The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-01-01
LITTLE RED NOSES.
BY NJ. QUAD.

How the north wind whistled and
stung the other day! 1t was the first
signal of long, dreary winter, and
even men in overcoats turned sharp
corners to get out of the biting blast.
Two children, a boy and girl. neither
of them over nine years old, stood
shivering in doorway, wishing to go
to their lowly home, but dreading the
wind. They crept closer and closer to
each other, and their chins quivered
and their noses grew red as they grew
colder. Hundreds of mon and women
passed by without care, but by-and-by
along came q whistling. jovial lad of
fourteen, who was swinging his boot
blacks kit by q strap, and picking up
the steps of some clog dance. He saw
the shivering bits of humanity, while
others were blind, and halting before
them with "clig.jig-rigger of his
heels, and q toss of his box, he called
out:
"Kin borry them 'ere chins o
yours about an hour ?"
Yes, ma'am," demurely replied the
girl.
"I kin, eh Pho! ho! ho! That's q
give-away on me! Be you chickens
cold Pr
Yes, ma'am," she answered.
"And that 'ere cub is your brother,
I s'pose? Well, when Pm cold, git
warm. What do you do-freeze7"
eyes, ma'am, If you please" she
replied.
"If I please-ha! ha! ha!-'nother
give-away on me! Well, you autumn
leaves, come along with me. haint
got no influence on the weather, but I
kin smell hot stove as fur off as the
next sinner in this town. Come right
over to this store"
He led the way across the street and
into an office where there was q fire.
He had placed chairs for them, when
q man came in from back room and
said:
What do you children want here?"
"Want some o. this waste hotness,"
bluntly replied the sinner. "These
ERE cubs is nigh froze to death, and I
brought 'em here to thaw out"
"And we won't even look at you,
nor cough, nor sneezev' added the lit
tie girl, as she saw a frown on the
mans face.
That's richness! There's inno-
cence 4" laughed the sinner and the |
mans face cleared, and he poked up
the fire and said they could sit nearer.
Spose. men, you chip in and buy
'em sumthin' to stay their stomachs?'
suggested sinner, all of sudden.
'' Tell you what, some of the children
in this town don't have a square meal
any more'n you'n me don't wear dia-
Little gal, are ye hungry ?"
Yes, ma'am, if you won't be mad
At u.s." she replied.
The man stood irresolute, but sinner
went down into his pocket, ratified
and said:
Here's ten cents that says they are
,ungry"
Well, I'll give as much," replied
he man. You go and buy some
hing,and they can sit here and eat it,"
Sinner bought crackers and cheese,
md the children ate until he felt oblig-
ID to say:
Now, you cubs. 60 a leetle bit slow
nd save the rest for supper. Kin ye
ind the way home slone?"
Yes, ma'am."
"An right, then. We're dead to
lights obliged to this man, and I'n
lack his boots beside. You'd better
un along home now. What We goin'
o tell yer mother?"
"I'll tell her we come awful near
DING to Heaven; and my little BROTH
r, he thanks you too; and now we'll
o, and-and thank you, ma'am, ever
o many times-good-byep |,
The man looked after them through
he window with softer lines in his
ace than had been there for months.
he boy stood outside on the walk and
'atched until they had turned a cor
er, and then exclaimed:
" Phew! but almost feel that 1 was
,gaiged to that gall"
L