The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1882-01-11
RETRIBUTION.

haps D years, and he looked through the
window of the restaurant with hungry,
longing eyes at the big cakes and rows
of tempting pies; at last tlattening his
little nose against the glass as if to be
nearer the beautiful viands was more
satisfying. There was something in his
appearance which was so different from
the ordinary little street boy that first
stopped and looked, then addressed
him with
care you hungry, little boy?"
lie then turned quickly, gave n little
nod, and said laconically:
"Awful p
"Well, suppose we go in there and
| get something to eat p
The child's face frightened; then he
hesitated and said, obviously:
"Maybe mamma wouldn't like mo
to-"
"Where is your mamma? How came
you here alone ?"
"She's home, sick. I've ruined
away" and he looked up in my face
with big, brown eyes in which there was
| u SIulhIG VI lllSCUltl.
"Run away, have you? am afraid
that is very naughty; won't your man.
ma be anxious p
"Oh, she's sick, she's awful sick And
l amt had anything to eat to-day"
Have you any brothers aud sisters ?"
The little face sobcred at once rs he
said
"No, onlY Eloise, and she's gone
away, and papa's goue away, and NAM
I ma says maybe she's going away, aud
she don't know whatll come Of me-"
"Who is Eloise? Your sister,"
"Yes'm."
"Where has she gone? Won't she
come back?"
"Nc, she amt never coming back !;
they put her in little black box and
took her to heaven, and mamma cried /;
she said she wouldn't never come back
again, and | haven't anybody to play
with now."
"Eloise |" The name had struck q
chord in my heart which awakened
| painful memories, and while the little
fellow was talking my mind had strayed
back to years ago, and a vision of a
beautiful false friend rose before my
eyes. Suddenly L asked the child his
name.
edwin Alexander Anderson"
For an instant felt faint and sick,
happy wife and mother though | now
am. That name brought back to me a
time of wretchedness never to be forgot
ten, and / almost felt like turning away
and leaving the child-his child-to his
fate. But, thank Heaven the impulse
was only for moment; ] knew now
why those brown eyes thrilled me so
but with the impulse to turn away came
whisper from my good angel "Dc
good to those who despitefully use you. u
And, seeing the little fellow still looked
longingly at the cakes, l took him in,
gave him some buns and glass of milk,
and bag of cookies to take home; but
he could not go alone probably, if, as
he said, he had run away; so | asked
him where he lived, and if he knew the
way home.
"We lives now in No. 10 Pine street,
but dunno where It's.
was not at all sure of the locality
myself, so failing nm omnibus / re-
quested to be carried tony destination
and then the awkwardness of meeting
his father flashed across me, till / recol.
lected he had said "Papas gone away. "
"Where has your papa gomez"
Hes gone to the dogs"
The answer was certainly startling
and notwithstanding, or perhaps in con
sequence of my nervousness, smiled
and felt in my throat mingled incli
nation to laugh and cry. Then sat
seriously:
"What do you mean2 Who told yo'
that?"
"Ob, / heard a man tell the doctor S
when he came to see Eloise, and / foun
it in the big map.book mamma let m
have to muse me"
"Founu what ?"
isle Of Dogs that's where he's gone
! guess he ain't coming back" A littl
pause, then in a low, frightened tone
"he's awful cross he made mamma cry
he did,"
tfSS1 felt guilty OF learning iamilV secrets
| SO I turned away from that subject an
said
. els your mother very lP'
. "Oh, she's dreadful sick She cougl
and coughs, and spits up lots of re
: spits; it's awful "
: Poor Eloise, the brilliant beauty, VIZ
= indeed dying looked down at the Ii
Q tie boy in his shabby clothes, and | r
8 membered the elegance OF his mother
b hs1re when we were girls together L +
: membered, oh, so well But Twas awal
0 ened from my painful revery by my Ii
Q tie companiou's exclaiming;
h "Here we are
9 paid the driver, and we got out ar
y mounted three flights of stairs in sha
II II by lodging-house. He opened q doc
Il and there, lying on stretcher, with
hard mattress, was the wreck Of q
brilliant beauty had not seen for te
70 years, and who, but for the child,
n should never have recognized. Not
IA with her, however MS the door open
} and her child entered she held out b
N hand, saying in low, breathless voic
ut eddy dear, where have you been
, | nm 4 1. .,-1 .