The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1881-05-06
TIE LOST LIEoH-P1N.

..It's no use, Susy, we can't find /.
I'll have to take the whipping
There was a detected thrill in the sad
child-voice, telling alike of the physical
dread and of utter hopelessness OF
spirit.
'.Wait q minute, Robbie" answered
q cheerier tone. .'Wait until l look
under the hay-bed. A linch-pin's little.
| you know. and 1t might roll. l cant
bear to give up yet" And as the girl
spoke she swung her lantern under tho
huge vehicle. and stopping, began to
search carefully among the loose chat
and wisps of hay scattered over til,
| floor.
The scene was the threshing-floor Of
a large barn, with great NOW frown-
ing darby above on either hand. and
vast %granaries stretching away in tho
rear, and the speakers were a little or
phan boy WHO had lost a linch-pin, and
the sympathetic kitchen girl of the
farm. As the latter rose from her fruit
less search the bright glow of the lah-
tern fell full upon her, revealing a face.
not pretty, certainly, if viewed from =
cultivated, artistic standpoint, but fresh
and girlish, and just now, glorified BY
n halo Of womanly pity.
''Oh. Robbiel Pm so sorry" sho
said. rising. Cant you think whern
you had it lastPp
mo, Sue. / can't. I've tried and
tried. Ireckon old Beeson will nearly
kill me-he did the last time" Then
with a shudder. throwing his childish
arms around her waist, s'Oh, Sue, hos
awful"
Poor babyr' cried the girl. clasp
ing him closer. while her soft, gray
eyes filed with tears. II wish / could
ave you. How did you ever come to
be left with him. anyhow"
"Why, you see." was tho reply.
''when mother died there was only me
and Chris, and Chris. amt like me.
He's strong and smart, and afraid Of
nobody. So he thought he would go
AWAY and make a fortune for us both
His name is Christopher-like Christo-
pher Columbus, you know-and he
meant to do some great thing. too. Not
in a ship. though. but in q big city. he
had read Of poor boys making money
there, and as the homestead was gono
he was bound to try it. And then old
Beeson offered TO keep me while he was
away. But Chris. new meant for me
TO be abused. / heard him say that I
vas 10 go to school. and be well treat
cd, and that he would pay for my board
and expenses when he come back. Bun
I reckon he'll never come, now" And
the poor child's tears fell fast at the
thought.
"Oh, maybe he WILL" answered the
girl. soothingly. ''We'n hope SO. any
way"
"Well maybe" he assented drearily.
'But, o Sue; If / were only Of age. like
you, wouldn't ! 60 to seek himr'
Then, as II with q sudden thought.
''Sue, what makes you stayp You were
of age six months ago"
II KNOW" she said, and paused as II
the question was an unsettled one witt
herself. then. with the light still upon
her brow. Partly for your sake. may
be. Robbie, and partly because / dom
know where to go. l don't mind work
ing. and / must do hat in any place.
Besides it is better for me; I'm in the
house with Missis. and Robbie. she ISM
like him. Many a pieco of bread and
meat she gives to the hungry beggars.
rnd many a poor tramp she allows to
5 eep in the barn when he amt around
The last clause was unfortunate, for
t'e boy, clinging yet closer. cast q
, ,uddcring glance upward toward the
reat mows where the shadows were
scarcely disturbed by their feeble glow
q light.
.Oh, Suel" he cried wildly. '.What
he should make mo stay all night
II the barnp He has threatened to
many u time. Oh, Sue, what can VIC
lo?"
The poor excited boy sank down in
Despair.
1--WE might pray" said Sue, timidly.
.'Pshaw! He prays." ~
There was a whole volume of incipi'
ont skepticism in these three bitter
Lords.
81 know answered Faith, sorcly
puzzled, yet clinging to her anchor
II know. but it don't sound like thu
prayers l used to hear at the 'sylum
There they spoke to some n close Al
hand. SO gentle, SO loving, and yet $,
mighty.
"Oh, Robbie, nov I just remembcl
the words, SC strong 10 deliver VIII,
knows but He might ave you. Their
wa the man in the den Of lions, an,
the three children in the fiery furnace
sits no use. Sue," he answered sad
~. There's no deliverer for me bu!
Chris, and he'll never come now. G.
On to the house and tell tho old mai
that / can't find it. It's as well to 60
it over"
Poor lambr' said the tender-heartc,
girl, kissing the quivering lips tina
we're trying so hard to be brave. .PI
leave the light, and I'll beg hard TO
you" And depressing a sigh over thu
hopelessness Of her task, she glide,
into the starlight, leaving the poor lit
tie victim to await a cruelty which. con
sidering the centuries Of Christian pro
gress that have elapsed since IL,
Slaughter Of the i~nnocents, not onll
out-Herods Herod, but is one of tn
darkest blots upon u social scale.
just here must l pause to offer a plsi
for the children, the most defencelesl
objects in all Gods creation. We sigh
over the miseries Of poor Smike, over
little David Copperfeld's sorrowfu'
journey; alas! that magic hand whici
90 movedrs has vanished forever, but