go to school and get a
bit O. learnin', and not grow up in such
haythin ignorance"
"But don't want to go to school," said
Nora; 81 can read now. I'd hape
rather kape Tina"
Poor little Tina! she was really i'll. All
night she tossed and moaned in her sleep
and in the morning she could hardly lift
her head from the pillow. Mrs. Murphy
did all she could for her before she went
to her work, and Nora hung over her un-
til the very last moment, almost broken
hearted that she must leave her to suffer
alone. But work begins on Monday
morning, and if she did not 60 to the
store she would lose her place. Then
what would become Of her friend?
When she came home atnoon she found
her in a fever; her eyes looked wild and
strange, and she talked incoherently.
Whativer shall I do for herr" said
poor Nora, in despair. cts the favur
she have, sure; and who knows but she'll
die, the poor thing? III niver get over it
if she do die on my hands. P'r'aps jug
of hot water at the fate would draw the
hate from the head, and p'r'aps bit of
hot tay, if l could make her drink it,
would make her feel better. "Tay- kettle, y
she said, as she stood that useful vessel on
the glowing Goals, "you towld me to take
the little thing in and give her the supper
now tell me what to do for her if you can.
She is that i'll that it's fit to break ones
heart just to look at her."
But the tea-kettle only looked mildly
contemplative and didn't open its mouth
and as Tina was quiet for few moments
she sat down by the fire to think what she
could do to help the little sufferer.
"I'll not lave her again. she said to
herself; "I shall lose me place, but the
saints will provide"
Leaning her head on her hands she was
quite lost in thought until that funny
witch-like old tea-kettle started her with
another one of its sage sayings in rhyme.
The steam was pouring in flood out OF
its crooked nose and it sang along in this
wise:
Steam, steam, steam, puff, puff, puff!
The doctor, the doctor, tits plain enough
What to do for child!
Nora started to her feet in a moment. A
doctor, sure enough. Why did she not
think OF it before? She was so unused to
sickness that, with all her thoughtfulness
the idea of calling doctor never entered
her mind. She hardly knew there were
such sort of people in the world.
an run for one this instant" she said