The Worthington advance., 1880-10-07
THETHREELOAVES.
BY JOHN MANNING.

BY JOHN MANNING.
The day was bitter cold in Virginia
City, as winter days most generally are
in that Alpine city and though the sun was
bright, it's rays were as cheerless and
chill as moonbeams. Wild gusts whist.
led through the streets: breathing lce-
cles and frost in their furious course, and
driving every living thing away to seek
shelter from its biting, penetrating
breath. And yet not every one was
housed and sheltered from the pitiless
gale, tor he who had work to do or busi-
ness to transact was summoned by mex
rable duty to come forth to his post, or
else, when the day of reckoning came,
abide by the consequences; but, with
such exceptions Us these, the male inhab
itants generally sought the warm and
friendly atmosphere Of the drinking sa-
looms, where, with "hot Scotch" and a
glowing furnace. they managed to keep
themselves from freezing. Ofthese luck
less exceptions, Abe Denning, the baker,
was one. In sunshine or storm. hail,
rain or snow, people must eat-eat in
fact the more voraciously because it does
hail or snow, as If to penetrate an un.
reasonable joke upon the baker, who,
especially in appetizlng weather, must
sec 10 1t that customers larders be prop
erly stored with the rarest and best pro-
ductions of his oven.
Even such cold weather as this did
not deter Mr.. Denning from attending
to the wants Of his customers with the
assidulty and attention characteristic of
his class. While disappearing into Gus
toners house with an armtul of bread
girl OF some fifteen years Of age emerg
ed from miners cabin close by. and,
first casting wild and hurried glances
around her, rushed to the bakers cart,
and had just abstracted therefrom three
loaves of bread, and was carrying them
of, when the baker returned and caught
her IN the act.
Unfortunately, an officer was passing
just at the time, ana the baker, on the
spur OF the moment, and without giving
the case that consideration which he 9th
erwise might, gave her in custody on q
charge Vt theft. The girl, without any
attempt at cxpostulation or explanation,
burnt into an agony OF tears-a sufi-
cient evidence, perhaps, that she was
but novice, after all, in the art Of
stealing.
"O!'s she exclaimed, "don't take me in
this way. Let me wrap shawl around
my head, or the people will know me-"
The officer, consenting, accompanied
her into the cabin, while the baker drove
away, telling the policeman he would be
in court next day, to prefer the charge
before the police judge.
The officer, on entering, found no one
in the cabin but three children-the
youngest about three years old, and the
eldest six. The hut was cold and cheer
less; there was no fire. The two elder
children, alarmed at the presence OF the
officer, exhibited dlscolored eyes and fa-
ces, which Dore evidence of suffering and
recent tears; while little Willie, the
youngest, was crying and indispensable,
moving aimless]y around the cabin, look
ing into the empty closet, and putting
his little hands mechanically Into the
empty dishes on the table.
''What made you steal the bread, my
giili' asked the officer.
At mention of the word "bread," little
Willie looked teartully and piteously in
the mans face. The girl hugged the
little fellow frantically in her arms, cov-
ering HIM with tears and kisses.
20, my poor little brother!'' she cried,
bitterly. "What will become of you now9
This man is going to take your Lena
away with him"
Here the child threw his arms around
her neck, as If to detaln her by force;
while the other two children screamed
fit to break their hearts.
The officer, suspecting the actual state
OF affairs, began to cough convulsiveiy;
but instead Of applying his hand to his
cheat or throat, as people usually do on
such occasions, he applied his handker-
chief to his eyes.
us there no coal, or nothing at all to
eat in the house," said he, IN gurgllng
sort OF voice.
mo coal, no bread, nothing to eat!"
replied the girl, wringing her hands, ''and
poor Willie and the rest OF us have had
nothing to eat since yesterday morn1n9."
here the officer had another hard fit of
coughing, and went away saying that he
would be back again in a short time.
rs the man gone for bread2'' asked
SAA0 VA~S0S ~ S00 Nu4AN1Cus
"Hush, Mollie, dear!" said Lena. II
don't know what he is gone tor. He is
no, . bad man anyhow, for he hasn't ar
rested me as I thought he would"
In very few minutes the officer re-
turned, with his arms full Of bread and
groceries, not forgetting some cakes and
condiments for tho smallest children;
while another man at his heels carried
big sack of coal on his back.
At sight of the bread the children
screamed with delight, while the officer
now laughed, now coughed, and frequent
ly applied his handkerchief to his face
to wipe off the perspiration, as it were.
While Lena cut up large slices of
bread, and helped the children and
herself, the two men set to work and
made large fire In the stove, the glow of
which soon diffused warmth and com.
tort throughout the cabin: Then they
cooked the meat, and made tea, and
spread steaming meal on the table for
tho four orphans, while they carved and
attended to their wants until they were
fully satis6ed.
Happy, happy childhood, whose pre-
rogattves are innocence, mirth and joyl
The children, after their dinner, didn't
look like the same children at all. Their
faces were bright and joyous, happy and
handsome, and in q few minutes they
were playing and laughing and romping,
a. happy as If they had never felt the
Pangs Of hunger
And now said the ofi:er, delighted
at seeing the children 80 happy, ''sit
down, Iona, and answer me few ques-
s'tions. Have you no father OF mother9"
I'VE have no mother" was Lenas re-
ply. "She died about one year ago,
and father went away to Eureka to work
shout eight months ago, and we hain't
seen him ever slnce.''
=" "What il your fathers name9"
+ = "DaWson-Jim Dawson"
"And he has sent you no money-noth-
ingt"
4 Nothing. Never heard Of him since
be went away. But when he was going