The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-08-14

could gain entrance. He tried the deor
mechanically it was locked. What
would you have? We cannot keep our
churches always open, even should a
fainting soul perish by the way.
Next he was caught in an eddy of
desperate humanity-the abject poor,
the sodden, brutal poor, all seeking the
station house, eager to receive that last
stamp of degeneration on the coinage
of their own abasement, if sleep might
only bring forgetfulness of misery.
Gottlieb shuddered and drew back from
the crowded entrance of building
which seemed to exhale a painful ia
mi,iarity with crime in every stone. He
could not throw himself into that stream
of pollution.
Afterwaid he wandered on, without
purpose, past rows of fine dwellings,
past hurrying people all intent on reach
ing home. Sometimes he held out his
hand for aims, but it was done go
awkwardly and hesitatingly that few
noticed the movement. The way grew
narrow and crooked he had quilted the
spacious thoroughfare unc onsciously,
and now tall houses, time-stained and
dilapidated, lined the street. Gottlieb
sat down on a wooden doorstep to rest.
Nobody disputed his right of posses
sion. Laborers came and went work.
women trudged along; children played
in the gutter.
Suddenly light form darted around
the corner, tripped, and fell almost at
Gottlieb's feet. Was it the CLEAN of
golden hair escaping from little scar
let hood, or the blue eyes, now anxious
and terrified, that made Gottlieb start
with the exclamation, Gretchen y
Color had dasned in his pale face he
knew his mistake even before the
young girl rose, nursing a bruised
girl regarded him sulleuly, almost
wildly, and when he laid hand on her
arm she darted away again as if fearing
capture. Her rapid flight was impeded
by an old woman carrying basket OF
apples and oranges, which were spilled
by the shock of contact.
"Ain't yer ashamed, now. an for an
old body, too ?" said the woman, whose
name was Mother Bates. TIE girl hest
tated, then stopped to gather up the
fruit.
"Don't let her co." implored Colt
lieb.
The girl looked from one to the other
suspiciously.
"He wants me to be taken," she
cried, with a sob.
You are like my Gretchen, and I
wish to help you, '" he returned, quietly.
"Where are you going?" to Gottlieb.
81 don't know" YEARLY.
"Where are you going ?" to the girl.
"Away from the police" with a
shudder ard fearful glance around.
"Come along. then"
They followed the old woman, these
two waits, scarcely knowing why, and
the girl whispered to Gottlieb, 81 am
Christine Carlen don't know Crotch
en-. And what makes you 80 pale ?"
Mother Bates lived at the top of a
tenement-house, and she conducted her
guests into a small room with cheerful
hospitality. Already were five children
gathered here, sharp-featured, shrill-
voiced, and bearing that aspect of pre-
cocity peculiar to boys and girls of the
city streets. They might Lave been
trained in worse school certainly, and
the little room made sort of democ-
racy, of which Mother Bates was ruler,
with limited authority. The addition
of two strangers to their circle was
taken as a matter of course by these
small citizens of the world only the
baby stared at Christine, attracted by
the beauty of gold hair, blue eyes and
red lips. With a tact Mr.. Gildwen
could have initiated. this ignorant old
woman, taught by the goodness OF her
own heart-the only true instructor,
indeed, in politeness-asked no ques-
tions while serving a frugal supper.
Few manifestations of affection were
exchanged in the household, although
shrewd Mother Bates cherished dry
pride in the success of some of hel
charges.
81 used to live here alone, but I pick
'em up one by one a-starving. l taught
'em their trades, too. Billy sells news
papers Molly sweeps crossings; and
Mike gifts cinders from the Earrles fol
fire. They save my old bones lots oil
work."
Christine Carlen had grown quiet
she was ready to tell her story. Two
years before she had come from Sweden
With her mother. They were to join
It family in the west. Instead, the
fereignei stranded in the city !; the
r 9Far' '-ened, been taken away
to anosp.sal, and, Live or dead, Chris
tine could never find her lain. They
told her the mother had gone to one Of
the islands, and there she had been
put in pauper's grave That was all.
Atterward woman took the child, and
placed her as cash girl in the house Of
Dibbler & Co. What heaps of glitter
ing finery, festoons of ribbon and lace,
crowds of beautiful ladies, did Chris
tine daily behold What longing filed
her own young heart to be free like
these fortunate ones! Sometimes she
touched furtively delicate fabrics,
wondering how it would seem to own
such splendor.
When Gottlieb Braun emerged from
the depot the usual throng surged
through the premises of Dibbler & Co.,
and the shop-man had pulled bundle
of lace from Christine's pocket. Yes,
there was conviction of robbery, al
though Christine had not stolen the
lace. She affirmed, hotly, ST never did
itw
The shop-man merely said, "Come to
the desk"
As she prepared to obey, trembling,
confused and astonished, the pretty
girl in the corner, who wore pink bows
in her hair, and who had grown deadly
pale, grasped her arm.
SECT your things and run away,
Christine, before the police catch you.
Quick p
Christine hat, ..atcued the little red
hood, and fled in blind panic and fear,
until she fell at Gottlieb's feet.
The old soldier now listened attent
lively to the story.
"Shc came to me like Gretchen" he
said, with smile Mother Bates could
not understand.
In the night the snow fell. The gera-
MUM in the window, pride of all the
children, shrank from the frosty pane
the mesgre fire died to single coal.
The old woman had insisted upon Civ
ing Gottlieb a spare pallet in the
corner; the children were huddled
together on her 'ide of the room
Christine sat before the fire regarding
bar Jet r,ifaorcIx