The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1877-01-03
the young girl whispered to Gottlieb,
81 am Christine Oarlen don't know
Gretchen. And what makes yQusao

limited authority. The addition 81. !
two strangers to their circle was taken
as amatter ofscourse by. these small
citizens of the world :; only the baby
stared at Christine Carlen, attracted
by the beauty OF gold hair, blue ewes,
and red lips. With tact Mr.. Gildwell
could have initiated. this ignorant old
woman, taught BY the goodness uf her
own heart-the only instructor, lin, |
deed, in politeness asked no questions
while serving the frugal supper. Few
manifestations of affection were ex-
changed in the household, although
shrewd Mother Bates cherished dry
pride in the success Of some Of her
charges.
81 used to live here alone, but / pick.
ed ''em up one by one R-starving.8 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. ct [&8 4
Christine Carlen had grown quiet
she was ready to tell her story. Two
years ago she had come from Sweden
with her mother. They were to join
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 woman took the
child, and placed her as cash.girl in
the house of Dibbler & Co. What
heaps OF glittering tinery, ftstoons of
ribbon and lace, crowds Of beautiful
ladies, did Christine daily behold I!
What longing filled 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, hotly, 81 never
did it - 49,. ..
The shop:man merely said ..::Come
to the desk -. $500. .....,
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-
]y 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 a smile Mother, Bates could
not understand. y = %4~Sen.&~Aa n "a
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
1 upon giving G0ttlieb 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. L%'l!-'J,l
Life may become infused with unex.
pected interest, whichjstimulates fresh
exertion rather than bope..i All through
the night Gottlieb Braun, thinking of
the lost Gretchen, gazed at the sleep
ing child and when darkness screened
a soft cheek, rose. flushed, swept by
silky lashes, he listened to her quiet
breathing, forming new resolution,
until exhaustion overpowered him in
the patient vigil. The advent of Chris
tine Ca'len 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. o.f l,na y.,e,,s.r. ..,.Sge[.,,., y.
7 Gott1ieb counted the days with bag
gard restlessness, a slow fever consum-
ing his veins, pain gnawing at the very
Esources 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 at night Christine was rornping with.
the children. The old woman, whose
wrinkled brown face, framed in a
black hood, was landmark on the
lthoroughfare where she vended fruit,
recklessly dispensed apples at the even.
ling meal, observing Gottlieb sharply
the while. Little Molly, bright.eyed
and saucy, with ragged shawl pinned
over her head, was making money in
the slush and mire. Fear Of the po-