The Princeton union., 1878-04-10
The Pauper Child.

s
speaking, a bundle Of rags-in the corner.
The household consists OF an old man as
ragged as Rip on the mountains, wom-
an whose face the wrinkles have twisted
and turrowed 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 flock, !"
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. eve had the county doctor, but
such as them amt given to hangin' round
sick bed like hcr'n. He left some
truck and she took it, but it never mend
ed her ailin', and 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 perceptible. "Bymeby, "the
father said, few minutes later, "some
weemen come in here and left a pone of
bread and made ner somethin' that kind
O seemed to make her peert-like, as she
was when she crossed the 'Hio, and then
they read piece outen the book and one
of 'en-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 shu
her eyes kinder close, halfway, and hel6
her hands, one Of 'em on her busum, anC
tother on the child's head, and the brat
quit runnin' round and it was awfnl still
And the woman turned her face up agil
the ceilin'," He paused for moment, a
if he had to gather little strength.
And then: "Talk about prayin'! Sh
put up the best one ever hear south 0
the 'Hio, and 1 reckon it was as solit
with Him as heard it as any that eve
was got off. It kinder made things hope
full around, and the child opened her eye
wide, jest as if she knew the woman wa
putin up for her. 1t got down into mt
though thar wasn't any stakes put up fo
me at all. When she went away I sal
to Emily-that's wife-that I would tr
my hand on jest one prayer, it seemed t
> help things so. The old woman shoe
| 1,f Nf
a thing before. But'I got down and pr
every cent 1 had-I mean everything
could think of. And when got to tn
word, the amen, it stuck in my throat, br
Emily got away with it. She said
right out like it was in meetin'."
II guess I made misdeal somewhere
he continued rather mournfully. "Tf
little one didn't look up any. and she
been growin' weaker every day. Emil
said I'd spilled the whole business, ar
that 1 crowded the poor woman's pray
was lnterfern', I'd never put up agin h
hand " -~. ~-.
There was blast of wind that can
nd ratified the window, and a kind Of
ow moan. and then the head of the 81,
child and it's face turned over in the mot
er's lap. Its thin lips met the wrinkle
ones, and the struggle was over.
The grim faced, hardy looking man be
over the pallet, but there was a good de
of good sense left in him still. He turn
to the reporter, who had gone to the see
of misery and said "But am not
man to go back on good prayin', even
I didn't win. I reckon the hand that t
woman put up Will win for sombody els'
little one, eff it didn't for ours. For it W
the solidest hand ever see, not 'cept
the south side Of the 'Hio in old Ko
tuck" .&
A pauper child was buried yesterds
$ --Chicago Times.