Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-12-22
WHOLE NO. 2,5O3.

e OF which Tessie was as much afrai
"a she was of the goat. The da
!, she took her kitten with her sh
would not go by it at all, she We
n SO afraid that the wicked dog woul
r smell out her pet and tear 1t In pi
ces.
2 The weather grew very sever
!. after this, and Ellen felt it absolute
4 ly necessary to buy for Tessie som
sort Of garment TO protect her fror
tile cold. After inspecting the stocl
} OF several second hand dealers wit
whom she was acquainted, she cam
, home one evening in triumph witt
queer little Overcoat, which hat
. evidently once been the property O
boy. 1t was much frayed on tn
seams, and the lining was ragged
but Ellen displayed ii triumphant,
to Tessie, whom she found curleC
up with her kitten in one corner O
their shanty. The little thing wa;
quite blue with cold, and begge(
to be allowed to wear it all the time
"Yes, | want to see how you will
look in it," said Ellen with grea
pride, as Tessie put ii on. "It cos
only fifty cents. | bought il of al
old villain that wanted dollar fol
it, but got it for fifty cents, and it,:
real good and warm"
1T isn't very pretty" Tessie re-
piled, evidently not sharing her
companions admiration "I mem.
Der last winter | had "A blue 'elvet
coat"
Ibid you really, Tessie? Blue
velvet !" said Ellen, in awe.struck
admiration. "YOu must have been
awful rich l''
Clad in this odd garment, few
days later, Tessie was on the wide
avenue, trying to sell matches. She
walked along, saying every now
and then, "Matches matches 20 as
Ellen had taught her, but not meet
ing with much success until she
reached the big house where the
bad dog lived. Seeing that the
coach house door was shut, she ven
tured by, though not without has
tening her steps; but just as she got
in front OF the wide entrance, a man
whose cigar had gone out, stopped
her and bnught a package OF match
eS.
This transaction s0 absorbed Tes-
sizes attention for uoment that
she did.not notice that a carriage
was driven ui~to thesidewalk until
rough voice cried,
"Get out of the way, you little
beggar."
She turned a frightened face, to
see that it was the grand footman
who lived in the fine house, and
that uuder the carriage was the dog
that she was afraid Of-a dreadful
dog with one black eye and one
white one, and black and white
spots all over his body. To Tessie's
terror, he seemed quite demon,
and without word she fled, hei
feet winged with fear.
She did not notice two ladies who
were in the carriage, one handsome,
well-dressed, happy-looking; the
other pale-faced, with sad eyes and
wearing deep mourning. AS Tes-
sic turned, she started from herseat.
so, Maria," she cried, seizing her
companions arm, "did you see that
child ?"
"I did not notice him, Theresa"
replied the other. "My dear sister,"
she added very kindly, "do not ag-
itate yourself so needlessly. DO
you not see that this is little boy?
The pale lady, who IN her excite
ment had sprung from the carriage,
looked after the tiny running figure.
Yes, it must be a boy in that poor
sigh she said:
81 suppose | am foolish to fancy
that every child near Tessie's age is
my lost darling, but something
about this one made me think of her
so strOngly!"
AS they slowly walked up the
steps her companion said gently:
II am afraid it is hardly likely
she is here in New York when you
lost her SO far away. You must try,
dear, not to think of it all the time"
The poor lady had been brought
to the great city to distract her
mind. As if anything could distract
the mothers heart from mourning
for her child!
Meantime, Tessie ran on until she
was around the corner, and then, as
she began to feel very tired and
hungry, and as it was getting late
in the afternoon, she started for her
poor home.
She made her way on, comforted
by selling two more boxes of match
es, and so had got over her terror
and was quite happy when she
reached the street below the rocks.
At the foot of the path, all over
the sidewalk, a crowd of boys was
collected, evidently much excited,
while from the rocks above the goat
looked down with evil curiosity.
Tessie paused, wondering how she
could get through or by this throng,
when, from the very heart of it
where The boys were pressing one
on another with sticks and stones In
their hands, came the discordant
cry of cat, and small white OBJ
iect scrambled up the rocks.
"It's my Kittie! o, it's my Kit.
tie I" said Tessie, and she flung her
self recklessly into the midst Of the
swaying pushing boys.
"Oh, you bad things I" she cried |
passionately. "Let me by! It's |
my Kittie Cruel, wicked boys!"
With all the might Of her small
strength she pushed and struggled
to reach her pet, her basket drop
ping in her distress, her hat falling |
back, her blue eyes flashing. Just |
then a well-directed stone struck the !
cat, and with another cry il fell |
down tine rocks.
"My Kittie! my Kittie! you've
killed my Kittie ~
This was all that Tessie could say. |
Tears were binding her eyes. But |
rescue was close at hand. At this
a sudden shower of news
papers descended, well-directed
among the boys. One here
and there, folded into hard wads /
and flung with wonderful precision
and force, they struck the boys in
the face or on the head, producing |
in the ranks, and, imme-
diately after, Ellen, throwing what
remained of her papers as "A broad
side into the astonished enemy, fol-
lowed this up by charging upon
them like young fury.
"Cowards! ! towards !" she cried.
"Ain't you ashamed Of yourselves?
All of you big bullies trying to kill
one little kitten Git out Goaway! |
Be off with you :"