New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-01-09

1llOuscha IN hall dreamy state crept m echanic
ally across the room to the bed, climbed up ovel
his mothers prosrato form and squeezing his little
body as near to the wall as possible, Topped into
sound sleep
seemed to have abated, for the shutter no longer
banged against the wall.
The pale light of day crept slowly through the
dull panes OF the little window, but awak-
ened no life in that dreary IOom,. Everything
seemed buried in the trance OF death
At length the child woke. But what terrible
awakeningi Who was 1t lying on the pillow at his
side Not his mother surely strange woman
woman unknown to him. Every feature distorted
"a form cold and mOtonlcss her eyes CLASSY
and staring! llouscha was from terror sprec
He Knew not how he climbed OIL the bed nor how
he left the house. nor did lie recover his sef-pos-
session until. ut long distance from the house, he
was suddenly stopped by 4 iiock OF sheep, which n
shepherd was driving through the barrier into the
those terrible incidents from which he had flown.
lie was fully persuaded that his mother was dead
and that now he was alonc-quitc, quite alone In
this great big world. .
last she at rest in the grave, where neither
privatlOn nor grief, nor misery conld feach her
who reimbursed herself by sezing every little thing
that had any value, such AS rabbit fur pelIsSr a
picture of the Virgin in gilt frame. woolion
shawl and the mattress and pillows OF the bed.
The little that remained was carried of by the
other dodgers, each one taking what suited his
fancy. The Clipped teapot and two cups were
seized by the old man who had recently scoldcd
lIlouscha for spilling the water on the staircase.
The little boys coat fell to the lot of shoemaker
who lived opposite; and the sempstress who dIli
odd jobs for the whole house, seized upon the Ola
lantern which she SAID was quite good To take
down into the cellar of an evening for Goals.
Tho soldiers child had dlsappearcd-none knew
whittier Bat on the daV OF the funcral when me
last rites had been performed he was seen In the
courtyard wet through and slliverinP.
What do yOu want hcreF inquired the andlaly
querulousy, evidently disploascd and I'll at ease ut
his temperance for she feared that he had come
to claim his possessions. -, =. ~
Il want nothing, answered lllouscha tlInldlY'
And what does nothing meant since you arc
here YOU must want something why didn't yon
think it to come sooner! you might then Lave
biadrn yolr mother gool-bye; now she Is buried
and ! have let YOuT room Ia new tenant, VINO Is
at this moment III pOSscSSlon.'
The child burst into tears at the thought that
never AGAIN could he enter lllH room.
only wanted to fetch my COAT
Coat what coat
NV own sohhcd the child: 1T is there in the
ROOM IT was INV very 0%n.' 49,.
After a moments reflection the woman called out
to the MIrpstusS, who happened 1T th' moment 10
be crossing the court. ANiina perhaps you can
tell me who took mis- coatT
VINO took il si" replied in an irritable tone !:
OF course | can-why, II wlS the Workincn oppo-
site, who took it, she repeated ~ though r"llect-
ing why OF course. | r"membcr-it was the cob
As she said hi. she picked up the tail Of her wet
skirt AMI disp;aviug two hue feet cuclscd IN
mems work-a-day boots, went On heI way.
What! the cohhlrrP cried the landlady
furiouSly; how our-l he do any such thing v no
!
right has ne in NV lousrY Pretty iupudencrn
As She said this she trncd to thr child. and with
al imp"rious gesture whl'h admitted no rcinSdl
sIid: Come, boy, vul me. II not a.ioN ii-n",
II never allow H. let 'e,u take what they like N
other folks hOus.s; hut IN ny house! what I'M
pud, nee.
coat spread thruul,I thc houN". The ianGl idy :
ind ignaiion was shared 10y every lOdg'r, and Tue
words, Let folks Iahc What they iIho ii3m ilie
houses vhcrc they live. were repeated on all N.d'1
II seemed To be hY general consent admitted that
IN event OF any ltir tribes heinz left II such cl"S
il was but tain that they shoud fall 10 the lot Of
fellow -odg,Ts-but that folks III Strange houses
should come AMI ifrr. Va, simply Wi"l"r1hic.
drputatnn at once waited on the cObDlcr with =
formal request that the orphan coat be- returned
To him.
Willie thcS' nc.ntisfionS were rcndin", l!lons'ha
stood leaning against tit lAnIl;iy's door-hi, wet
cap in hand. The cap ihat hal been rI:rn 40 hlm
Yesterday by kindly labOTct W no ~ pare pity had
also given hin something TO cat. The ram had
soaked through hiS ShLl and tiuuouS. The water
drippcd from his hair on 20 his shoulders aud ms
feet left wet marks OIL u" NoOf. Thus he STOOL
ucmlling and f.m.shcd. more dead than alive!
The lilndiady'~ daughters were at tea pot OF
jam and her good thing, Stood on the table One
Of the girls gave HIM two fusk- which II" ipoA
mechanically. and forgot to thank her. The las
UrN winch prrNaGr,. t4hs apartment l@Ir.N dd.'d
h,n. On the tahic1 he hiw. "r'rh"i c"N'r~. a
m rrnr IA walnut lIa!ur, AMI b'~t!'' Thee, so
portraits of general o'clTs, liicrnlly laden win
decorations. huue from Ia" wills. llru t.crr
wrr,. chair, co,r1.d with groom leather aud sni.r
stood cupboard full Of ornaments ranged III -
low; there wa, lIttc basket lnair "i cl"i's.
ciineoiAic dog. "a china egg with pictures painted
upii IT, arI many oi,..i tlt.-7 equally ''JHtliu-
rhr ti.iidtnu uot take l.r eyes o. ih's u@rN',-
lou, cupboard Tie tad never c'rn dr"aml 81 sun
rchr-. To hlr u s-...'l lnti .r. AHd w.,
tljr.l' he. 'ta.ir al t''t.' .'iLi $40 i'" -'
wien n Irnc,l, thry b,oaght hm back lli~ coat
Ice s. .l-d dcrpir. loi hc i-lt thtt Ia would never
again have 4 c..,ac' ol -rc.N- these marNclS.
Just a, the 'lI.d WIS lcd'inL. one 81 tEr land
ladys daughters got ny from tie tca-iAhlr, Ht"in
quietly TO the cupboard. cHtfactcd Il triuc. ara
placed il in Iiioi.. ia s. hand. The boy Wa du.nb-
founded. ana dd not dare even e. look ~ What
she had given 10 him. He clA>pcd tie Treasure
tightly III his hand, and went ont.
On the ttliIcaSc a group oi l"dgcrs barred his
passage; they were celebrating what ~ 90 WIN
The orphan. Although thcy all dctcsted the boy
they yet had vague sense oi dutY toward MIN :
and to turn him out. naked and hungry, INTO the
street i'll such weather did not SEEM TO hr tuitr
right Some Que suggested that they should lake
him To the police. and there explain MS nid ra%'
and To this proposition all agreed. They had a
vague notion that the p0hcc Wouid lcrd NM peI,
hans place him where he would learn trade: az
all events anything would be better than leaving
him III the street.
The child Listened and understood them .impcr-
fectly. At the word police he sIunk back
He knew that they put robbers and drunkards INTO
prison; why should he 20 there toof lie had never
stolen anyt hing In his life, Despair sIgG'Btcd II
means of escnpc; he said III firm tone that lie
was quite ready 10 20 with them 10 the police but
that he must first 20 TO q man who had promised
n
other and nj his bruised and wet feet undecidcdly
Are YOU telling the truth asked study
blacksmith.
IlOuscha swOrc 10y all the saints that he wac.
well, il is possible let him co. so the dodgers
djspcr sod cmch 20 his own room, leaving the clId
free to 20 where he would. 1t was not until he had
ROT a l0ny way from the house that he ycnturrd TO
look n what the landladys daughter had gwen
him. II was little wooden egg, painted red, ana
filled with bon-bons. lie could not INT ke up his
mind to eat them, they were 80 pretty. Whom llo
shook the egg lac could hear them rafting. and this
noise 50 delighted him that tor time he forgot ms
foroIn condition. IllOuscha walked hccdlrssly
along shaking his egg the while. until paSser-l,y.
who seemed displc9scd, sc0wed at HIM. Then the
child frightened and confused. hid his Treasure in
the depths of LIS pocket he could hear the rattle
no longer, hut felt IL thorc quite safe.
He did not 90 10 The man who had promised nun
In fnl liz. sulirlrnt llAl IN Nll NOT