Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1882-12-28

DeIOre MIN again, nad some determined
winking at the tears and choking gulps
at something that had risen in her
throat, before she could get out
"Mother is in heaven, and
I wish we were there, too
She made rush from the store to
get out beforeghe could see her tears.
He started and even called after her;
but she was afraid that he would take
back the quarter and hurried on till
she had left the store far behind.
Then she satisfied Billy's hunger and
began to wonder what she would.do
next.
The wonder repeated itself during
the day in her mind, but the solution
did not come readily
A squeaking dog which Billy fancied
in toy store window took whole
dime, and the rest mostly disappeared
in satisfying his hunger. What troubled
her most was where the next quarter
was to come from. So while he was
enjoying the grand sights and his new
toy she was thinking.
Night came on and advanced. and
the stores shut up one after another,
the passers-by became fewer and fewer,
and having wandered back as far as
Baxter street again they crept into a
stair not far from Smithson's, to shelter
themselves in some degree from the
intense cold.
Billy now began to cry and per-
sisted in saying that he wanted to get
into warm room near a stove. and it
taxed her to the utmost TO get him
quieted, for fear the people would hear
them and come out.
The squeaking dog had long since
ceased to have any power over him. SO
she took him into her lap and covered
him over as much as she could and
told him wonderful fairy tale about
two children who had no mother and
were wandering about in tie cold,
when all at once their icy surround
ings opened up and bright light
shone out from warm heaven behind.
and beautiful being all shining with
gold came floating out toward them
and took them up in his arms and told
them they were not to be cold or hun
CRY any more.
The fairy tale stopped here, and
Billy fancied he heard stihed sob.
and put out his little hand in the dark
ness to touch Afaggie's cheek and see
if it was wet, but she wouldn'tle let him
touch it; she told him to try and sleep
and dream grand dreams about walk
ing among flowers in the bright sun
shine, and then she told him other
tales of a different kind so fast that
he couldn't get in word, and at last
forgot all about it and fell asleep.
But Maggie didn't sleep.
No, she sat staring straight out the
entry at the black wall, half expecting
that her fairy tale would come true,
until the sound of slow footstep on
the other side made her shrink and
hold her breath.
But it was only an old man with
bag over his shoulder. He had got on
well enough until he came near the
mouth of the stair, when she saw his
feet suddenly shoot out from under
him and his head came down with 4
crash on the hard sidewalk behind.
Maggie gave frightened cry when
she saw the man lie very still, and as
the cry awoke Billy, they ran out to-
gether to the prostrate form.
But it was not till she had brought
some water and poured it on his face
that he slowly opened his eyes, and she
recognized Tom Smithson.
go awayF" he cried, as he recog-
nized them in turn Of the light.
"What do you haunt me for2 Is it
more money you want2"
Il saw you fall, and vi afraid you
were killed." said Maggie. only too
glad to hear him speak Your head
is cut at the back"
And she gently stroked the wounded
spot.
lie stared into the two little faces,
and she fancied that his eyes grew less
fierce.
"You shouldn't have touched me-"
be cried at last, with an attempt to
snarl. Why didn't you let me die2"
"What, do you want to die too, and
you a man?" said Maggie. in great
wonder and pity.
"No, don't want to die, but / don't
want to be interfered with-so be
off2.
Maggie turned away at once, but he
angrily called them back,
Where ale you going2"
"I'm going away; you told me to-
/" No, | didn't. and you mustn't con-
tradict me, for if ! did, I didn't mean
it. Aren't you sorry you ever had
a mother to bring you to all this mis-
ery9"
I" No. I'm not sorry; oh, if only had
her nowI' And Maggie quivered and
quivered and winked desperately and
tried to look Indifferent and think on
snnethinr else to kean hack the tears