The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-12-28

.D':E! DECEMBER G ! j i! B j 28,1876. :.
and red lips. With q tact Mr.. Gildwell
could have initiated, this ignorant old
woman, taught BY the goodness Of her
own heart-the only instructor, in
deed, in politeness asked no questions
while serving the frugal supper. Few
manif ifestations of affection were ex.
changed in the hopseheld, although
shreWd Mother Bates cherished a dry
pride in the success OF some of her
charges. .:ss@>s- IS. 3.:S ~ =.:.f
81. used to live here alone, butt pick.
ed 'em up one by one a-starving. I
taught them their trades, too. Billy
sells newspapers Molly sweeps. cross.
ings and Mike:gets cinders from the
barrels for our fire. They save my old
bones, lots Of work. E,@;-5Ss
Christine Carlen had grown quiet :
she was ready to. tell her story. Two
years ago she Had come from Sweden
with her mother. T11ieY were to. .ioin
their family in the West. Instead, the
foreigners stranded in the city; the
mother had sickened, been taken away
to a hospital. and, alive or dead,
Christine could never find her again.
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. AfterWard a woman took the
child, and placed her as cash girl in
the house of Dibbler & Co. What
heaps of glittering finery, festoons of
ribbon and lace, crowds of beautiful
ladies, did Christine daily behold
What longing filed her young heart to
be free like those fortunate ones
sometimes she touched furtively deli
cate 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 a
bundle of lace from Christine's pocket.
Yes, there was conviction of robbery,
although Christine had not stolen the
lace: She affirmed, hot]y, "I never
did it -
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 dead
ly rale, grasped her arm.
Get your things and run away,
Christine, before the police catch you.
|Quick -
Christine had snatched her little red
hood, and fed in blind panic and fear,
until she fell at Gottlieb s feet.
The old soldier now listened atten.
lively to the story.
''She came to me like Gretchen he
said, with smile Mother Bates could
not understand.
In the night the snow fell. The ge-
ranium in the the window, pride of all
the children, shrank from the frosty
pane the meagre fire died to single
coal. The old woman had insisted
upon giving Gottlieb spare pallet in
the corner ; the children were huddled
together on her side of the room !;
Christine sat before the fire regarding
her bruised wrist piteously. At mid
night Gottlieb rose, and silently mo.
toned the girl to take his place. She
obeyed wonderingly, and sank into
dreamless sleep. In the cold dawn
Mother Bates discovered that the man
had tainted on the hearth.
Life may become infused with unex-
pected interest, which stimulates fresh
exertion rather than hope. All through
the night Gottlieb Braun, thinking of
the lost Gretchen. gazed at the Sleep
ing child and when darkness screened
soft cheek, rose-fushed, swept by
silky lashes. he listened to her quiet
breathing, forming a new resolution,
until exhaustion overpowered him in
the patient vigil. The advent of Chris
tine Caller in his life was not such a
great event, only Gottlieb's portion was
such a very little one. God sent this
humble man for Christine, slumbering
among the shadows, within reach Of
the talOns of that great bird of prey
want.
Gottlieb counted the days with hag
gard restlessness, a slow fever consum-
ing his veins, pain gnawing at the very
sources of life. While daylight lasted
he dragged himself about the streets
in search of food, at least, for mother
Bates's little brood. When he return.
ed atnight Christine was romping with
1.-THE children. The old woman, whose
wrinkled brown face, framed in a
black hood, was landmark on the
(thoroughfare where she vended fruit,
recklessly dispensed apples at the even.
ing meal, observing Gottlieb sharply
the while. Little Molly, bright.eyed
and saucy, with ragged shawl pinned
lover her head, was making money in
the slush and mire. Fear Of the po-
lice kept Christine from joining her in
street.sweeping. Sleep refused to
visit Gottlieb's weary senses. What
visions came to him in the night? On
Tuesday morning Mother Bates said.
"You come to the dispensary, my
man."
"What's the use? It's the old
wounds and the fever.'' Then he
added, with sudden tears in his eyes,
|"God bless you, good woman, for taking
us in! Tomorrow draw my pension. :"
THUS did he identify himself already
with the Swedish maiden.
Mother Bates scoffed loudly at senti.
ment, then paused at the foot of the
staircase to wipe her eyes on her ging-
ham apron. Gottlieb was out all day.
When he came back he gave his hos.
tess tifty-cent bill, with no other ex.
PLANTATION than that he had obtained a
1>' q L.