Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1877-07-26
LITTLE poPCoRN.
A TRUE STORY.

''Please, sir, buy some popcorn2"
It was snowy, clustering day in Janu-
ary, and sat at my Office desk writing
when small voice accosted me with the
g above request.
"Not this morning." replied, rather
gruffly, and without glancing up. a4J
"Come, Jimmy, wo must CO.. lie won'l
buy any" hoard tho small voice say in .
whisper. This time there waa something
sadly old in tho childish tones. sIbey
touched my car and heart together, and j
turned quickly. +
Before me was tho figure of little girl
perhaps cigh: years old, poorly Glad, and
beside her boy-her brother, al after
ward lcarned--a little older than herself
She carried o small basket of puffy white
corn. There was such look of innocence
in her big gray eyes that was fairly con
elbow much is your popcorn, my child?'
asked liz W.,
Tho protty mouth dimplcd with plsasute
as sho replied: "Two ocnts cup, sir, and
two cups for five cents"
I smiled at this odd reckoning, and said
"Oh, you are mistaken! You mean, II
guess, three cents cup and two for five
cents?" "~ "f
She shook hor head worry decidedly
"No, sir, Fm sure. Mothor said SO, and
she always knows" -"
"And who is your mother, child, that
she lots you come out such wild day as
this is2"
"My mothor is at homo sick, and Jimmy
and me docs tho work, and then VIC pops
corn, and sells it, and gets money"
Growing interested ip this small History,
proceeded with my questions. I
;, What is your namoY", II yf,l.,
"Maggio. But mostly thcy dallss mo
Little Pop corn"
"Woll. thon, Little Popcorn, have you
d father?" IA 3iakFR1S /
Hero, at last, had touched some sensitive
chord in tho small heart. Tho sweet mouth
tsemblcd little, and she ropliod, in q
trembling voice:
eyes, sir. But fathcr went away and
loft us seven years ago, when was baby,
and now mothers sck-and mo and Jimmy
--wo has to"-here the voice hesitated,
aud tears came into the innocent oyes.
"But, my child, haven't you hoard any
thing from him for scvcn whole years?"
~, yes. Last yoar man oame and told
mother how that father worked in bis mill
onco, and then father fell sick, and ho told
Mf. Hudson that he was coming shome as
soon as over ho got woll again. But that
was almost year ago, aud he isn't como
yet" 'f#f
"Do you know where this Mr.. Hudson
lives, Maggc?"
"Mothor knows" was tho quiet answer.
Every we'll. Find out for your mother
whero ho lives, and writo him a lottor and
ask about your father, without letting her
know it,"
II cart writo: I-only--prins," was
tho ho,itating reply. !, /
ink"
supplied these deficiencies, and then
took hcr round to oil the neighboriug Offices,
until sho had disposed Of her corn, and
both small hands were full of pennies.
GLOW many are thcre?" said +. "Lay
them down and I'll count. Fifteen and
8ve are twenty, and ton arc thirty, and
three arc thirly-threo."
She looked moment, half in. bowlder-
ment,, half in delight, then said:i "Is it SO,
Jim?" i. r... ~
He nodded, and sho grasped his brown
hand, glcefully. "Why, Jimmie, it's morc'n
we've mado in two whole days sometimes!
Lets buy an orange for mothcr!"
Then, remembering my prcsonoo, she
straightwoy grow old and dignifcd again,
and gravoly said: "Thank you, sir" and
walkod away, hugging hcr precious ink and
paper.
Several days passed., and 1 began to be-
iievo had seon the last of Maggie. Indeed,
in tho press of business, had almost for.
Cotton tho child's existence; when ono
morning my Office door opened. very softly,
and sho stood before mo. ! saw that sio
Z was somewhat embarrassed, 90 I went busiIy
on with my writing. She walked slowly
across tho floor and stood at my sido q
rnomont in perfect silonoo. Thon q paper
was laid on my desk, rather gri1ny, to Be
sure, and o good doal tho worse for any
foldings. 7 said nothing, but oponed tho
paper, and road in lottors Of all sizes, from
; halfinch to q microscopic print, and lean.
Ing, sqme to tho East somo to. the West,
the following letter:
Pleas Mr.. hudson tel mo wher nv father
.ssis. NJ , mother Ia sick an me an Jimmie