Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-05-14
THE THREE LOAVES.

line Qdy was DllU6Ily COlu Ill tlIRluId
City, as winter days most generally are
in that Alpine town, and though the
sun was bright, it was as cherries and
chill almost as mOOnbeams. Wild gusts
whistled through the streets. breathing
icicles and frost in their furious course,
and driving every living thing away to
seek shelter from its biting, penetrating
breath. And yet every one was housed
and sheltered from the pitiless gale, for
he who had work to do or business to
transact was summoned by memorable
duty to come forth to his post, or else.
when the day of recOning came, abide
by the consequences; but, with such ex-
ceptiOns as these, the male population
generally sought the warm and friendly
atmosphere Of the drinking saloons,
where with "hOt Scotch" and glowing
furnace, they managed to keep them
selves from freezing. Of these luckless
exceptions, Abe Denning, the baker, was
one. In sunshine or storm, hail. rain,
or snow, people must eat-eat, In fact;
all the more vOraciOusly because it does
hail or snow, as if to perpetrate an I'M
seasonable joke upon the baker, who,
especially in appetizing weather, must
see to it that his customers larders be
properly stored with the rarest and best
productions of his oven.
Even such cold weather as this did
not deter Mr.. Cunning from attending
to the wants of his customers with the
assiduity and attention characteristic of
his class. While disappearing into a
customers house with an armful of
bread, a girl of some fifteen years of age
emerged from miners cabin close by,
and, first casting wild and hurried
glances around her, rushed to the bakers
cart, and had just distracted there
from three lOaves of bread, and was car
rying them off, when the baker returned
and caught her in the act.
Unfortunately, an officer was passing
Just at the time, and the baker, on the
spur of the moment, and without giving
the case the consideration which he
otherwise might, gave her in custody on
charge of theft. The girl, without any
attempt at expOstulatiOn or explanation,
burst into an agony of tears, sufficient
evidence, perhaps, that she was but a
novice, after all, in the art of stealing.
"0hp' she exclaimed, don't take me
in this way. Let me wrap a shawl
around my head, or the people will know
me-"
The officer, consenting, accompanied
her into the cabin, the baker having
driven away, telling the policeman he
would be in court next day to prefer the
charge before the police judge.
The officer on re-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
al = ha Of ha
officer, exhibited diScOlOred eyes and
faces, which bore evidence of suffering
and recent tears; while little Willie, the
youngest was crying and inappeaSable,
mOping aimleSSly around the cabin,
looking into the empty closet, and put
ting his little hands mechanically into
the empty dishes on the table.
"What made you steal the bread, my
grip. asked the officer.
At the mention of the word bread"
little Willie looked tearfully and pite-
Ously in the mans face. The girl hug
arms, covering him with tears and
kisses.
"Oh, my poor little brotherr she cried
bitterly, "What will become of you now?
This man is going to take your Lena
away with him."
Here the child threw his arms around
her neck, as if to detain her by force,
while the other two children screamed
fit to break their hearts.
The officer suspecting the actual state
of affairs, begin to cough convulsiyely;
but instead of applying his hands to his
chest or throat as most people do on
such occasions, he applied his hand
kerchief to his eyes.
is there no coal, or nothing at all to
eat in the house2 said he, in a gurgling
sort of voice.
mo coal, no bread, aething to eat"
replied the girl, wringing her hands, 'and
poor Willie and the rest of us have had
nothing to eat ever since yesterday
morning"
Here the officer had another hard fit
of coughing, and went away, saying
that he would be back again in short
time
as the man gone for breadI' asked
the oldest of the children.
flush, MOllie dearr' said Lena. u
don't know what he is gone for. He's
not bad man, anyhow, for he hasn't
arrested me, as 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 the smallest children
while another man at his heels carried
a. 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 Precipitation, as 1T were.
While Lena cut up large slices Of
bread, and helped the children and her
self, the two men set to work and made
q large fire in the stove, the glow of which
soon diffused warmth and comfort
through the cabin. Then they cooked
the meat, and made the tea, and spread
steaming meal ON the table for the
four orphans, while they carved and at
tended to their wants until they were
fully satisfied.
Happy. happy, childhood, whose pre-
negatives are innocence, mirth and JOY
The children, after their dinner, didn'
look like the same children at all. Thei
faces were bright and joyous, happy ant
handsome, and in a few minutes the
were playing and laughing and rOmp
ing, as happy as if they had never fel
the pangs of hunger.
And now" said the officer, delighte
at seeing the children so happy, sit down
Lena, and answer me few questions
Have you no father or mother.
I'VE have no MOTHER was Lena's re
ply. "She died about year ago, an