The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1884-06-27

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; aud the chill.
dren, iu their juvenile view OF snch
matters opined that they had "an.
other little sister"
''lt's n POOR, lost child said
Becky, "Pm going to keep It to.
night. Its parents are poorer than
We are; YOU can sec that By its |
bare feet aud only one little irock, |
poor thing! Now hold hsr, Nick,
while ! cook supper. | didn't beg |
II, Nick, SO don't fret.n
Aud then keeping her ring-6n.
ger out of sight, Becky fried the |
hsm aud made gravy, aud cut
bread, aud sent tor two cents
worth OF milk-wbich, Judiciously
diluted, made quart OF milk and
water-and tried to be very cheer.
ful.
The lost child cried, but Becky
fed II aud soon coaxed il to talk
then came a story OF "bu dess'
mud "nassy woman."
The Youngest who had chewed
the rod I'D acted as interprcter.
Soon IT was discovered that some
woman, described as s'nasy" bad
taken away the child's blue dress
aud other garments. aud had whip
ped her.
Becky listened inteutly.
"That dress was blue Mex" she
cried.
~ knew II warn't hers--a tipsy
ragged woman; and folks that own
them things don't come to pawn
Ing. I-n
Then she paused; the secret Was
out, Nick's eye had danced toward
her Wedding ring, and back again
TO her face.
"Oh, Beckyr he cried. "Becky,
we didn't Think
Becky flushed scarlet
. IL didn't mean to tell" she said,
! shut now It is out! Fm married
all the same thank God. 1t was VI
the pawushop saw the blue
0 dress.n And she told them OF the
4 woman she had watched and oI
e her suspicious. "The child ha,
= been stolen, Nick she said. alt,
u genteel child, you can see, aud
n we can but 6nd its name out VI
Il may save some one trouble We ney
;. er had. Thiuk OF one of ours be
Ing out all night, Nick"
:, The baby's name seemed to b.
u Minnie Smilh--thoush IN. 8.
u might he anything else, and put
4 ting The children all to bed, all II
:. row, like the little ogres In th,
y fairy tale, save that they had NJ
. crown on, Nick and his wife start
d cd of to the pawnbroker's.
Il The man was good nat ured, ant
d looked ut the garments. The,
were marked NJ. s.
Il 81 am right, then,' said Becky
n "They nre the child's, aud the.
we're stole. And il We can bu
}, tiDd its poor mother, We can saw
u her more than any but motbe
q can tell"
IL "But think Of all the Smiths,
]. said the pawnbrokcr. "There'
il thousands of'em.'
1t "And thousand,n said Becky
"But tue meu--the police-tbe
l. may know"
. Aud out went Nick aud Beck,
Ie to question the guardians Of th
b, night, until, Mt last, despairing {
an answer, they were turning HON
d ward, when u blaze of light frol
ii an open door fell over them, M
y they saw on the steps weepin
~ woman and u tall, handsome mal
II "My precious little Minnie!' erie
ut the woman.
ut Then Nick and Becky gave
sort of cheer in unison.
,p "lt's them,n said Becky; ice
10 tain sure. Oh, mum, if your nan
Il is Smith, and you've lost a lit
IS girls, we've found herr
~ Aud then the cobbler aud b
ty wife were pounced upon aud Il
ut story told.
1t, In bali an hour tho six 20,
little ogres without crowns we
nd aroused from their slnmbcrs by Q
ot arrival, and the odd baby In the
b. midst WAS taken out, to their di
tress aud Consideration, for th,
in had counted OIL keeping her.
re Aud Nick aud Becky forgot the
as. own troubles in the parents' joy.
no Aud Nick said it was s'likc poetry
ky aud Becky said It was "like play
Aud so it was--one with 4 ha
to IN ending--for what should &
he lady do but beg and pray Becky
be tell her what she would like bes
and Becky confessed that to ha
icc her wedding ring back was {
hope OF her life; and this led to t
mt cause of its pawning, and all I
Iai story OF poverty and sorrow. Th
tho dark hours ended, aud Il
ite broke, and there was food III I
air house and Are; aud as It happ'
lrs, cd that baby Minnie's father net
ell just such an honest man
pg. work as poor Nick could do,
)ok gave the place to the cobbler;
ries from that day thero was euou
she and to spare in the little ho
one because OF the simple goodn
ing shown to baby Minnie.
not .So It's never time throvn nv