The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1883-12-29

!
on the other side of the road
"Can YOU what?" asked the man.
"Take some of them strawberries!
answered Tony.
Take away; they're free, was the
reply. IT,,
And they did take away They
picked and ate until their faces ana
! hands were stained strawberry red;
and only stopped when their friend
came to look for them and tell them 1t
was almost time to 90 home.
That day was like rainbow set IN
their dreary life, and though the good
natured cook to whom they owed it had
returned soon after to Germany, her
native land, they had never ceased to
think of her with love and thankfulness,
and to remember her in their prayers.
1t had been a day in June-that beau
tiful day-and now it was the last OF
December, but still its brightness came
back to the sick boy, and with it long
ing for the sweet red berries that grew
on the edge of the old wood.
"Pears to me, if l had some, this
pain in my breast would 60 away" he
moaned. "They wuz so good, Sable,
l kin see 'em now wen shuts me eyes.
Poorly red straw berries. o! if you
could only git some fur me, Sable, dear
Sabie!'
And at last. on New Years Day
Sable put on her shabby felt hat and
her patched jacket, and said to her
grandmother:
Granny, I'm goin' way little
while fur somethin' fur Tony. Take
good care of him till l gifts back!'
And the old woman stopped singing,
Come, We sinners, poor and needy, "
long enough to say, "Yes, yes,
dearie."
Then Sable took ten cents from be-
hind the clock on the mantel, and a lit
tie basket some one had given her
from the closet, and kissing Granny
and her brother good-by, started Oft
in search of the wild straw
berries. 1t was bitter cold day, but
she drew her jacket tightly about her,
and running as fast as she could-she
had not forgotten step of the way
they had gone that lovely day-she soon
reached the ferry-house, and timidly
handed her ten cents to the ticket
seller.
"Where do you want to go?' asked
he:
''Apple'ill," said Sable, meaning APP
pleville.
"The fare is thirty consistently
more. Here are only ten"
The child shrank back, while her
eyes filled with tears.
stop a moment" said the ticket
seller, seeing the tears. ''Why do you
want to 90 to Appleville?"
ITO git somethin' fur me poor little
sick BROTHER" she answered, with
sob, IAN l haven't another penny.
Neither has me gran mother"
"Well, there's ticket that'll take
you there and back. And now cut
along. The boats just in"
Sable grasped the ticket, gasped
"Thank you, sir" and "cut along" at
such rate that-the boat having yet
five minutes to wait before starting
the people already on board and those
going on board looked at her in sur
prise.
In fifteen minutes more she stood in
New Jersey, holding her ticket tight in
her hand and looking about her in a
half frightened way.
apple i want. to go to Apple
! III, she repeated to every one who
passed her.
| But every one was so intent upon
getting somewhere himself or herself
that no one noticed her. At last, in
sheer desperation, she clutched the
silk cloak of lady who was hurrying
by.
"Apple'ill'-oh! Apple'ill," she said,
desperately.
The lady stopped and took the ticket
from her cold, red hand. ''Appleville,"
she said; chats not on my road. but
I'll show you your train, child, and the
conductor will let you off at the place"
So the lady led her to a train of cars
that was waiting for passengers, saw
her seated in one of them, and then
hurried away again.
And Sable was no sooner seated than
the train, the locomotive of which had
been snorting and whistling and
screaming for some time, started, and
she found herself whirled along at
great speed.
| bNO INV NihCLCliO cNCl JHluS 1OOkcu
from the time she was whirled over
this road before! Then there were
green grass and green trees and lovely
flowers on every side. Now there was
nothing to be seen but snow-snow-
snow. The ground was covered with
it, the trees and bushes we're laden with
it. Poor Sable! she hav thought that
the snow came only in the city-that
the country was always bright and
green.
81 wonder if them IL be under the
snowP" she said to herself. can me
with no shovel to dig 'em out! But I'll
try to scoop out few with me hans
! anyhow"
In moment or two more the con-
ductor called "Appleviller'
"Thats your place, little girl" said
the man who sat next to her, and get
ting up in haste she stumbled through
the car and out on the platform, from
which brakeman lifted her down and
placed her on he steps of the station.
Sable climbed these steps as the
train flew away, and when
she had reached the top one there Law
the broad road they had travelled that
June day before her. But it, like all
the other roads, was covered with snow.
with the exception of narrow path
way made by snow-plow on one