Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1885-09-19
SELECTIONS.
LITTLE LoTTIE.

LII ILL In lie
wonder if you love children !!
not it is because you do not know
enough about them, aud therefor
have false ideas on the subject.
There, for example, is little Lo.tie
A lovely child, with dark flown,
tresses that are impatiently tosset
here and there when she shakes tina
defiant little head; her eyes are deeI
violet. and possess peculiar apti
tude for finding out hidden sweet
meats and there is the rosy LITTLE
mouth, to which those same daintie.
are so welcome, and which quicker.
up to pout when they are refused.
Ah," some one will say, I" {
naughty, spoiled child" oh, no
only a very childlike child, just az
nature made her. The Father above
knows why children must be chill
dren, why they are often naughty
and cry for goodies and, above all
why they must ask SO many ques
tions. Questions! Lottie under
stood that 10 perfection. 1t was hel
amusement. She wanted to know
everything. She was perpetually
making inquiries. Very often she
did not at all wait for an answer
before it came something else would
attract her attention, and she would
prattle on and on forever. She was
so bright and lovable that it sound
ed very sweet.
But one day the little ones became
frightened at Il severe storm which
arose. The mother had gone to visit
some friends and the maid was also
absent, so little Lottie was left il
the nursery alone. The lightning
and thunder were incessant. Hold
ing an apple tight in her hand, the
child glided from the room anG
made her way to her fathers study
where he was now sitting, writing 9
letter-a long farewell letter to life
hope, everything. He had been q
wealthy young merchant but one
short hour ago. With generous
heart he had stood security fol
friends, who had grossly swindled
him in return. His wealth was gone
on the table beside him lay the tele
gram bearing the fatal news that he
was beggar.
Although only thirty, he was M
longer a young man ; in one hour
he had grown aged, broken down
finished with life. The past lay be
side him like a lost paradise-tha1
happy past, with wife and child by
his side. His young wife, who had
never known care, to whom he haC
promised an existence of sunshine
she would now be obliged to know
dark days of misery, of poverty, o.
disgrace. Yes, disgrace (! For the
world does not forgive a rich man
for becoming poor ; it pushes him
aside, it knows him no more. And he
who out of the goodness of bis heart
had given away all, who would be
lieve him ! His fellow men would
say, he is rogue, he must be and
they would despise him. Even if the
world did excuse him, could he ex
cuse himself? Could he say to his
innocent wife: i" Suffer, bear all this
misery for my sake.r Would he who
had plunged her into the abyss OF
misery deserve such a sacrifice 7
Thus his thoughts tortured him,
and drove him toward death i; there
fore he was writing parting letter
to his wife. He racked his brain tt
find suitable words with which to ex
plain to her how it had all come
about, and to beg her forgiveness
By the side of the paper he wrote
lay a pistol. When he had finished
writing he would grasp it, and
then!
All at once he saw soft little fing
ers laid OF the weapon. In the noist
of the storm he had not heard thu
child come in. Terrified, he caughi
the little hand.
What do yon want ~ he asked
with rough voice and ayerted face
He could not look at the innocent ON.
whom he was about to make an or
phan.