New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-06-20
What n Child Saw.

Yesterday morning some people living or
Macomb street entered house to IinG
father and mother beastly drunk on the
floor, and their child, bow four years old
dead in his cradle. The parents looked
! like beasts-the child wore the sweetest,
tenderest smile on its white face that any
| of them ever saw. 1t had been ailing for
days, and its brief lite had been full of bit
| ter woe. but yet the women cried rs they
bent over the old cradle and kissed its cold
cheeks and felt Of it's icy hands.
| Father and mother lay down at dark the
evening before, and people passing by heard
the Child crying and wailing. IL was too
voice was not strong enough 10 break the
| chains of drunken stupor. When the sun
went down and the evening shadows danced
| across she floor, and seemed to grasp at him,
the boy grew afraid and cried out. The
shadows came faster, and as they raced
around the room and scowled darby at the
lone child. he nestled down and drew the
| ragged blanket over his head to keep the
revengetul shadows from Selling him. He
must have thought his parents dead and
how still the house seemed to him.
lite dark, mother-its dark - the neigh
bora heard him wall; but no one went in to
comfort him and to drive the shadows
away. The night grew older-the feet of
pedestrians ceased to echo. and the heavy
breathing Of the drunkards made the child
tremble and draw the cover still closer
his little bare feet were curled up. and he
shut his eyes tightly to keep from seeing
the black darkness
BY and by theiragged blanket was gently
pulled away, and the child opened his eyes
and saw great light in the room.
81. it morning. he whispered. but the
drunkards on the floor slept on.
Sweet, tender music came to the child's
fnn h,,I 1p,,r a
away. He was no longer afraid. The aches
and pains he had suffered for days past
away all 40 once.
''Mothel, Mother: hear the music.' he
cried. and from out Of the soft white light
came an angel.
II am thy mother" she softly said.
He was not afraid. He had never seen
her before, but she looked SO good and
beautiful that he held up his wasted hands
and said:
Il will go with YOU
The music grew yet softer, and the |
melody was so sad and tender. and vet 80
full OF love and rejoicing, that the drunk !
ards on the floor moved little and NUT
tered broken words.
Other angels came. and the light fell upon |
the boys face in . blazing shower. turning ;
his curls TO threads OF gold. He held up |
his arms and laughed for joy.
Heaven wants you - the angel whis-
pered. Earth has no more sorrow-nO
further misery. Gomez
And he tioated away with them. leaving
the sleepers lying as ii dead. The golden
light faded out, the music died away. and
The old house was again filled with the grim,
threatening shadows which sat around tho
'leepers, and touched their bloated faces !
with their gaunt skeleton fingers, and
aughed horribly when tho drunkards !
yroaned in uneasy slumber
When people came in the shadows went
tut The sleepers stili slept their sodden
ieep and no one minded them. Men and
women bent low over the dead child. |
moothed back his curls and whispered:
Poor, dead boy"'
They knew not that he had eeen the an
,es, and that they had borne liu to Eeay-
rs Gate.-D.t.0.t Free Press.