St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1880-12-10

elena must have something-poor
Lena" he thought, and so he trudged on
to the end of the alley. Something
round and yellow lies in his pathway.
"Can it be an orange 7" Yes; surely
it is, and Billy has it in his hands, his
faded eyes aglow with delight. He
smells of it, puts it against his cheek,
even to his almost colerless lips. And
does he long for bite? Yes, if he did
not he would be more than human. But
the desire is resisted, the battle is
fought, and a victor's heart beat I'M
derneath the tattered garments, beats
within the hungry little body.
''Billy, o Billy !" and famished Lena
devoured the orange, skin and seeds
included, and then lay back upon the
rags with a smile of satisfaction on her
lips.
"Was it good, Lena?"
lawful good, Billy, dear Billy" And
Lena dropped asleep. Billy crept in
beside her. He looked pityingly upon
the drawn little face, and then with
the petition "Jesus Christ, if you'd
give me a little more'n enough for
Lena, I'd like little bite dear Jesus,
I'm pretty hungry too, but can wait
better'n Lena" he too fell asleep.
1t is morning. The room into which
we are looking.is neither elegant nor
commodous, but, still better, warm,
sunny, and hOmelike. A strange sight
greets us ; two dirty, tangled haired
children sleeping in their clothes on a
low, soft bed, lightly covered with a
thin spread. Suddenly the boy, whom
9 recognize as Billy, awakens, sits up
in bed, and rubs his eyes. ''Where
am l, where am ?" he wonders aloud,
and as he wonders Lena opens her blue
eyes in amazement and echoes, "Where
am l ?"
"In your own little bed my poor lit
tie ones,n came the answer gently,
sweetly from the lips of one just enter
ing the room, a pale-taced, middle
aged woman.
.'Our bed, ma'am ?" questioned Billy,
slipping out of bed.
eyes, yours, dear come to me-"
And dirty and ragged as Billy was, he
was folded in warm, motherly en-
brace.
''Eat this warm toast and drink this
milk, dears," she said few minutes
later, "and then I'll tell you how you
came to awaken in this warm room.'
"Now, ma'am please tell us 2" asked
Billy, wiping his mouth after his re-
past.
"My husband is policeman, and he
has been watching you, Billy for some
time. He saw you walk the streets
looking for bite, my poor little one !!
he saw you tempted and yet turn away
III orx
and cold and yet a hero. God bless
you He saw you carry your little
sister and cover her up tenderly, even
watched you as you searched for the
orange, even laid it in your pathway
and then, little Billy, he saw you give
it to your little sister. He heard your
weak little prayer for rest, and then,
when he saw you sound asleep, he
lifted you carefully and carried you to
our home-your home, for you are our
children now, you and Lena. Are you
glad, Billy ?"
40 ma'am it is too good to believe
foo good, too good" And the tears
poured down the grimy little checks.
But later in the day Billy believed,
for how could he help it =? With lit
tie market basket on his arm he went
marketing for his new mamma, and you
could hardly have believed it to be
Billy. He was clean, and his black
hair waved ever fine fair forehead,
his gray eyes were bright with joy, and
his deformed shoulders were hidden
under a nicely padded gray woolen
jacket. Lena waited for him beside
his new mamma. Oh! what joy to know
that she was warm, well fed, and well
cared for.
'Dear little Lena, how pretty you
look !" said Billy after returning with
his load and being told to peep in the
sitting-room to see his sister. Pretty
indeed, with the soft hair all combed
out and tied back with blue ribbons,
the delicate little form clad in little
blue merinO suit that had been "folded
away" many weary year.
'God bless them forever for giving
us rest and home ~ prayed Billy, sink
ing on his knees beside Lena's chair.
eyes, God bless them !" echoed lame
Lena. "Oh he will, Billy, he aoiH."-
National Temperance Aduoeate.