The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1878-04-11
The Pauper Child.

There is one bed--0r, more strictly
speaking, a bundle of rags-in the corner.
The household consists OF an old man as
ragged as Rip on the mountains, a wom-
an whose face the wrinkles have twisted
and iurrowed so deeply that it requires
an immense sweep of the imagination to
think that it ever was young. Four
children, from five to fourteen years of
age, pale and hungry, dart about the
room like dock-rats. Except one, the lit
tie one, whose hair lay back on her white
forehead as if it had been swept there by
the winds, whose hands were like shad-
ows, and whose eyes seemed to be fasten-
ed on the dingy and desolate-looking
ceiling. She lay on pallet, and the mother
sat upon the floor beside her and admin
istered now and then taste Of water.
'She's the only white one in the tlock,"
said the mar, as he tugged at his short
and bristling beard. She's the only one
of the gang that's fitted to be an angel,
| she is" he continued, as he stared upon
the sick face before him. "She won't
never get out Of it; there amt no use try
in it on her" he went on in an abstracted
way. 1--WE had the county doctor, bu.
such as them amt given to hanein' round
a sick bed like hcr'n. He left some
truck and she took it, but it never mend
ed her aim, and l guess he'll not come
back"
| The little face turned over on its moth
er's arm. and there was hardly enough
life in it to be perccptible. "Bymeby, "thc
father said, a few minutes later, ''somd
wccmen come in here and left pone of
bread and made ncr somethin' that kind
O. seemed to make her peert-like, as she
was when she crossed the 'Hio, and then
they road piece outen the book and one
of 'em-she wus smart lookin' woman,
and wasn't afraid Of dirtyin' her clothin'
nor nothin', though her goods wus fine
she got down on the floor thur, and shut
her ewes kinder close, halfway, and held
her hands, one of 'em on her busum, and
tother on the child's head, and the brats
quit runnin' round and it was awfnl still.
And the woman turned her face up agin
the ceiliu'," He paused for moment, as
if he had to gather little strength.
And then: "Talk about prayin'! She
put up the best one ever hear south OF
the 'Hio, and l reckon it was as solid
with Him as heard it as any that ever
was got of. 1t kinder made things hope
full around, and the child opened her eyes
wide, lest as if she knew the woman was
putin up for her. 1t got down into me-
though thar wasn't any stakes put up fol
me at all. When she went away I said
to Emily-that's wife-tllat 1 would try
my hand on Jest one prayer. it seemed tc
help things so. The old woman shook
her head, cause never thought of such
thing before. But got down and put
every cent had-I mean everything
coall think OF. And when got to the
word, the amen, it stuck ip my throat, bu
Emily got away with it. She said i
right out like it was in meetin'."
81 guess made misdeal somewhere,
he continued rather mournfully. "Th<
little one didn't look up any. and she
been CROWN weaker every day. Emily
said Id spilled the whole business, anc
that crowded the poor woman's praye
out. But ] never meant it. Eff Id known
I was lnterfern', Id lever put up agin he
hand"
There was blast Of wind that cam'
nd ratified the window, and kind OF [
| wv luOau. hLlu llcu Alit u6dO VI IuC FIJI
child and its face turned over in the moth
er's lap. Its thin lips met the wrinklet
ones, and the struggle was over.
Tho grim faced, hardy looking man ben
over the pallet, but there was good dea
of good sense left in him till. He turned
to the reporter, who had gone to the seen,
of misery and said: "But I am not tn
man to 60 back on good prayin', even i
I didn't win. I reckon the hand that tn
woman put up Will win for SOMEBODY else
little one, eff it didn't for ours. For it wa
the solidest hand I ever see, not 'ceptin
the south side of the 'Hio in old koin
tuck"
4 pauper child was buried yesterday
--Chicago Times.