Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1878-06-20
LITTLE ALICE.

mourner for the silent hears be-
meath. ,Friendless, hopeless, home
less, she had wept till she had no
more tears to shed and now she
stood, with her scanty clothing hut
tering in the chill wind, pressing
her little hands tightly over her
heart al if to still its beating.
"It's 70 use fretting," said the
rough man, rs he stamped the last
{ sllovelful of earth over all the child
had left to.loye. Fretting won't
bring the dead folks to life. Pity
YOU hadn't got some cousins some
& where to take you. It's tough
i wolld this 'ere, tell YOU don't
see how ye're going to weather 1t.
Bat In take We round to Mrs. Feth'
erbee's ; she's got power of child
rem and wants hand to help her, SO
come al ,ng. If you cry enough to
float the ark it won't do any good. J"
Allie obeyed him mechanically.
turning her head every few minutes
to take another look where her moth
OF lay buried.
The morning sun shone in upon
an underground kitchen in the
crowded city. Mrs, Fetherbee, at
tTed in a gay colored cotton dress,
with any quantity of tinsel jewelry,
sat sewing some SNOWY lace on a
cheap pocket handkerchief. A boy
of FIVE years was disputing with
little girl of three about an apple
from big words they had come to
blows and peace was fnauy de-
clared st the price of an orange,
piece and sti-k of candy-each
combatant putting In" for the big
geSt.
Poor Allie, with pale cheeks and
swollen eyelids, was staggering up
and down the floor under the weight
of a mammoth baby, who was anus
ing himself by pulling ont at inter
Yals little handfuls of her hair.
"Quiet that child, can't ye ?"
said Mrs. Fetherbee, in no gentle
tones. I don't wonder the darling
IS cross TO see such solemn face.
You must get little life Into you
somehow, or you won't earn the salt !
into your portridge here. There,
declare you've half put his eyes out |
with~those D long curls Dangling |
round Come heie, and have 'em
Gu off they don't look proper for a
charity child ;" and glanced at the
short stHbby crops on the heads of
the little FetLeTbees.
Alice's lips qni9erel as she said
"Mother used to love to brush |
them smooth every morning. She |
sail they were like little dead sis
ter's please do not" said she be-
seechingly. g-Tarst
but l tell you l do please to cut |
'en off ). SO there's an end to that"
said she, as the severed ringletS fell !
in shining heap on the kitchen
floor, ''and do for creations sake
stop talking about dead folks. And
now eat your breakfast if you want
it forgot you hadn't h I'd any,
There's some of the childreu's left.
If you're hungry, it'n go down, and
if you amt you can 60 without.
Poor Allie The daintiest morsel
wouldn't have ''gone down." Her
eyes filed with tears that wouldn't
be forced back, and she sobbed out
Il must cry if you beat me for it,
my heart pains me SO bad"
"II-i-e-t-y, t-i-t-y F! What's all
this 2" said a broad faced, rosy
mllkman, as he set his shinning can
down on the kitchen table," what's
all this, Mrs. Fetherbee I'd as lief
eat pins and needles as hear child
cry. Who is she 20 he asked, point
ing to Allie, land what's the mat
ter with her 90 !
"Why, the long and short Of it is,
she's a poor pauper that we've tax
en- in out of charity. and she's cry ,
ing at her good luck, that's ALL" !
said the lady with a Vexed toss of !
her head. That's the way benevo-
Ience is always rewarded. Nothing
on earth 10 ho here, but tend the ;
baby and abuse the children, and
run out to the door, and wash the
fishes, and dust the furniture, and ;
Idly the kitchen, and run a few er- .
rands. Ungrateful little baggage !" =
Jemmy's heart was as big as a :
arm, and that covered considerable /
ground. Glancing pitifully at the
little weeper. he said skillfully: s
That child is going to be sick, h
Mrs. Fetherbee, and then what are s
you going to do with her ! Besides a
she's too young to be of much use e
to you. You'd better let me take Q
ltr.' &c