Middletown transcript., 1876-02-26
0riainal Storp.
Jeanette and Marguerite.
BIZ LILLE BELL.

..Jean6efte, 10 that yonl lsssid-a low
voice as q slight rattle came 1t the door
Of poor dwelling il, a poorer locality
in the largest city Of this state; Will
miugtos aE tsssF ssffssAta's r.
But there. came no response only
silence filed the almost empty room. as
the vibration Of the low voice died
away. almost instantly; and the aged
man-for such il was who had spoken
leaned bis head back in the rickety arm
chair and sighed heavily, iii is nsugh'
but the wind" as#
Z Night Was fast approachiug; already
she had veiled the sun from sight. and
the stars came out one BY one, to give
their feeble light.
HAS Jeannette come yet r. asked
ran ainirm voice from pallet in one
corner of the room, as the glow Of the
gas. light from street lamp shone
through the window and fell on the
bare floor illuniDating the room.
mot yet, mother but il will not BE-
long before she viii return" responded
the old man. a
At that instant the fall Of feet was
heard on the pavement and before :
moment passed, slight young girl en-
tered the room with basket on her
arm.
"Jssn, J. th,ss yon n sIia abe solS
"Yes. grandpa" she replied. strik-
ing match and lighting tallow can
die With one end stuck in q bottle in
stead Of candlesiick so.a1 Il
Ths room bespoke = poverty and even
want !; although every thing vas 'clesn
from the ragged comforts thst covered
thetipyslid 20 the whitsspire floor. 8
The room contained small table.
the arm chair occupied BY the old man.
two others. one without rsngs, the
other lacking part of the back two
pallets. or beds. bits of carpet
spread down 10 front Of the stove a
email cupboard, . shelf containing few
books. two pictures ana little cricket
on which was seated child Of about
nine years-this was Margarette Thorp,
Jeannette's sister,. st Ha
Jsan's nimbie 6ugers soon spread
the frugal meal, chiefly from the basket
she had brought iu on her arm.
During the time. not word had
been exchanged BY the occupants ofths
room. DH34 R4.
When she finished. her grandpa drew
up his chair to the tsble, while che
placed her little sister in chair oppo-
site. y fEA#6E
Il am so hungry" said the little
shild as she glanced over the table.
''Eat your supper; then sissie will
put you to bed p
Silently the child did ~ she was
bade. jean did not take , seat with
the other two, but crossing to the pal
let she leaned over and said:
Twill you have anything. grandma
mo. NY dear" she replied, stretch
ing out shrunken hand towards the
young girl, who took it, chsfng it be-
tween hers.
The meal wss soon over, and the
dishes put 10 their place.
Marguerite. kneeling beside her sis.
ter. diowsily repested her prayer:
snow lay me down to sleep,
pray the Lord, my soul to keep;
IF ahould die before | wake
pray the Lord my soul to take.
Not more than others deserve,
Yet God has given me more,
For have food, while others starve,
Or beg from door to door,"
And vas soon sleeping soundly on her
little straw bed.
jean. come nearer, said her grand
una rs she left M.rgarette's couch.
Noiselessly she glided across to the
side Of her grandms's bed; her face
had gas,ly appearance. the eyes we're
closed, the muscles around the shrunken
mouth we're twitching, aud her breath
came quick and hard.
20. can this be death !" thought
Jeannefse. ! as shs gazs6 on this scene
Crossing the room to her grandpa, who
was mapping 10 bis arm chsir-shaking
him slightly she whispered ;''A.Grand.
pa, grandpa. grandma is worse" In
stsDtly be was beside the bed. This
is DEATH" he murmured, as be looked
on his wife.
"How can l give thee up 2" his soul
cried out :-"sfter more than City
years Of life together Oh! it is hard
to part" he said. falling on bis kaees|