The Grange advance., 1876-12-27

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ness.
The next morning before MS granny
was astir, he had placed Clara in a
afe place,an as clean one as he could
lind, and was off to see what the day
had in store.
How Bangs did work lie swept
crossings, ran of errands, held horses.
Wherever a penny could be turned,
Bangs turned it, never once taking
time to fight during the day, and pass
ing his cronies with careless word or
two. When evening came. he had
some very small change and dirty
ten-cent note. Bangs regarded this as
a mine of wealth. Going up to one Of
the city hydrants, he washed his face
and hands with great care, finally DASH
ing the water over his hair and comb
ing it with his fingers.
"Purty clean thing! It'll never do
to go home to her dirty
The toilet made, Bangs went into a
little corner store and bought a half.
yard of cotton cloth, and tore it in two.
''Got any spare box, missus? I'd
like to buy one.''
After some deliberation he selected
a goOd-siZed box put in the muslin, and
went home earlier than he had been
known to do in many month. For
tunately granny was out, gossiping. So
Bangs drew Clara from her hiding
place, first looking to see if his hands
were still clean, and spreading the cot
ton over his arm, sat down on stool
in perfect content.
"Clara, I've brought you box to
live in, you purity thing, and I've
brought you some clean sheets too.
How could lady like you stand gran.
ny,s mussy ways? Now,you set there,
and I'll make your bed.''
He hunted around among granny's
rags, got the cleanest, and wrapped one
piece Of the cotton aroundthem, placed
the bed in the box.
*sNow / guess you'll sleep better.'
Granny's step being heard, he cov-
cred up the box and hid it under the
clothes.''
Bangs's whole existence seemed de-
voted to the doll. Clara became to
him real being. He used to keep
himself neat for Clara. He came home
early to be with Clara. He behaved
himself during the day because he
thought of Clara, for Clara was lady.
Every shell, beautiful leaf, bit of col
ored glass or ribbon he found, was
treasured for Clara, until her box be-
came perfect museum. The boys
thought Bangs was growing ssorful
stupid" and called him ssYoung Mems
Christian Association. But Bangs
didn't mind them a bit. He worked
harder than ever, and was happier than
ever.
One day his granny was carried into
the house by two policemen. She had
fallen in the street, and had strength
only to tell them where to take her.
Bangs never heard her voice again in
kindness or in wrath. He watched her
all that night, as she lay in a heavy
stupOr on the wretched bed in the cor
ner. In the morning he ran to the
Mission for Miss Clara. When they
reached the garret together, the poor
old creature was gone. Bangs felt as
he had never felt before, while he
stood there thinking Of her wretched
like and darkened death.
The next day the ovcrseer of the
poor attended to her burial. When it
was over, Bangs stole to his old corner
of the garret and lifted Clara from her
hiding.place.
"Clara,' he whispered, ':granuy is
dead. Where shall we go? This is no
place for a lady like you. I think if
we went away. Clara. I could grow
to be good and decent
''Come, then, and try"
Hearing the voice, he looked up.
go teacher is that you ? Clara and
me were just talkin' about goin' off
somewhere, and workin', and tryin' if
l couldn't get to be a decenter chap.
She seems to take to it, miss and as
for me, do you know teacher, I've been
thinkin' of late, as how 'taint no way
to do to be fightin' and knockin' about?
II Clara'd bin here year ago, might
have helped poor granny to get along
better. She's gentle and ladysome in
her ways, Clara is.'
Some persons would have thought
Bangs was crazy, but Miss Clara knew
better.
Perhaps it was the kind teacher, or
her brother who took him into his
workshop, perhaps it was the s'lady-
some" doll, perhaps it was the mission
school, and it's lessons, or, more than
all, the Help that came when Bangs
learned to ask for it. Whatever it
was, not happier, steadier fellow
b an Bangs can be found in the great
city to-day.
He is almost a man now, but Clara,
grown no larger, lies in her box still,
pretty and fresh as ever.
"There's no knowing,". Bangs says,
''but what some day may have lit.
tie girl of my own, and then, if she's
good enough and smart enough and