The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-01-06

she, "meant something when he told
me 10 be kind to strangers. / suppose
he expected them. i wonder what keeps
them all from meeting? Never mind
they shall see that | can do something,
if am little Hitty." 30 putting down
the Bible, she ran to meet them. happy,
con6ding, and even glad that they had
come and, without waiting for them to
speak, she called to them to come In
with her and laid, % am all alone ii
mother was here she would do more for
you, but will do all L eau :" and all
this with frank, loving heart, glad to
do good to others, and glad to please her
father, whose last worus were, To spare
Of their abundance to the weary traveller
Smith and his two comptnols EN-
tered. Now, it was neither breakfast
time nor dinner time, but about half
way between both; yet little Hitty's
head WAS full of the direction, "Spare
of our abuadance," aud almost before
they were fairly in the house, she asked
ii she would give them something to eat
Smith replied +" Yes, will Thank you,
my child, for we are all hungry" This
was, indeed, q civil speech Tor the thief
who, halfstarved, had been lurkiagin the
woods to watch his chance to steal the
silver tankar,l, IN soon rs the men folk
had gone To meeting Shall / give
you cold vlctuals, or will you wait until
can cook some meat ?" 4" We can't
wait, was the reply, "give us what you
have ready, as soon rs you can ~
am glad you do not want me to cook for
you-but would do it if you did-be-
cause father would rather not hnve much
cooking on Sundays" fhen away she
tripped about, making preparations for
their repast. Smith himself helped her
out with the table. Sac spread upon it
a clean white clo.h, and placed upon it
the silver spoons aud the silver tankard
full of cold orchard," as was the
custom in those days, with large
quantity of wheaton bread and
d sh of cold meat: L don't know
why the silver spoons were put on
perhaps little Hitty thought they una e
the table look prettier. After all this
was done she turned TO Smith, and with
courtesy told him that dinner was
ready. The child had been so busy in
arranging her table, ard so thoughtful
OF housewiiery, that size took little or
no notice OF the appearance or manners
of her guests She did the work as
cheerily and as freely, oad was as nm
embarrassed, as If she bad boon sur
rounded by her father and mother and
brothers. One of the thieves sat down
doggedIy, with his hands oa his knees,
and his face almost to his bands, look
ing all the time on the floor. Another,
younger aud better-looking man, stood
In1 MI 10 ol
not been well broken into his trade and
often would go back to the window and
look out, keeping his back to the child.
Smith, ON the other hand, locked I'M
concerned, as if he had quite forgotten
his purpose. He never once took his
attention off the child, following her
with his eye az she BUSTED abolt in ar
ranging the dinner table ; and there was
even a half-smile on his face. They all
moved to the table, Smiths char at the
head, one of his companions on each
side, and the child at the foot, standing
there to help her guests, and to be
ready to go for further supplies rs there
was need.
The IN IN ate as hungry men, almost in
silence, drinking occasionally from the
silver iankard. When they had done,
Smith started up suddenly and said
"Come let's go" "What |" exclaimed
the old robber, Ego with empty hands
when this silver is here ?" He seized
the tankard Put that down" shouted
Smith "Tll shoot the man who takes
single thing from this house, Poor
Hitty at once awoke to sense OF the
character of her guests with terror in
l., g. ii,
she ran to Smith, took hold of his hand,
and looked into his face, as if she felt
sure that he would take care of her.
The old thief, looking mp to his young
companion, and finding that he was
ready to give mp the Job, and seeing that
Smith was resolute, put down the tan.
kard, growing like dog which has had
bone taken from hum. "Fool catch
me i'll your company again." and with
such expressions left the house, followed
by the other. Smith put his hand on
the head OF the chill and said: Don't
be afraid stay quiet in the house; no
body shall hurt you"
THUS ended the visit of the thieves.
Thus God preserved the property of
those who had put their trust in HIM.
! What a story had the child to tell when
the family came home How hearty
was the Thanksgiving that went up from
the family altar.
A year or two after this, poor Tom
Smith was arrested for the commission
OF some crime, and was tried and sem
fenced to be executed. Daniel q rdon
heard of this, and that no was cou Aimed
i'll jail in the seaport town, to wait for
the dreadful day when he was to be
hung up like dog between heaven and
earth. Gordon could not keep away
from him. He felt drawn to him for the
protection of his daughter, and went
down to see him. When he entered the
dungeon, Smith was seated his face was
pale, his hair was tangled and matted
together-for Why should he care for his
looks? There was no other expression
iii bis countenance than that OF irrita-
ton from being intruded upon, when he
wanted to hear nothing, sec nothing
more of his fellow.inan. He did not
rise, nor even look up, nor return the
salutation of Gordon, who continued to
stand before him. AT last. as if wearied