Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-04-25
Temperance.
LITTLE BAREFOOT.

why, WIN cdu Gnd9 ue Stepping ou VIC
fresh paint % | said somewhat impa-
tiently.
"0h ! bare-footed beggar-girl." an
swered my friend, who sat where she
could just get glimpse of the child. |
did not leave her standing on that fresh
paint very long, assure you, for her
bare, dirty feet left tracks which are still
seen but questioned her for some lit
tie time. In answer to my question what
she wanted, she replied, "Old clothes, "
Her face looked familiar to me, and |
asked her if she was not the child of
mountaineering the name, of course
who used to come to me begging quite
year ago. She answered,
"yis, ma'am."
Ny friend hearing the question and
the child's answer, said to me: 81 saw
by the paper that her father had been
taken to Jail !; ask her if it is So
"Yis, ma'an' he's gone to Jail" the
child answered to my next question. |
might as we'll say right here that the
friend who was with me that night Is
quite eccentric, and as good-hearted as
she is eccentric, which will explain the
following conversation. The child's moth
er died about year ago. Her death
proved no loss to the child, however, for
she was drunkard of the lowest type,
and terribly depraved in other ways.
Having heard that there were two little
boys younger than this little girl, We
asked, "How many children are there of
you?"
Three ma'am-two little byes."
"Who takes care of you all ?"
81 do, ma'am."
BLESS your little heart, you poor
child" said my friend. ''Who stays
with you p
"Nobody, ma'am."
"Why, you poor, miserable. little
thing p this from my odd friend with
growing interest. "Do you have enough
to eat 2"
"Yis, ma'am"
"What do you want most?'
"Old clothes, ma'am somethin' for
the byes an me-we ant got nothin'
ma'am."
"Why, you poor little wretch, we must
hunt up something for you. Who does
the cooking for you?"
81 do, ma'am," answered the little
girl.
why, you blessed little saint or sin
ner, l don't know which to call you" my
friend said theoretically, and l laughed
even the child smiled. l suppose such
outspoken sympathy was something new
to her.
This is indeed a sad state of affairs
three little children left alone-no father
no mother-in poverty and filth because
of intemperance. And yet how many
mothers of daintily nurtured children
there are who do not consider it thei
duty to use their in fuence in favor o
abolishing the trade in the vile stuff
Do they not consider that our blessed
Saviour included those uncared for, mis-
cradle little ones in his lovable invita-
ton, "Suffer the little ones to come unit
me, and forbid them not ?" Is it no
virtually "forbidding" them to come t
hedge them about so with degrading in
fuences that they cannot come? Blu
these three little ones are only three 0
thousands of little ones whom Chris
would love to gather to his shelterin
arms. And good way to open tn
doors for these children is to work un
tiringly in the temperance cause. Whe
the doors of saloons are closed, and de
based fathers and mothers begin to sho1
traces of returning manhood and woman
hood, then, with the food, clothes, an
comfort, which the little ones will begi
to receive, will come more light On th
path which leads to Saviour's bosom.
All can there be any one so indiffe
ent as to sit with folded hands who ca
work if they choose? Can there be an
intelligent person who does not hear tt
loving command "Feed my Lambs ?"
"Open the door for the children endery gather the
In from the highways and hedges, in from the plac
Of sin.
Some are so young and SO tender, some are so hung
and cold;
Open the door for the children, gather them into
fold.
Open the door for the children take the dearlambs
the hand;
Point them to truth and to Jesus, point them to hes
ems bright land.
.
Pray you the father to bless Them pray you that grs
may be given;
Open the door for the children-'of such is the xii
dom of heaven" Advocate
The Minneapolis Tribune lately pu
lished an extract from private letter
its editor from Ex-President Hayes,
the course of which he makes the folio
ing reference to certain published sta