The Indiana State sentinel., 1877-06-20

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dance.
"Do you know why forgive your" said
the captain.
The child shook his head.
II have little boy" said the captain:
Hes very differenti from you, poor child
He would not steal anything He washes
himself. My lad, you must wash yourself as
soon as you can find water But couldn't
think Of his being hungry; and for his sake
can't bear to see other little fellows hun
gry. It's for his sake that don't call con-
stable and tell him all about it. Remember
that, and try to be like-like my little fell
low, poor laddie, clean and good. Don't
steal; try to get work. Will you promiseY
The waif said yes, sir" OF course.
Then the captain led him into cheap eat
ing house, and watched him eat until his lit
tie stomach was no longer "holler."
You little wretch!' he thought, as he
looked at him. "If L could see my boy and
him together now, what contrast"
And he fancied his boy round and white
pink, and fair of hair, like his poor lost Ell
len and know he said that he would pity
this poor fellow and be kind to him.
The meal was over. The captain paid for
and lectured him. To be good was TO be
happy. Honesty was the best policy. Clean
illness came next to godliness. These were
the heads of his discourse.
Then he gave him half a crown, and bade
him go 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 walk
ed along. "Ah mer'
Then he went in search of Mrs. Ann Col
den and his own fair darling.
But Mrs. Golden was not as easily found as
he had hoped. There was little shop in
the house he had been directed 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 ti-that is, l can find.
it,"
After search she did find it; and the cap
tain, thanking her, hurried away. But an
other disappointment awaited him.
Mrs. Golden had not lived in this second
place for years. She had moved into Clum-
ber row. but what number no one could re-
member.
At Clumber row, whittier the captain
drove in a 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 1 turned
her out. / couldn't abide such doiHgs. She
went to Fossil lane, No. g."
To Fossil lane the captain went 1t was a
filthy place, and there was drunken woman
at No. 9, who was not Ann Golden, and who
threw a piece of wood at him for asking for
that lady. And now every clue was lost,
and the captain, nearly beside himself for
anxiety. applied to the authorities for help;
and after many days of great unhappiness
he heard of an Ann Golden who lived in a
quarter of London so low and dangerous that
all decent people Stunned it.
No WONDER" the captain thought, 'if she
lived there, that she should have had his re-
mittances sent to the post Office, and left him
to believe that his child was still in the de-
cent home to which she had at first taken
him"
Almost i'll with excitement, the poor cap
tain drove, with policeman as protector,
into the maze of hideous lanes and courts
that led to Ann Golden's dwelling, and fol-
lowing his conductor, dropped into filthy
cellar, where, among the horrible leakage of
drain pipes and almost in utter darkness,
sat an old woman with bottle beside her,
who started up when the captain and his
guard entered, and cried: What now?
WHAT'S the perlice here for? Is it one of the
boys again?'
And, altered as she was with years and
drink the captain knew his wifes old nurse,
Ann Golden. He gave cry of rage and
darted toward her
"My boyp he cried.
SIS my boy living?' he asked
YES" said the woman, shaking all over;
'be's alive and we'll"
"How dare you keep him hereg' cried the
captain.
"How can l help being poor?" whined
the old woman. 81 couldn't give up the bit
you pay for him. I'm very old; Pm very
i'll. Don't be hard on me"
Good heavensr' cried the captain, "my
Ellens baby in place like this''
He dropped his head on his hands; then
be lifted it and clasped them.
"rll have him away from here nowl" he
gasped. "Its over and he's young and will
forget it. Where is he? Have you lied? Is
he dead?'
mo, no." said the old woman, Hell be
here soon. / hear him now; that's him.
He'll be here in minute. Don't kill poor
old body captain; don't"
81 could do it" cried the captain. Lis
tenI There is some one coming. My child
my childl'
The door opened softly, head peeded in
low down, then drew back.
"Come in," piped the old woman. "The
perlice amt after you-leastways for harm.
Captain that's him-yOur boy, Ned"
And as the captain stood with outstretched
arms there crept in at the door-who? what ?
The wan, deformed and dirty creature who
had picked his pocket-whom he had fed
for the sake of his beautiful dream-chiid-
the wretched waif, forgotten utterly in the
last few days of anxiety.
That's him." croaked the old crone
again. That's your boy-that's Ned"
The captain gave cry; he sank down on
an old box close at hand, and hid his face
and wept His sobs shook him terribly;
they almost shook the crazy building They
frightened the old woman, and set the po-
liceman to rubbing his eyes with his cuffs.
The boy stood and stared for moment, and
then vanished.
And what was the wretched father think
ing? So many thoughts that there are no
words for them; but, first of all. this horri-
BILE one-that that vile little object, that
wretched child of the streets, was the dar-