Connecticut western news., 1884-03-26
VOL. XIII.

fairly flung himself down upon the floor, wishing he were under the ground beneath it.
 "God forgive the man who marries Q woman to starve her," he sobbed. "Why, if I'd known it would have come to this, I'd never have courted her. It's time I was dead"
 Perhaps being strange, impulsive little fellow, there might have been tragic end to this scene, but that the children came in from school and began to cry-partly at the sight of their pros. trate father, partly because of hunger and Nick forget himself to do what he could for them.
 He had no dinner, but he had great da.l of love to give them, and some pieces of red kid. Only the youngest daughter chewed the kid. And the fact that "mother" and the basket were gone together impressed them with hope of provisions.
 Meanwhile, Becky had gone a-beg- ging. It would be horrible, no doubt, she thought, to take food from strangers; but she found there was oue thing more terrible-not to take it.
 Door after door was slammed in her face. Once dog was set ut her, or she thought so. Professional beggars had made themselves nuisances to many people, and how were they to know real poverty when it asked aims Men whom they had pitied as paupers proved to be owners of real estate. Cripples and blind men whom they had aided were found to have bound mp strong limbs and glued their eyes together-so they were hard upon real distress, and refused its broken bread.
 At six that evening Becky stood at street corner with one crust in her bas- | ket-no more.
 Beyond lay pawnbroker's shop, and Becky looked at it's golden balls and at her wedding-ring. She had worn it fifteen years, and it was thin and frail, but pure gold. Through all she had kept it until now. Must it go? The thought was worse than begging.
 Becky took step forward, another back. Then she began to cry little Nick's ring that he put on her hand so long ago-oh dear oh dear But she grew brave again and walked into the shop and pawned the ring. It was not much they gave her for it, but it would buy supper, and perhaps Nick wouldn't notice, and perhaps she could get it back. That was a very faint "per- haps," however.
 A woman was in the pawnshop as she waited bargaining with the proprietor over suit of little girls clothing costly things, strangely out of place in her hands. Becky noticed this, saying to herself that they were never fairly come by. But she had forgotten all about 1t when, coming out of the bakers, little voice fell on her ear, and. look ing down, she saw barefoot child of four, in wretched rags, sobbing pIteous- ly.
 Becky was soft of heart; but in poor quarters crying children were common enough, and her own were waiting for the loaves in her basket. She walked on hastily, and so upset the toddler. Then Becky must needs stop and pick her up.
 "Why don't you go home to your mother this night tims," she said, "and not stand here to be knocked down ?"
 And little silver thread of voice answered.:
 1T can't find mamma. I can't find my home. Where is mamma? Oh, mamma P
 Becky knelt down. A white head of crumpled curls and pair of blue eyes, swimming in tears, she could just make out.
 But the child could tell nothing. It was plainly lost. Becky took it in her arms and made inquiries at the corner grocery, where she bought a slice of ham; but no one knew the child. It was growing late, too, and Becky could not leave it to its fate.
 "Ill take it home," said she, "and to- morrow find it's folks"
 So, when the cobbler and his children saw the door open at last, there entered by it not only their mother and basket, but baby also.
 A new baby came frequently to that establishment; and the children, ir their juvenile view of such matters, opined that they had "another little sister,"
 "It's poor, lost child," said Becky "1'm going to keep it tonight. Itf parents are poorer than we are; you car l see that by its bare feet and only one little frock, poor thing Now hold her
 Nick, while I cook supper. I didn't , beg it, Nick-so don't fret" And then, keeping her ring-Anger ou of sight, Becky fried the ham, and made gravy, md out bread, and sent fol , two cents worth of milk-which judi ciously diluted, make a quart of mill and water-and tried to be very cheer l full
 The lost child cried; but Becky fed it and soon coaxed it to talk; then came { 1 story of a "bu dess," and a nassy wo 3 man."
 5 The youngest, who had chewed tn . red kid, acted as interpreter. Soon i = was discovered that some woman, de . scribed as 'nasty," had taken away tn , child's blue dress and other garments . and had whipped her. 9 Becky listened intently.
 "That dress was blue, Nick" sh - cried. "I knew it warn't her's-a tipsy l ragged woman; and folks that ow l them things don't come to pawning 8 I -"