The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-19
TON.

Oh! but it was cold; freezing, biting,
bitter cold! and dark, too; for the feeble
gaslights, leaping and flaming as the gale
whistled by, hardly frightened the
gloom dozen PAGES around them. The
wind tore through the streets as if it
had gone mad; whirling before it dust
and snow, and every movable thing it
could lay its clutching hand upon. A
poor old battered kite, that, some time
last autumn, had lodged far up in the
tallest tree in the neighborhood, and had
there rested peacefully ever since, be-
lieying its labors were at an end, was
dragged from its nest, and driven un
pityingly before the blast. Some feeble
efforts it had made to dodge into corners,
lurking behind steps and diving into
areas; but not bit of it! Down would
swoop the wind, and off it would go
again.
At last, driven around one of the long
row of barrels, that stood, like wretched
sentinels, along the edge of the sidewalk,
it flew into the very arms of small boy,
Who, seated on curb-stone, crouched
down in the barrels somewhat question
able shelter. Such very small boy!
He looked like nothing in the world but
little heap of rags; and the rags were
very thin, and the small boy was very
cold. His nose, his ears, his hands, and
his poor bare feet were blue. He was
almost too cold to shiver, certainly too
cold to notice the unfortunate kite,
which, as its enemy, the wind, ap-
I'D x,rtb n
close to him, as if begging his protec.
ton. Round both sides of the barrel at
once came the wind, shook hands right
through poor little Tom, and, bowling
with delight, rushed off with its misera-
BILE victim.
''Tom"-that was all the pane he had.
Who he was, or where he came from, no
one knew, except, perhaps, the wretched
old woman with whom he lived; which
meant that she let him sleep upon pile
of rags on the floor of her miserable
room, and sometimes gave him a crust,
and ottener a blow. When she was
drunk-and that was the greater part of
the time-Tom took to the streets; and
by night she was very drunk. The boy
was, perhaps, some six years old; but as
he covered down on the cold flag stones,
with his worn, pinched face and droop-
ing head, he might have been hundred.
A carriage came rafting through the
icy street, and stopped close by him.
The door was pushed open, and two
children half tumbled out, and, leaving
the door swinging, rushed up the steps.
Tom watched them stupidity. heard the
quick, sharp ring of the bell, caught a
glimpse of something that looked very
bright and warm, and then it was dark
again. He turned his eyes toward the
carriage, expecting it to drive off again
but it still stood there. The coachman
sat upon the box like furry monument.
One of the horses struck the stones
sharply with his iron hoof, and cast an
inquiring glance around. but the monu-
ment sat unmOved.
Toms heavy eyes looked through the
open door into the carriage. Dark as it
was, he could see that it was lined with
something thick and warm. He raised
his head and glanced about him. If he
we're inside there the wind could not
touch him. Oh, if he could only get
away from it one minute! He would
slip out again the moment the house door
opened. Unbending his stiff little body,
he crept nearer, hesitated a moment,
and, as the wind came round the corner
with roar, slipped swiftly and noise
lessly into the carriage. In the further
corner of the seat he curled himself into
little round heap, and lay, with beat
ing heart, listening to the wind as i,
swept by.
1t was very quiet in his nest, and the
soft velvet was much warmer than the
cold hagstones and he was very tired and
very cold, and in half a minute he was
fast asleep. He did not know when a,
last the house door opened and lady
gathering her cloak close around her
came down the steps-did not know ever
when the suddenly animated monument
descended from its pedestal and stood
solemnly by the open door until the lady
had stepped INSIDE. But when it shul
the door with slam, and the coachman
returning to his post, drove away, the
boys eyes opened and fixed his fright
ened gaze upon the lady's face. Preoc
supied with her own thoughts, she hai
mot noticed the queer bundle in the dsri
corner. But her attention was attractee
BY some slight movement ON his part ,sh,
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