The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-07-24
"Is 10 yOllr brother ?"

mo. sir. 10 Is a girl. Haven't
got only 10"
What does 10 do for a living ?"
'She gets it. SIR. |
"And what do you do?"
II beg. It's better than to-get Il,
sir, l think"
where's your mother ?"
Dead"
"What did she die off,"
Drink. sir" said Mary Elizabeth,
in her distinct and gentle tone.
"Ah--well. And your father :"
he is dead. He died 10 prison"
"What sent him to prlson ~
"Drink, sir"
"Oh!"
II had q brother once" continued
Mary Elizabeth, who grew quite elo.
quent with so large an audience, "but
he died, too."
"What did he die OFF,"
Drink. sir" said tho child, cheer.
fully. Il do want my supper" she
added. after o pause, speaking 10 9
whisper, az II to 10 or TO herself,
"and 10 IL be wondering for me-"
wait then" said the young man;
I'll see II l cant beg you enough to
get you your supper"
II thought there must be an eXtry
one among 80 many folks!" cried
Mary Elizabeth; for now sho Thought
she would get back her S cents,
Sure enough, the young man put
the 5 cents into his hat to begin With.
Then he took out his purse and put
In something that made less noise
than the scent piece, and something
more. and more and more. Then be
passed around the great room. walk.
ing still unsteadily. and tho gentle.
man who gave the cents and oil the
gentlemen put something into the
young mans hat.
So when he came back to tho table,
he emptied the hat and counted the
money, and truly, it was 90.
Forty doll8rs!"
It's yours" said the young man.
Now, come to supper. But 40!
this gentleman who gave you tho s.
cent piece shall take care OF the
money for you. You can trust him.
| He'sgot a wife. too. But we'll come
to supper, now"
Eyes. yes," said tho gentleman
coming up. "She knows all about
every orphan In this city, I believe.
She'll know what ought to be done
with you. She'll take care Of you u
But 10 will wonder" said Mary
Elizabeth loyalty. II can't leave 10,
And ! must 20 back and thank Mn,
|OFlynn for the she'd"
"Oh. yes, yes; we'll fix all that, "
said the gentleman. ''and 10, too. A
little girl with $40 needn't sleep IN q
wood.shed. But don't you want
your supper?"
why. yes" said Mary Elizabeth,
II do"
So the young man took her by thl
hand. and the gentleman whose Wit
knew all about what to do with or
phans took her by the hand. an,
they all went out into the dining
room. and put Mary Elizabeth 10
chair at q marble table and asker
her what she wanted for her supper
Mary Elizabeth said that q nttl(
dry toast and q cup of milk would d,
nicely. So all the gentlemen laugh
ed, and she wondered Why.
And the young man with tho Brow
; clrls laughed, too, and began 70 lool
quite happy. But he ordered chick
en-, and cranberry sauce. and mashet
potatoes. and celery. and rolls, ant
butter, and tomatoes, and o. 10
> cream. and q cup Of tea, and nute
and raisins. and cake, and cuetegd
and apples, and grapes, and Mar.
Elizabeth sat in her pink dress ~
| red shawl, and ate the whole; a.
why it didn't XIII her nobody knows
9 but 1t didn't. .a =
l The young man with tho ieee thu
: might have been beautiful.tha
r might yet be one-one would hev
J. thought who had seen him thel
stood watching the little girl.
'She's preached me Q better 81
r mOn." no said below bio breath
. ''better than all the minister 81
: heard In all the churches. Nay Go
Q bless her! I wish there was Q tho'
r sand like der In this selfish world.
+. And when I heard about It, I wish
r cd so, too.
d And this is the end Of Mary Eliz
). beth's true temperance story.