Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1881-10-09
Clean-WaShed.


and little Helen Hawthorne sprang from he1
low seat by the warm fireside, the rich glow
deepening on her fair cheek, and sud-
den excitement leaping into the dark gray
eyes.
Nonsense, DEAR" answered the mother,
after a moments silence. cit was your
imagination. My little girl is fanciful to-
night" and she bent to stroke back the
misunderstanding curls from the low, white
brow, as she pressed fond, feryent kiss
upon it.
1t was pretty picture on which the fire.
light danced and fickered-the warm, luxu.
rious room, with the tall, elegant woman in
Its midst, and the little, daintly- dressed
child by her side.
Without, the wind swept by, hurting
great masses of snow on its wings, and
dashing through the bare, leafess
branches of the trees.
The child shuddered as she listened to its
moan.
81 am quite sure 1 heard it, mamma.
Suppose any one were out on such night.
It would be dreadful Let me open the
door naoment-just moment"
And, without waiting for the refusal
trembling on her mothers lips, she darted
forward and threw open the great outside
door.
In another instant, the bell sent sharp
peal through the house, for on the very
threshold lay PROSTATE body, already half
buried in the shrouding snow.
Five minutes later, and the lad had been
carried to sofa, and restoratives and stimu.
lants passed down his throat.
viii he live, mamma? Do you think
he will ive?"
But, in answer to her question, the lids
slowly lifted themselves, and the great black
eyes rested wonderingly on the child's face,
bending SO anxiously over him.
Had the death he thought so near indeed
overtaken him, and was this heaven he had
dream, and find himself again homeless and
starving and cold
With long drawn sigh, he closed his
eyes, only to find the fascination of the
present overcome him, and impel him to
again gaze upon his marvellous surround
hgs.
But his wonder only deepened when the
reality was brought home to him-when he
discovered that It was life, not death, and
! earth, not heaven, and that he was not to be
driven out again into the cold and bitter
night.
Through its long, silent hours he lay mo-
tionless in this warm resting place, pictur-
ing, in the darkness, the child's face, until
it became stereotyped both On heart and
brain.
The next day he told his story. He was
poor lad, orphaned and friendless.
''They discharged me from my last
place." he said, because l carried book
about with me, and the boss said it would
leach me to dream instead of work. I was
only trying to learn something in my idle
minutes, though couldn't find much time,
and didn't take my employers. How
ever, he was q hard man, and I had to go
I started West. The little money 1 had
gave out. The storm overlook me. /
struggled on as best 1 could, until I grew
faint and sick. Somewhere in the distance
| saw light / struggled toward it. Yon
know the rest. Now I am strong and well
again, the storm is over, and can only
thank you in few poor words foryour gen.
erous kindness, and go my way"
"Papa will be home this afternoon" an.
swered the child HE is the owner of al
he mills about here If you would like, I
will ask him to give you place; and there
Is a school at night for the hands, SO you
can study, too"
"If would hke".
1t was all he said, but little Helen Haw-
horne needed no other words. She knew
hat great lump in his throat had choked
his further utterance, and that he had turned
away ashamed, to hide the tears.
The next week saw her promise fulfilled,
md Alex Vernon stood once more man
mong men. He found place in the night
Hhool, too. Nor did his young patroness
jorget him. In some way she discovered
he books he needed, and lent them to him
until he grew to associate her with every
good thing of his new life. One morning
The sent for him.
'T am going to Europe with mamma,
Alex" said, "to be gone for a great many
PEARS. When come back, I hope to find
you man-perhaps papa's overseer. I
wanted to tell you that if you wished any
books from the library I would leave this
key with you, and you might come up and
get them"
The sunlight was streaming fun ON her
lace and the gold of her hair, as she spoke,
but to the boy, listening. a dark mist seemed
b roll between them. She was going away
for years-she who had saved him from
death, or worse than death.
The next minute she felt just little hurt,
as, without single word of thanks, he
abruptly took the key and fastened from her