, 1884-04-27
TWO LITTLE PICTURES.


hh WI. CARROLL
THE following Is based on an incident
which occurred in Cheyenne last Christ
mas day.
WIN you give me some little picturese"
Twas said In a trcmulous tone.
By a woman whose pallid features
With the sunlight ollie meier sIlone-
81 want Them" she said. FOR my children.
Little Johnnie and Baby May
Oh, you cannot know Of the burden
That | carry this Christmas day.
Il only want two, If you have them
Little pictures you've no use for.
some old advertisement emblem
Which l notice In every store.
But I've got no money to pay YOU.
III had how glad I should be
How my poor heart acheS-if YOU only knew.
You would give them, l know. to me.
why Is this" you ask me the question,
And my story perhaps | should.telI.
For "a full and complete explanation.
Would be better. l know full well
have seen better days than the present"
And with glisteniug eyes she spoke
Twas long ere l wore this garment,
This faded and threadDare cloak,
81 was once a happy maiden
Ahu WIN malS' on many a friend,
My pathway was bright and golden,
Perfect peace did my life attend
And the blossoms which now are faded,
Withered forever and dead,
Grew thick, and no clouds o'er,hadowpd
The way where my footsteps led.
But | married a mau for his money
As numbers OF maidens will
And thought, lust like a good many,
mat riches supply and MI
The measure oG all true happiness,
Each wish and desire In life
But 1 found that 1 was mistaken In This
When once l became his wife.
For soon lie seemed to forget mo
And never would stay at home,
And alas. oh alas, l could plainly see
lie had taken TO gaming and rum.
on, how bitter was my experience,
How / incurred and pleaded aud prayed,
But 1t made not the slightest difference,
For he needed no word | said.
He lost all his money and then our place
over there-well you know the street
Was sold, and the tears rolled down my face
That I such II fate should meet.
70 he sure, it would not have been 10 hard
For me ON that gloomy day.
But two little ones my misery shared,
MY Johliille and BABY May.
W moved To Il little howell,
Where we live in distress and want O.
While my husband In drunken revel
Spends his time aud every cent
He can get, while we have nothing To eat
And little or naught 10 wear
Never mind, l thought you'd not see 1t
That sad but unbidden tear"
And Yesterday we were hungry
And cold in our dreary place
But ! tried TO cheer up Johnnie,
Yet the tears In my baby's face
lhat | saw were more than | could bear,
And I felt, oil, such bitter grief,
As prayed 10 our Heavenly Father
To send us some slight relief
And to-day. when we SAW so many
Little girls and bright eyed boys.
With candy and some with money
To purchase their Christmas toys.
My poor, little hnlf-Staryed children
Wept bitterly at my knee,
My heart was n'ercome with It's burden
And cried AS they talkedto me"
For they asked me II God did not say to all
That lie would provide for the poor.
And did he not say that the children small
Would be welcome fOrevemore :"
AMI little Johnnie asked me to say.
While lie bent Town his little head.
HIwould not give him some toy to-day
And get Just Il bit OF bread.
"oh. thank you sir, and again for thai
1t is more than 1 asked OF you,
My children shall have sonic supper 10 eat
And their little pictures too;
How glad they Will be when they see me come
They will meet me upon the sill
Al the dnDr nT Our TniI and drn,.y hmm,