Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-10-13
Bertie's Sunday Frock.

Bertie's Sunday Flock.
He was walking up Macomb street,
peering in on the Italians, glcncing into
open windows at junk buyers, and now
and then entering alleys to inspect ricke-
ty old vehicles standing in front of
barns.
''What am looking for?" he answered
the policeman; "well, it may strike you
as foolish, but I've been searching around
for whole month, and nay have to keep
it up for another I'm looking for a
rag-buyer. I'd know his rig if l should see
it again, but I haven't the least idea
where ne lives II when I'll find him."
ibid he steal something from you?"
"N-no," was the hesitating reply.
"Want him arrested for anythings'
ssN-no."
The officer was wandering what the
cause could be when the man said:
II feel bit ashamed to tell you, but
perhaps you won't laugh at me. You
see have old clothes on, and | don't
look as if had any cash to spare. I'm
only poor laboring man, renting cot
tage up by the reservoir, and though
I've only the old woman with me its
often that we barely have enough to eat.
When there is plenty of work one OF US
is sure to fall sick, and when VIC are in
health the world goes dead against us.
1t is sort Of life and death struggle
with us, and sometimes we sit in the
darkness and wish we were dead and
buried 'longside 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 many a time and felt like
going to death at onejump, 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 deserted or a
corpse On the floor; but the little grave
has retained my wife the same as me-"
"How old was she? asked the officer,
his own heart aching little.
'Th--three years old, replied the man,
"and she was the only child ever coming
to bless u.s. We had luck enough before
she died. Ihad work day in and day out:
my wife was singing the whole day long,
and when l stated for home at night the
knowledge that BERTHE would be watch
ing for me through the bars Of the gate
picked up my feet faster than anything
ever has since"
"Welly'' queried the officer. as the man
paused.
''Well, she took sick and died. don't
want to tell you more than that, or I'll be
breaking down right here in the street
and people will wonder if have been
drinking. 1t is three years ago since she
died, but her voice rings in my ears this
hour the same as if had left her at home
1t is the same with the wife SIR dozen
times day she runs to the door, thinking
she heard Berti.;'s voice; and never go
in that she doesn't look at me with re
proach for lot having our dead darling on
my arm"
I've lost children" sighed the officer,
as he turned his head away.
Then 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 bun
die down and look 1t over, we somehow
had to do it every Sunday; and there
wasn't thing which hadn't been teaf-
wet before the first year was gone. These
relics have been our riches. We wouldn't
exchange them for the wealth of any
man you can name. One day about a
month ago a rag buyer came along. You
may think it funny, but even the poorest
OF the poor sometimes have rags to sell
Wife made up little bundle that day
enough to get tin cup, or something Of
the kind-and in some way or other Ber-
ties frock-our dead child Sunday frock
got mixed up with 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 little thing to
you, sir, but to us, we remember the first
time she wore it-how proud she was
how we took her wa;king-how much
she looked like a rich mans child. That
dress had more tear stains than all the
other relics, and though / havnt fifty
dollars worth of furniture IN the house, I'D
give every stick of it and go into the
street to find Bertie's Sunday frock l
don't expect to get it now. 1t has prob
ably been shipped to the paper-mill ere
this, and we have lost it forever"
"l'm sorry" said the policeman.
s'And when I go home tonight
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 not availed.
| had rather lose finger than meet her
white face and reproachtul look. wish
we were both dead!''
And with weary step and hopeless
heart he dragged along, having such
mission as neither hope nor despair nor
love brings to one in ten thousand.-
Detroit Free Paess.
An amateur pedestrian, walking across
the northern edge of Westminster county,
N. Y, on wager, stopped at the forks
of a road, at loss as to which way his
course lay, and awaited the arrival of
stranger who was coming alta tremendous
stride. II say, sir" be cried out, sscan
you tell me which is the shortest road to
Sing Sings" Eyes, SIR said the stranger,
unbottoning a convlct's stripped shirt,
and lifting cap from closely cropped
head; ''you must stand here and see
which way go, and then you turn right
around and go just the other way
al, init ~ NJ 81