Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-01-27

From the Dstroit Free Pres.
How that north wind whistled and stung the
other day! 1t was the first signal OF q hong
dreary winter. and even men In overcoats
turned sharp corners to get out Of the biting
blast. Two children, q boy and girl. neither
over nine years old, stood shivering in door
way on Monroe ave., wishing to 60 to their
lowly home but dreading the wind. They crept
closer and closer to each other, and their chins
quivered aud their noses grew red as they grew
colder. Hundreds of men and women passed
up and down without care, but by and by along
came whistltng, j0vial lad of fourteen, who
was swinging his bOot-black's kit BY a strap and
picking up the steps of some clog-dance He
saw the shivering bits OF humanity where others
were blind, and hating before them with q
"clig)igger,rigger OF his heels and a toss OF his
kin borrow them ere chlns o. yours about
an hour?"
Eyes. ma'am." demurely replied the girl.
IL KIM eh?-hO! no! That's q give-away on
me! Be you chickens cold!"
YES mas am, " she answered again.
"And that ere cub is your brother, 'spose:
Well: when I'm cold git warm. What do you
do-freeze?'
Yes maam, II you please" she replied
"IfI please-ha, ha,-'nother give-away on
me! Well, you autumn leaves. come along
with me. l hain't got no influence on the
weather. but kin smell hot stove as fur of
as the next sinner In this town. Come rig hit
over to this store"
He led the way across the street and into an
ONCE Where there was fire. He had placed
chairs for them when q man came In from a
back room and said:
What do you children want here?"
want some Of this waste hOtness" bluntly
replied the sinner. These ERE cubs Is nigh
froze to death, and brought 'em here to thaw
out"
"And We won't even look at you nor cough,
nor sneeze!" added the little girl as she saw q
frown on the mans face.
THAT'S richness: there's innocence," laughed
the sinner, and the mans face cleared and he
pOked up the fire and said they could sit
nearer.
'S'pOse men you chip in and buy em some
thin to stay their stOmachs?' suggested sinner.
| all of sudden. ''Tell you what, some of the
children in this town don't have square meal
any mOre'n yOun me wear diamonds. Little
gal. are you hungry"
'Yes. lam, If you won't be mad at u.s..
she replied.
The man stood irresolute. but sinner went
down into his pocket ratified around and said.
Here's ten cents that says they're hungry. v
"Well, I'll give as much" replied the man.
You go and buy something and they can sit
here and eat it"
Sinner bought crackers and cheese. and the
children ate until he felt obliged to say:
Now, you cubs, 90 a lectle bit slow and save
the rest for supper. Kin We find the way home
alonei"
EYES, Fam"
and do you feel as warm as 'taterbugs
rolled up in wool!"
"Yes ma'am."
"All right then. We're dead to rights obliged
to this man, and I'll black his boots beside
You'd better run along home now. What s
ye goin' to tell yer mother?'
III tell her we come awful near going to
Heaven. and my little brother he thanks you
too, and now we'll go. and-and thank you,
ma'am, ever SO many times, good-by!"
The man looked after them through the win
dow with softer lines In his face than had been
there for months. The boy. stood outside on
the walk and watched until they had turned a
corner and then exclaimed:
'Phew! but l most feel that was engaged
to that gal!''