Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-07-30
Daddy Carter.
BY ALBRO COLLINGwOoD.

ooh dearl' cried little Sallie Walters,
what shall dor Here 1t is night, and
l am so tired of living in the street with
no one to speak to or care whether / live
or die. I've slept for three whole weeks
under the stOOp of that big stone house
over there, and I've about concluded
there's not much comfort in sleeping out
of DOORS"
This she said to herself as she saunt-
cred along through the town. She had
no father or mother; they were dead or
else had abandoned her; so she sold
papers with the boys. who assisted her to
earn money enough to keep from starv-
with only one friend in the world, and
he was Jim Toole, who helped her get
her morning papers. Poor fellow, he
but that was because he was too Door
and neglected to be anything else, so
that night as she was wandering along
she did not know that Jim was close be-
hind her watching to see how and where
she was going to spend the night.
The clouds were fast gathering, and
storm threatened that would make peO-
pie enjoy their comfortable homes and
firesides, but Sallie needed not, and
walked on until she came as far as Daddy
Carriers dwelling, when something hap
Dened which caused Sallie to dart behind
tree, holding her dress tightly around
her for fear she might be noticed.
B Daddy Carter lived alone in little
low frame house on the turnpike road,
because his wife had gone away and left
him, and his sons and daughters were
quite too fine for the old mans ways
now, and being, nobody knows how old
and little peculiar, he was left to get
along the best way he could. Upon this
night he had not noticed the threatening
clouds, but had picked up his hat and
cane from the shelf and started towards
the town to spend an hour with his COM
paniOns, locking the door securely as he
came out that no thieves might enter
during his absence and steal all he
owned.
"Therep' he exclaimed thrusting the
key into his trousers pocket, 81 guess
I've made fast everything; it's pretty
lonely living this way and folks like
bit of company now and then, so I'll be
off to the inn to bide awhile" But hav-
ing no wife to keep his wardrobe neat
and tidy, and being old and lettering, he
quite overlooked the hole in his pocket
and did not feel the key slip down his
leg on the gravel walk.
"Sallie did though, but the thought
darted through her mind Dot to tel, and
once inside the house she could stay for
the night; so she watched the old man
out of sight, and then thrusting out her
hand she clasped the key in her long,
thin fingers, and at that moment was
accOsted by jim TOOle who had Overtaken
her.
"HullOa, Sallie," jim began, "what
was that you picked up; nothing the old
man dropped, was itp"
"Hush," cried Sallie, quite overcome
with delight, "its the key of his house,
which slid through his pocket as slick as
anything, so when he comes back he
won't be able to get in, and for once we'll
sleep i'm doors and not in the street"
"Wheww Jim whistled in low tone,
eff / amt beat out. Show us the key,
Sal"
But Sallie was too prudent to let it slip
out of her own hands and clasped it
tighter and tighter. Presently the rain
began to descend in heavy drops, and the
children ran on the stOOp to avoid a
drenching and apply the key to the lock.
But Sallie felt very uncomfortable and
| loitered so that Jim grew impatient and
tried to wrench it from her that he might
| try his strength and ingenuity.
"Oh, JIM" sighed Sallie, sOrrOwfully,
suppose somebody should come and
catch us; it amt our house, and l do feel
very scary about going in; let's wait here
until he comes back and then tell him
how he lost It,"
"Oh, you big coward. who's afraidY,'
answered jim; "we're out in the cold and
WEI, and we're going to make ourselves
comfortable; it amt often such chance
comes, so you just hand over that key"
The temptation was certainly very
strong, and many a better little girl than
Sallie could not have resisted, but strange
to saw she held her opinion firmly until
Daddy Carter returned, looking every.
where for the lost key. Poor old man, 1t
would have been much harder to keep
him from his home on such night than
for Jim and Sallie to have to breast the
| Col