The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1883-04-14
LITTLE JENNY.
" In the sweet by-and-by,

Where did the voice come fromp
/ looked round from one cot to anoth-
err, for the tone was unearthly sweet.
AT last | saw the singer, such bit of a
girl, with wan face and hollow eyes,
nursing doll almost AS big rs herself
"Shc's better ma am, said thenurse.
"Soon AS she's better she begins to
sing
"What bright little face she hasH'
ooh yes, Jenny is n pretty girl. and
happy rs lark when the pain is gone. !"
"a Is she dangerously illp'
"Well, it's something, miss. from
which she can't recover, though il Is
thought she may live a good many
years. She's very dear child.
asked permission to speak To the
little thing. who, whenever | looked
that way, smiled SO winnngly that she
was irresistible.
g You love singing | said, ms the
wee hand erept into mine.
'Oh yes dearly Can you sing TO
me an She asked
" You shall hear me by-and-by,n
said. Before | go will sing to all the
little ones. How long have you been
here. JennyP'
" Almost year; ever since my moth
er died. =
"What! have you no motherP
80 haven't anybody that is, Of my
oaNn. sha- rea,liad.@sNilh "a -sad-litlle
smile.
50 We're you always sickpo my dear.
"Oh, no; it was trying TO save little
Johnny and my mother that ! got SO
burnt. We were very poor, you know,
and | never remember my father, cause
he died when | was baby. the week
after Johnny was born. Mother had TO
go out by the day and lock us in the
room, and ! took care of johnny
When she came home, she'd make u
fire and give us Il nice supper. One
night, she came in late, and brought
some oil for the. lamp; but while she
was filling it, little Johnny lighted n
match so close that il took fire. |
pushed little Johnny away, and it didn't
touch him; and then pulled at mother,
but she'd caught, and SO had /, and we
both blazed up. Oh, it was dreadful! y
and the child shuddered felt her
little fingers tremble. but I'm ell
right row." she added, quickly, looking
up at me with a bright smile.
but how was the fire put out, my
child?n
81 don't know; | never did know.
only woke up, here, and I've been here
ever since-but mother died. Her
lips quivered.
And johnny"
She frightened again.
johnny didn't live great while
after mother died. And she's got him. :"
"And you are happy herePn
Yes, indeed; they are all so good to
me, and think its just like Heaven.
looked round upon the little white
cots with their pale-faced occupants,
the monotony of white walls, the ever
recurring visits of nurse and physician,
and wondered in what depths of social
misery the child could have been
reared, that such place could seem
like Heaven.
All this time the child was hugging
her doll with one arm, the other lying
stiff and helpless, and looking into its
lifeless face with all the sweet affection
Of her little trusting heart. 1t made
the tears come into my eyes to see her
SO contented. But just then we were
interrupted. f49 81 -
There's a gentleman, ma am, who
wants to see you,' said an attendant,
coming up to the bed and speaking to
the nurse '.Ie is in the small parlor
below" The nurse left us with nod
and smile, and after little time had
elapsed, she came back with "a tall.
gentlemanly-looking man, whom she
left at the door, gazing anxiously up
and down the wards of this evidently
new sight to him. | thought the wom-
an seemed hurried when she came to-
wards us. and that she seated herself
with nervous kind of motion ON the
edge of the little cot-bed in which her
little patient lay.
"Jenny, my dear,N she said softly,
Jenny, my dear-Ive got something
to tell you.
The child put up her little hand with
caressing movement.
Did you ever know your mother to
speak of your Uncle Benz
mo, ma am said the child.
"Never said she had a brother?''
"Oh yes, ma am, said the girl, her
face lighting up, ..she used to kiss n
picture she said was her brother
g Did she ever say he was deadp
"No, think not" was the reply;
g mother never talked, she was SO tired
when she came home.'
"Well, little Jenny, your mother did
have brother who went away years
ago, and was never heard from. | sup
pose she thought he was dead, but he
was not. He was away off in another
part of the world. earning his living.
and he has just corae back to America,
and after II great deal of patient search