Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1883-05-10
JACKS MISSION.
BY KATE KIRK.

Ted, digging his knuckles into his eyes
$50 I'M 1 tired" responded Jack il
voice full of tears which he 5ravely
repressed. Let's 90 over there and try
our luck again. I'll play for We, bu
Il can't sing. 1t hurts me here" plac
ing his hand on his chest.
They crossed the street to a spot wher,
group of men were standing. jack,
hands, numb with cold could scarcely
hold the sqeaky violin, while Ted's feet
shuflied clumsily on the sidewalk in Q
vain attempt to keep time to the dis.
NAL music. Warmly clad men and
women hurried by, never deigning to
glance at the Young MINISTRIES. Doubt.
less many of them, when seated at the
warm ffresides, would shed tears OF
pity over graphic newspaper account
of two homeless boys standing in the
wintry twilight, the thermometer at
zero, striving to earn sufficient to in
duce their souls to abide awhile longer
in their famished bodies; yet on this
particular evening not one of the hun
dred pedestrians paused to look at the
little fellows. Even the lean, hungry
dog that had been searching in the
gutter for bone, skunk away, rs if
finding ii unpleasant to come in con-
tact with misery greater than his own.
" 'Tain't no use, Jack, said Ted.
''people won't take the trouble to find a
penny for us when it's so cold"
Jack nodded doleful assent to the
words, tucked the violin under his arm,
and the two walked away IN a lstless
manner. They wandered on for some
time, and finally stopped before a house
and gazed with longing eyes into the
basement dining-room, where family
of three persons were seated at the Ia
BILE.
"Oh my! it looks nice in there"
whispered Ted. Look, Jack, they've
got turkey an sweet pertaters! Wish
we had some. See that CURL with the
yeller hair an white frock! Amt she
purtyP"
Eyes, replied his companion YEARLY.
'Some folks have good times and others
don't. I've been watching the dog by
the fire. / suppose he'll get nice din
AT that moments servant pulled down
the shade.
What did she do that forP" COM
lained Ted. I'VE didn't do no harm
jest peepin' at them"
As the lads turned regretfully away
they were accosted by folorn looking
specimen of manhood who, like them
selves, shivered with the cold.
"Why are you on the street night
like this. Youngsters Why don't you 90
homep" he asked.
'Cause we amt got no home, replied
Ted.
poor lads! Thought was the only
homeless wayfarer abroad this bitter
night. Haven't you any parents?"
''Never had any. Had a nanny once,
but she's dead. Jack never had no.
body"
''Then you are not brothers?"
"No," replied Jack, speaking with
difficulty. when | was baby my
father gave me to Ted's mother and
promised TO take care of me, but he went
off and we never heard from him Guess
he's dead too. Oh Ted!' he cried sud-
denly, grasping his companions arm,
II feel so bad. I-can island Up
any-longer.
''Perishing with cold and hunger!'
muttered the tramp ompassionately.
Hold on minute and will see if can
beg hot drink for you"
Lifting the boy in his arms he knocked
at the door.
"Will you give me cup of tea and u
crust for this child, who is dying from
cold and want of nourishmentP" he ask
ed of the servant vino answered the sum-
mons
"Who is it Mary?' called out voice
from the dining room.
"A man with starving child asking
for food" replied The girl.
"Give them something, Mary. 1t
would be dreadful to turn hungry dog
away such cold night.
The speaker stepped into the hall.
'Is it your childp" she asked, address
ing the tramp.
mo, madam. simply found him at
your door starving"
He cast one swift glance toward the
lady, then let his head fall forward and
began to tremble as If attacked with u
sudden fit of ague.
"You must be very cold; will you not
go into the kitchen while the girl pre-
pares hot drink for the poor little fell
lowp" she asked.
Despite the mans tattered garments
and poverty stricken air, there was q
ring in his voice, an lndescribable some
thing about him which caused the lady
to address him in a certain tone of re-
spect.
"In the name of humanity, / thank
you madam. There are two children
but the one in my arms seems quite i'll. y
The mistress of the house glanced Gu.
riously at him; then turning to the child
clinging to her dress, said:
run up stairs to papa, Daisy"
The little girl obeyed reluctantly, ant
the mother went to the kitchen, where
she f,nnd The man seated by the fire
still holding the sick boy in his arms
and 1.,. luddlci near the range will
an expression of intense satisfaction OF
his small, pinched face, while Bridget
the cook, eyed the party with extreme
displeasure. Mrs. Comstock tucked NJ
her dainty robe, and with her whit
jewcled hands helped prepare mea
for them. Ted ate ravenously of tn
goodies placed before him. Jack swal
lowed sup of hot tea, but refused tn
food. The tramp also politely decline
the generous dinner placed before him
Something must be done for thi
child" said Mrs. Comstock, lookin
pitifully at the white face contracte
with pain. "Have they no friendsp'
mo they are homeless and fricnG
less, like my"
He paused abruptly.
She questioned Ted, who rcpeate