The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-06-19

The boy made no answer. Grimy tears
were pouring from his eyes.
"Answer me" said the Captain.
f" If l don't steal don't get no victu-
ab, said the boy, "and my stomach is
as holler-feel 1t, mister-it's as holler
as drum She's been beggin' to-day
and we'll have stew. L won't have none,
If don't fetch nothin'. Oh"
Who is she asked the Captain.
"My mother" said the boy
tive been hungry myself said the
Captain, thinking of certain Indian
prison experience. 1t isn't pleasant"
Then he thought of his own boy.
"God knows 1 ought to be tender to
the little ones, for the sake of Nellie's
child" he said softly; then aloud
Laddie, I'll not send you to prison"
Thankee, sir" said the urchin.
"And I'll give you breakfast" said
the Captain.
The dirty elf executed a sort of joyous
war-dance.
Do you know why 1 forgive you ?"
said the Captain.
The child shook his head.
81 have little boy" said the Cap
tain. "He's very different from you,
poor child He would not steal any
thing He washes himself. My lad,
you must wash yourself as soon as you
find water. But couldn't think of his
bel ng hungry; and for his sake can't
bear to see other little fellows hungry.
It's for his sake that L don't call con-
stable and tell him all about it. Remem-
Der that, and try to be like-like my lit
tie fellow, poor laddie, clean and good.
Don't steal; try to get work. VIII you
promise ?"
The waif said Eyes sir" of course.
Then the Captain led him into cheap
eating house, and watched him eat until
his little stomach was no longer 'holler.'
"You little wretch ~ he thought as
he looked at him "If 1 could see my
boy and him together now, what con-
trast !"
And he fancied his boy round and
white and pink, and fair of hair, like his
poor lost Ellen, and l know he said that
he would pity this poor fellow and be
kind to him.
The meal was over. The Captain paid
for it, and then drew the boy between
his knees and lectured him. To be good
was to be happy. Honesty was the best
policy. Cleanliness came next to god
illness. These were the heads of his dis
course.
Then he gave him half crown, and
bade him so and be good and clean.
And the boy was Off like flash.
"Thousands just such as he in this
great city, sighed the good Captain,
and he walked along. "Ah, mel"
Then he went in search of Mrs. Ann
Golden and his own fair darling.
But Mrs. Golden was not so easily
found as he had hoped. There was
little shop in the house he had been di-
rected to, and the keeper thereof said
that she had bought it of Ann Golden
"but / haven't seen her since" she said;
"only there's a bit of card with her
number on it-that is, can find it,"
After search, she did find it; and the
Captain, thanking her, hurried away
but another disappointment awaited
him.
Mrs. Golden had not lived in this sec
ond place for years. She had moved into
Clumber Row, but what number no one
could remember.
AT Clumber Row, whittier the Cap
tain drove in cab, woman owned to
having had her for lodger.
She had child staying with her,
too," she said. Little Ned she called
him; but, to tell the truth, she drank so
that turned her out. couldn't abide
such doings. She went to Fossil Lane,
No, O."
To Fossil Lane the Captain went. 1t
was filthy place, and there was
drunken woman at No. 0, who was not
Ann Golden, and who threw piece of
wood at him for asking for that lady.
And now every clue was lost, and the
Captain, nearly beside himself for anxi-
ETY. applied to the authorities for help;
and after many days of great unhappi-
ness, he heard of an Ann Golden who
lived in quarter so low and dangerous
that all decent people Stunned it.
No WONDER" the Captain thought,
Z" if she lived there, that she should have
had his remittances sent to the post
office, and left him to believe that his
child was still in the decent home to
which she had at first taken him."