River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-04-11
The Pauper Child.
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| There is one bed-or, more strictly
speaking, bundle of rags-in the corner
| The household consists of an old man as
ragged as Rip on the mountains, WON
an whose face the wrinkles have twisted
and turrowed so deeply that 1t 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 a pallet, and the mother
sat upon the floor beside her and admin
istered now and then taste OF water,
ashes 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 j., he continued, as he stared upon
the sick face before him. "She won
never yet out of it; there amt no use try
in it on her," he went on in an distracted
way. Eve had the county doctor, but
such as them amt given to hangin' round
a sick bed like her'n. He left some
:ruck and she took it, but it never mend
ed her aim, 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 10 be perceptible. ''Bymeby, THE
father said, few minutes later, ''some
weemen come in here and left pone of
bread and made ner somethin' that kind
o. seemed to make her peert-liBe, as she
was when she crossed the 'Hio, ard then
they read 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 cot down on the floor thur, and shut
her eyes 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 ceilin',n He paused for moment, as
if he had to gather little strength.
And then Talk about prayn'! She
put up the best one ever hear south of
the 'Hio, and 1 reckon it was as solid
with Him as heard it as any that ever
was got off 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 for
me at all. When she went away | said
to Emily-thats wife-that | would try
my hand on jest one prayer, it seemed to
help things so. The old woman shook
her head, cause never thought of such
thing before. But i got down and put
every cent had mean everything
could think OF. And when | got to the
word, the amen, it stuck in my throat, but
Emily got away with it. She said 1T
right out like it was in meetin."
. guess | made misdeal somewhere"
he continued rather mournfully. The
little one didn't look up any. and shes
been CROWN weaker every day. Emily
said I'd spilled the whole business, and
that l crowded the poor woman's prayer
out But never meant it. Eff Id known
was lnterfern', I'd never put up agin her
hand "
There was blast of wind that came
nd ratified the window, and kind OF
ow moan. and then the head of the sick
child and its face turned over in the moth
er's lap. It's thin lips met the wrinkled
ones, and the struggle was over.
The grim faced, hardy looking man bent
over the pallet, but there was coed deal
of good sense left in him still. He turned
to the reporter, who had gone to the scene
of misery and said: 'But | am not the
man to go back on good prayin', even if
| didn't win. | reckon the hand that the
woman put up will win for SOMEBODY elsas
little one, eff it didn't for ours. For it was
the soidest hand ever see, not 'ceptin'
the south side of the 'Hio in old KoiD.
tuck"
A pauper child was buried yesterday.
: Chicago Times.