Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-04-12

Wher Marie first went. her kind
neighbor, Nine. Andre, had taken her
under her wing; but lately she had
not been able to go. and 50 the poor
child was obliged to take her chance
alone, very often among rough and
unkind people. 1t was so to-day, and
she had no sooner arrived than she
felt herself viciously poked in the
back by girl who lived on the same
door a. herself. and who was. am
sorry to say, !: very naughty girl.
"What are you doing here with an
umbrella that's bigger than yourself!"
she asked, pertly; chow do you sup.
pose You are going to put 1t up II 1t
does rain! Do you think am going
to let it peck my nose about, or pull
down my hair, just for your conven'
ience!"
Marie colored up and looked rather
frightened. II thought Nine. Andre
would perhaps be here
swell, what of that!" interrupted
the rude girl, "Mme. Andre does not
suppose you are the only person in the
world to be kept dry. Perhaps you
think like to be rained on
Marie did not reply; she had early
learned that a mild answer turns
away anger.
However, Caroline-for that was the
other girls name-was determined to
torment the timid child as much as
possible, 50 she continued, II believe
you have too much in allowance !
saw what you had the other day, and
am sure it weighed as much as mine,
and ours has to be divided between
three. Idon'> see why such a bit
of child as you should have az much
as do; besides, l dare say You eat
half your mothers as WE'LL
Tears sprang into Marie's eyes.
"Oh, Caroline - cried she; show
could you say so, when you know l
would 70 without food for week 1t
only it would make mother Well l
am sure you cannot mean what you
say Is
eyes, I do, though, and
But here a respectable woman, who
was in front of Marie turned round and
put herself between the child and her
tormentor.
'.You ought to be ashamed of your.
SELF" said she, angrily, to the latter,
''fOr teasing such a patient little soul.
It seems to me that you must know
something of these tricks yourself, or
You would not be 80 ready to lay them
to Others
Mademoiselle Caroline was too
abashed to reply to Marie's protec.
tress, 80 she only made u grimace,
which think is a paltry revenge, fire..
quently adopted by cowardly chill
dren but as the good woman did not
see it, its effect was entirely lost on
her.
At length Marie received her share
of the siege food, with glad sigh of
relief, turned her face homewards !;
but she had not got far on her way
when she heard a scream, and, look.
ing back, she saw that Caroline had
slipped down and that the contents of
her basket were scattered on the
ground. This was bad enough, but,
terrible to relate, a poor, half.starved
dog Il dare say he was eaten up him.
self soon afterwards)has already seized
q piece of meat, and was rushing off
with it.
Caroline sprang after him, but the
dog ran too fast for them. and, dash.
ing down a side street, he soon gobbled
up his stolen meat, far out of sight of
the children.
How Caroline cried and sobbed
"Oh, Marie," said she, Il dare not 60
home; mother will say it was all my
fault. We were all so hungry yester-
day after supper! Francois said he
felt as If he had eaten nothing; and
how shall we feel tonight, now that
the food has been lost! l am sure l
dare not 90 home!' And the terrified
French girl sat down o: one of the
Boulevard seats and sobbed as if her
heart would break.
"Oh, don't cry, Caroline" said Ma
RE. in her tender, compassionate voice,
lit Is not as if you meant to throw
the meat away; it was only an acct
dent"
'But mother will never believe
that" sobbed Caroline.
II tell you what will do, suggested
Marie, looking at her own meager p0r-
ton, II will just save mother the best
bit, and then you shall have my share
yes, indeed you SHALL" she urged,
for Caroline, whose conscience had at
last pricked her, made a motion of re.
fusal.
II cannot take it," she said; II can.
not take it! had better be scolded
all day than feel that you are going
famished to bed. Oh, it is so dreadful
to be hungry :" added she, with a
shudder.
"Well then you must take it," cried
Marie, ''for it is better for one to be
hungry than three; and very likely
there will be enough left then for
mother and I. Poor mother, her ap.
petite Is 80 bad -
''Oh, Marie, how different you are
to me! - said the fearful Caroline,
whose hard heart felt an unwonted
pang Of regret at the thought of the
cruel pleasure she had taken in caus'
ing pain to this generous friend in
need, Il never do anything kind to
any one, and you not only give me
your food, but when I treated you 80
badly Just now you did not even fly
into q passion! How different to me
I shall never be anything but naughty
and selfish - ....
''Oh do not say that, Caroline! God
IL % good, that if you only ask him
with all your heart be will make you
love the things he loves, and then you
will be 90 happy it is 80 easy to ask
God for things, for he Is always close
to US, he never makes you wait
and mother says, there is moth
ing pleases him more than to have
children like US wishing to please him,
but dare say you know all this, Car.
Oline. You are not vexed with me fol-
telling you it over again, are you
dear p
Caroline had turned away her face,
for hot tears Of sorrow and rem0rse
were running down her cheeks ; she
felt that the little Marie she had &c
despised was her superior in every
way.
4 child walking In tho ways Of
peace, full Of love to the great Lord of
III, and loving her fellow creatures fol
his sake. Yes. that was the secret Of
Nsrie's gentleness. It IL easy to bt
aymiahla and 1AntlA when a1l 1Oo0 we'll