The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-01-01
TEN LITTLE TOES.

r. was the twcnty-third of December,
,eold mist had been falling, freezing as
fell, the sky was grey, and the short
inter afternoon was fast growing into
,ight. Up the struggling village street
little urchin was trudging along, not
/ .hserily and with boyish whistling, but
!Ovy and painfully, stopping every
/ NOW and then to give pull to the ragged
ro,len socks, which were all the cover
4 nphis little feet possessed. The cob
/ Ns,stone walk was slippery with the
/ tozen sIeet, and often the poor little
shiled feet stumbled and hurt them
] elves cruelty; but their owner was one
/ d those pitiful examples Of how
r5en suffering can become expected,
md he endured his bruises with pa
,betic patience. After the row Of cot
,,ess on each side of the inn-above the
/ loor of which swung the sign of the
Hall Moon came the church, with
is iron gates, open to-day, for busy
hands were bringing holly and ivy and
surel, to snake beautiful the home of
/ he Lord" for the "white day" of the
year. Beyond the church stretched the
mass fields, and then the ivy.topped
low stone wall of the village garden.
Awsy and. beyond that were rolling
fields, and then at half q mile distance
the great stone pillars and gates of
HThe Cedars," the residence of Mr..
Fairbanks, the owner of the great mills
10 the hollow, where heavy machinery
catered and doomed from morning till
night.
A, the child passed the church he
heard voices, and stopping a minute he
looked through the grating, wondering
dmly Il the "gentlefolks ever, ever
starved In the cold"
Mrs. Ellsmore, the Wears wife, was
coming out, her hands full of cleaning
berries and shining leaves; she was
hlking pleasantly to the old sexton who
MS locking up the church.
"Be sure and have a good fire in the
,esry tomorrow, for we will be down
stly," she was saying as they came
trough the gates; "and, Andrew, take
care Of your rheumatism; it is cold to-
night"
sAye, madam, it do be bitter cold,
It's bike snow," and pulling his hair to
hsady, Andrew shutlled off.
Turning quickly, Mrs. Ellsmore near
taumbled over the crouching figure of
be child, who sat down to rest on the
tone ledge outside the iron fence.
well, little boy, and who are you?"
she Md, stopping moment.
"Oime Bobby" he answered, gazing
into her face with the wistful look of
pme dumb animal.
Mrs. ENsmore smiled.
"When Do you livep"
down there" jerking his head to.
ward the hollow.
"Oh, Jour father works in the mill?"
ma he's turned off wen the mais-
ter turned off the hands, fathers name
vas drswed."
shadow crept into the kind eyes
xstcliny him. 1t was the same old,
plahl story; how often she had heard it
'aitwinter. Trade was dull, and Just
sxinter was coming on Mr.. Fairbanks
na closed a part of bis mills and turned
half Of his hands. They said when
aeneNs was told them great CRY went
pfrom the men; in an instant they saw
what would ADMINISTRATION for the
SNs and the little ones. Other mill
owners had done the same, but others
nil mud kept on their hands for the
WINTER, only shortening the hours. Mr..
fairbanks was just master but q hard
one, and now many a brawny fist was
'eafeu stealthily after him as his car.
nags rolled past the cottage windows.
ny Eilsmore thought of all this as she
oo |! e. down into the little pinched face.
sted, gently.
sVine come fur granny, the baby's
arng himself into fits, an mother
0ant know what ais it,
Where does granny live?"
Down T. lane. Dime getting Stiff"
ad he dragged himself up feebly.
n Should think you would get stiff
asa1 there, come home with me and
= warm, and III give you something
" 'ne baby, come" and Mrs. Els
1o.e held out her hand. Shave you
.H yourselfg' she asked, as the child
eve sort Of moan.
.Oime thinkin' 'oime FAST" he said,
me!ally. II don't see as l can move
y Pointing to his feet. True enough,
u poor little bare toes, damp with the
s. fallen sleet, had frozen fast to the
sces pavement.
aeass sprang to Mrs. Ellsmore's eyes.
NY poor child! what are we to dop"
Ia, aas child looked wonderingly at her
I.a,t this pretty lady, with her white
49, and soft warm furs and shining
w.. should really cry for him was
!hing too extraordinary to be be-