The Newtown bee., 1880-03-03

| to her side and peeped up into the pIaclu l face surrounded by the prim folds of a Quaker cap. Seeming to recognize | friendly heart shining in the serious eyes, she thrust into her hand scrap of crumpled paper, saying: "Dick writ titm
 | Aunt Ruth took the document and, with a puzzled look at the bearer, pro- l ceeded to decipher the queer hiero- glyphics. l for the grimy fingers that had traced them; but she at last picked out the message embodied in letters of all sizes | and shapes. The writer had evidently made it his sole aim to give the facts in the case, proudly regardless of the minor considerations of orthography and l punctuation:
 This littul gurl Hain't got no folks nor no wares to sta only a womman that betes her orful and me and 8 Box with straw into it to sleap in nights. I've brung hur to bee yure wallintine. 1 Shee's hungree. DICK.
 While the lady was laboring over the odd missive the little waif stood look ing soberly up into her face, and when she raised her eyes, full of pity and compassion, the child said: '" He told me he writ into it that l wasn't nobody's girl only his'n, and that I'd be your wallentine! I don't look ike lem, but I'll be it. I'd like to. It's jolly warm here, only my feet's cold" and she looked down at the heavy boots | she had on, ragged and run over at the heel "They's Dicks. He made me wear 'em when 1 cried"
 "Thee may take the child to the kitchen, Dinah, and give her something to eat. will come presently and per haps can find out where she belongs"
 Dinah led her down the hall, the wet boots shuffiing heavily over the carpet, and the bright blue eyes, shining out of the smutty face like stars from a mud hole, lifted apprehensively to the dark face.
 ''I do declar fer it, muttered the old woman, ''white trash and black trash is mostly alike in their no count pranks, that's a fact! Blest if this ain't the queerest piece of business I'se ever seen at this house yit! wallentine Missus Ruth's ways is so unexpectedi Here, you poor, little white beggar!'
 Dinah's crusty manner softened a lit tie as she watched the greediness with which the child deyoured the big slice of bread and butter; but she melted out right W hen, as she finished her felst, the [" little white beggar" slid from her
 
 black hand, saying:
 II likes you, 'cause you look like Dick. I likes good black folksm
 When Aunt Ruth came down she found her wallentine" seated in Dinah's own rocking chair before the fire. While Dinah herself, down on the floor, had the almost frozen feet in her lap, warming them, and giving vent to some very unOrthodox expressions of opinion as to the order of Providence.
 Stakes alive! don't knows it's so, but the Lo'd seems to pay a mighty sight of 'tention to some folks and fergit all about the rest. Pears like chillun ought to be looked after anyhow. They ain't though, half on 'em! Things is. queer in this world if 'tis the Lords worldw
 Well, child" said Aunt Ruth, "now that thee is warmed and fed will thee tell thy name and where thee belongs?"
 She shook her head.
 Don't belong nowheres. Father al ways called me Drat-you-Babn"
 Aunt Ruth sighed over this do1orous compound cognomen. ...
 "Has thee no mother?"
 "Once. She called me Here-you- Babr Father struck her once with bottle, and in the morning sine went dead. And one day the perlice took father away, and old Bet told me to go Tong, too, and l went long fer as I could. 1 hadn't nowheres to stop to, fpaa paa Rg aysa 64 nbR Haa Rks zda 9qB d and dhss hs nice place, and ev'ery day he took care of me. He made this "-and here the child stopped and drew from one of the capacious boots which she had put on again, upon getting down from the rock ing-chair, doll, whittled from a stick and artistically finished with coal, as to hair, eyes and mouth. She looked at it admiringly for 8 moment, rearranged its drapery of old print which was some- what disturbed by it's journey in the boot. and restored it to it's resting-place.
 Aunt Ruth sighed again.
 Give her warm bath, Dinah, and then thee may make her bed on the lounge in my room. ] will give thee something that will serve her as night dress"
 The poor little wandering child was soon wrapped in a warm shawl and curled down on the lounge in Aunt Ruth's pleasant room; too much excited by the novelty of her position to sleep too comfortable to do anything but hug her wooden treasure and stare, first at the pretty surroundings, then at the klIlu IdCe aJ LIlc UfeSlu6. SuQQoniy she raised herself on her elbow.
 ''Dick said he hearn there was angels that lived somew'eres an took care of folks. Be you one?'
 'No, no, child" said Aunt Ruth, gent ly; ''I am only Aunt Ruth. Go to sleep"
 Yes, I'm. But do wish Dick was a valentine. It's very cold into his box"
 Aunt Ruth and Dinah sat late into the night hastily fashioning warm gar ments for the little one, and considered themselves well repaid by the delight with which they were donned in the morning.
 While happy little Drat-you-Ba /" was taking her breakfast by the side of the kitchen stove shadow darkened the window, and the little girl, looking up, exclaimed, joyfully:
 "Oh, there's my Dicki"
 DinaE opened the door and bade him '' come Tong in," giving him jerk to facilitate his movements. He sham bled bashfully in, and in a moment the child's arms were around his neck, and | her face, pretty in it's unwonted clean Illness, nestled against his black cheek, 1 while she poured out a torrent of eager | of satisfaction at being a | " wallentine."
 When she at last released him Dinall l took him by his shoulders and seated him firmly ina chair.
 "Now, said she, "you's jest agoin' to set there till you 'splain this whole rangement to me and missus. An you lest lay out to tell the trufe, the whole