The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1877-04-26
~THREE CENTS"
BY COL. PRENTIss INGRAHAM.

stairs and stepped upon the sidewalk in
no very good humor. AS he walked
sharply to the right, his eye, half unwit-
tingty thrown dOwnwards, took in some |
thing which lay glittering upon the
pavement.
Being born with the bump of economy
large, instinct prompted him to stoop
down and pick it up; but being, as we
have stated, in q bad humor, he only
grumbled out "Humph it's three
cent piece" Then he pushed on down
the street.
Foolish man could he not feel that
this three-cent piece was his destinyY
Half an hour previous, in small,
sparsely- Furnished, but scrupulously neat
room, fair-haired, blue-eyed woman,
from whose cheek poverty and hard
work had not yet taken all the bloom,
sat sewing.
By her side stood a boy of eight or
nine, whilst upon the uncarpeted floor
was playing girl of perhaps half that
The afternoon had crept on but slowly
for the trio, and the little one had more
than once looked up to lisp out the query
whether ma wasn't" most DONE"
The stitches flew fast but wearisomely,
and the face of the worker spoke volumes
as to her wishes, but still she answered
"No, Mary" :,
At last she ceased for moment, and
cast doubling looks, first at the small
boy, and then at the smaller girl.
"John, could you not take Mary out
with you, and walk little? Don't 60
far: and then you may stop at the store
where we were last night, and buy
mother candle" =,
eyes, mother, was the answer, stoutly
given, AID soon, with his little hand
clutched tightly over three-cent piece
John led his sister down the narrow
stairs and out into the scarcely broader
street.
The Injunction was not to go far, bu
the store was nearly three blocks away
and the two had walked to the end of th'
square before the first novelty OF tn
expedition had worn of.
Then they heard clattering noise II
the distance, and paused and huddle'
together by the curbstone, half in expee
fancy and halt in fear.
The noise sounded louder and clearer
Around the corner like whirlwin
dashed a runaway horse, with the fral
ments of buggy clinging to him. ID
-
other as he ran, and neither stopped Q
cared for the little shivering mites of HI
manity, crouched pale and frightened,
the edge of the pave.
Prince or beggar, tender infant
pray-haired old man, was all the same
this frightened steed, who swept at an
over the frightened couple, and thel
dashed on, leaving bloody, tumble'
balfcrushed mass of infant humanit
living in confused and scarcel
recognizable heap.
The empty street filed. From hither
unknown doorways, and areas, and !ur
ing places, then started out swarms
men and boys and halfclad girls, wi
gave a look and shout for the feeil
animal. and two looks and the
sympathy to the wrecked infancy befo
them. Tenderly the hands of roug
coated, shaggy -visaged men, raised
little victims and bore them to neig
boring shop, where they might recei
some attentions, even if they were tho
solemn ones that come under the demon
nation of that dreary word "last."
They were pretty children, as tn
lay there upon the counter, their hea
supported upon bundles of wrappi
paper. 49,.
They were pretty children, for
their torn clothing and blood-smirch
brows; and the sympathy of that GRO
was drawn towards them doubly, sir
it was 30 patent that they were some p'
woman's darlings, who through pove
and toll, cared for them as only a fo
loving. dear-hearted mother can.
From out of the crowd that swarm
the door, there came one man, '
entered the house as though in author
At sight of him suppressed 20
went 1p. mingled with whisper:
doctor: we'll all know about 1t nov
A noble fellow that doctor was.
Years of contact with every shade
accident. misery and disease among
noverty.stricken and outcast Of po,
precincts of the city had not dulled
heart to the broad fact of human brot
hood. His touch was warm and sol
he wiped away the blood from
bruised little brows, and deftly felt
bruised little forms.
How il came we know not, but
moment a load was lifted from the he
of dozens, and thrill of genuine
tbrobbed through even the most a
doned of the curiosity-drawn specta
as from mouth to mouth was passed
word that there was hope.
Hope yes, hope for life. A hope
the Hickering little flame, that see
wayering on the very turn, might
and strengthen until once agar
should burn-strong and steady.
The boy revived first.
From the blank darkness OF ur
sciousness he bounced once more
all the trial and pains and troubl
life. The look of fright, that had
left his face. deepened as he saw, fri