Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-09-16
TENDER-HEARTED.
A Texans Adventure With Little
Match Girl.
GSt. Louis Globe-Democrat.1 I

A big-boned Texan, some
thing over six feet high, with an
enormous broad brimmed hat land
a sweeping mustache, reaching
nearly to his shoulders, stood at
the Laclede Hotel office, care
lessly examining the register. A
slight twitching at his coat skirts
was passed by unheeded, but a
more vigorous pull caused him
to look around, expecting to
greet a joking friend, or some
thing of that sort. He saw moth
ing, and was turning back to
the register leaves again, when
his glance fell upon such a wee
mite Of a girl, whose head was
such short distance from the
floor that it was no wonder he
had not seen her. The Wild
looking face bent down to the
little one, and in a deep bass
voice asked: "What is it, little
gal?"
"Please, mister, won't you
buy my matches?' came IN weak,
childish tones; SO slow that the
words could not have been un-
derstood had the appeal not been
reinforced by the holding up Of
a box of matches, the corners of
the paper box all dog-eared and
miserably soiled.
The little figure was barefoot
ed, and one calico garment rent,
faded and torn.
"No; l don't want any to-day,
sissy" said the Texan.
"PIease, mister, won't you buy
my matches?" with a second pull
at the coat.
The man turned again impa-
and glanced at the little
one; then, as if ashamed, and
with a furtNe glance around as
if to see if he was unobserved,
put his fingers into his vest pock-
eft, and the next instant a bright
half-dollar cleaned in the little
grimy fingers. With a half sigh
the blg-hearted fellow said, half
to himself: '.Poor little cuss."
"Please, mister, don't you
want the matches, and | hain't
got no change?"
"Oh, HI, no; keep the change
and matches, too"
Holding the precious coin in
both hands, the match girl van
shed like shadow through the
front door, and the Texan, with
4 muttered "what a fool / am,
followed.
Around the corner and down
Sixth street pattered the little
naked feet, unconscious that she
was followed, and up one of the
streets devoted to small dealers
and perfect nest of pawn
shops. Into one of the least
clean and imposing of these she
1arted and whispered something
to the woman, who took paper
parcel out of a drawer and hand
ed it to the child. The child tore
off the paper with nervous fin
gers, and there was the sole treas
ure ofheart-her only possession
her doll. She hugged it toI
her breast and kissed it. What
was said between the woman and
child could not be heard, but
when the little waif laid the half
dollar on the counter the woman
shook her head and pushed it
back very far toward the child,
Is if her resolution might not
hold out very steadfast. The
child looked amazed, but turned
to 90, hugging her dolly, and at
the door stood the Texan, with
a very suspicious moisture on
his check and a big lump in his
throat. AkH
DIVE got a little girl like you
at home," said he. "Come along
and show me where you live"
Well, you may be sure that
the sick mother and the little
girl were rendered more comfort
able, for an hour afterward she
had receipt for a months rent
in her hands, and a doctors car
riage stood at the door of that
house.
And such was the story that
was told to the reporter by the
Texan, who left last
night the Leclede Hotel for his
home upon the wide plain where
-ange his broad-horned herds.
An effort will be made at the
next session of Congress to Sc