The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1878-09-07
BERTIE'S SUNDAY TROCK,
BY NJ. QUAD.

He was walking up the street, peer
Ing in on the Italians, glancing into
open windows at junk buyers. and now
and then entering alleys to inspect rick
ETY. old vehicles standing in front of
barns.
what ain / looking foi7" he an
swefed the policeman; "well 1t may
strike you as foolish, but Pve been
searching around for whole month, and
/ may have to keep II up for another.
I'm looking for a rag buyer, l'dknow
his rig IL should see 1t again, but l
haven't the least idea wheie he lives or
when I'll ind him." r.....
"Did he steal something from you"
"NO-uo," was the hesitating reply.
"Want him arrested for anything9'
"N-no."
The officer was wondering what the
cause could be, when the man said:
Il feel bit ashamed to tell you, but
perhaps you won't laugh at me. You
see bave old clothes on, and l don't
look as il had any cash to spare. Pm
only poor, laboring man, renting q
cottage up by the reservoir, and though
I've only the old woman with me it's
often that we barely have enough to Eat.
when there's plenty of work one of us
is sure to fall sick, and when we are in
health the world goes dead against us.
1t is a sort OF life-and'death struggle
with us, and and sometimes wesit in the
darkness and wish we were dead aud
buried 'longsIGe of our little BERTHE, up
in the poor folks share OF Elmwood.
That little grave up there is all that
keeps us here--we cling to life that we
may keep flowers growing there. I've
stood on the wharf maLy time and
felt like going to death at one jump,
but that grave rose up to warn me back.
On my way home at night I've feared,
time after time, to find the house desert.
ed or a corpse on the floor but that lit.
tie grave has restrained my wife the
sane as me-.
"How old was she?" asked the off,
Ger, his own heart aching a little.
"Th-three years old, replied the
man, "and size was the only child ever
coming to bless us. We had luck
enough before she died. l had work
day in and day out my wife was sing
ing the whole day long, and, when l
started for home at night, the knoNl-
edge that BERTHE would be watching for
me through the bars of the gate picked
my feet up faster than anything ever
has since"
"Well?" queried the officer, as the
man paused.
"Well she took sick and died. l
don't want to tell more than that, or
I'll be breaking right down here in the
street, and people will wonder IL I've
been drinking. 1t was three yeals ago
she died, but her voice rings in my ears
this hour the same as if had lett her
at home. It's the same way with the
wife, sir-a dozen times day she runs
to the door, thinking she heard Berlie's
voice.; and never go in that she doesn't
look at me with reprOach for not hav-
ing our dead darling on my arm."
"I've lost children" sighed the Off
Ger, as he turned his head away.
"Thcn you know how the wife treas
ures up the little dresses and stockings
and hats and things. We put all those
things away after the funeral, and,
though it almost broke our hearts to set
the bundle down and look it over, we
somehow had to do it every Sunday :;
and there wasn't thing which hadn't
been tear wet before the first year was
gone. those relics have been our rich
es. We wouldn't exchange them for
the wealth of any man you can name.
One, day about month ago, rag
buyer came along. You may think it
funny, but even the poorest Of the poor
sometimes have rags to sell. Wife
made up a little bundle that day
enough to get tin cup or something of
the kind-and in some way or other
Bertie's frcck-our dead child's Sunday
frock-got mixed up in the rags and
papers, and was sold and carried off.
My wife has done nothing but weep
and lament since that day, and I've
looked here and there and everywhere
in hopes to find the rag man and get the
precious relic back. 1t may seem a lit.
tie thing to you, sir but to US we re-
member the first time she wore it-how
proud she was-hOw we took her walk
ing-hOw much she looked like rich
mans child. That dress had more
tear. stains than all the other relics, and,
though haven't $50 worth Of furniture
in the house I'd give every stick OF ii
and GO into the street to find BERTHE S
Sunday frock. don't expect to get il
now. 1t has probably been shipped to
the paper-mill ere this, and We have
lost it forever"
I'm sorry" said the policeman.
"And when l go home to night
whispered the man, "wife will be stand.
ing at the gate, watching and hoping
and, as far as she can see me, she'll tell
by my face that the search has moi
aValled. had rather lose finger than
meet her white face and reprOachfu
look. wish we we're both deadl"
And with weary step and hopeless
heart, he dragged along, having such q
mission as neither hope nor despair mol
love brings to one in ten thousand.