The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1885-11-20
PINK BOOTS.

lost his senses, so he wondered what they
found so interesting.
"Wha-a-ar-yer-yer lookin' a-at %
swell, old fellow, y answered Billy Dorr,
were looking for a beauty to come out of
that door over there.
"a beau-tie ,"
yes, a beauty; but go ON, there is no
use O lingering to see Pink Boots; your
old, red eyes can't see half across the
street"
But the rude boy was mistaken; the red
eyes were not quite SO blood-shot as usual,
and they were looking with as much inter-
est as the younger eyes at Pink Boots,
who just then opened the door of the store
opposite them and came out. Pink Boots
was a beautiful girl of ten years, and her
hands full of 1lowers-roses lilies and car
nations. She walked a half dozen or more
steps down the walk, and was just step
ping into a handsome carriage when another
little girl came in sight. For a brief mo-
ment the two children stood in strong con.
trast-Florence Burr, with glowing,
happy face, and Celia Hunt, with her pale,
distressed one.. Florence was dressed in
an deliberately embroidered pink cashmere
and her feet were encased in beautiful pink
kid button boots; for Florence was going
to a tea party. She wore also a broad
brimmed hat with nodding pink plumes.
As for Celia, see wore an old faded dress.
so shabby that it revealed her bruised
ankles, which were bare like her feet. An
old veil tied about her pinched face did
duty as head protector, but no wrap cover
ed her thin shoulders, although one was
much needed this chilly day.
The Garage drove away with Florence,
and Celia stood gazing after it. OF course
the drunken man saw the poor child, so
did the boys. The latter laughed, and
Billy Dorr said: 81 tell you it pays better
to sell liquor than it does to drink it.
What's your opinion, Daddy Hunt ?"
Daddy Hunt did not answer; he
stood stupidity gazing at his barefooted,
weary-faced child.
q say, old fellow, did You buy Celia's
fall outfit at the same storcthat Pink Boots
father bought hers %
Shut up, now, will sou? If you don't
I'll knock the breath out Of you"
The drunkard spoke sayagely and rails
ed his hand to execute his threat, when
suddenly a little arm touched his, and a
voice said coaxingly: come, father
The man suffered himself to be led away
from the heartless group; cruel Billy sing
ing after them; so father, dear father,
come home
Ii was a long walk to the ~drunkard's
home. Before he reached it, he was sober.
Cecilia, he said, s'wouldn't You like some
pink boots 2"
"No, father, I would not want them =
why not?
'sThey wouldn't correspond with my
rags" the child said bitterly; ''and l
wouldn't wear Florence Burr's pink boots
if | had silk dresses to wear with them"
she added ~savagely.
Again her father questioned: why
not -
Because they were bought with money
that ought to have bought bread and meat
for poor starving children and their crying
mothers"
''Who told you so?"
Nobody told me, I found ont for NY
self"
"You're a strange child, Celia
Eyes, perhaps I am, but | love you,
father"
And Celia put her cold hand within her
fathers.
II don't know how you cam he said.
chokingly.
II guess it's because you're my father"
was the innocent answer.
As father and daughter entered the
house, the mother arose, put the sleeping
babe in its wretched cradle and said
Come to supper"
Such a supper for a family of six Only
a part of a stale loaf Of bread and some
weak tea. The patient, weary wife would
not nave been surprised at her husband
had he thrown the bread across the room
at the wall and hurled the teapot after it,
cursing her at the same time, as he had
lone often before, but she was surprised
when he arose from the table-just after
seating himself-and said hnskily, Eat
this miserable stuff if you can, poor wife,
| must be gone"
He started for the door, wan and pale,
but determined. His wife followed him,
beseechingly, "Oh don't go out again
tonight, Fred, don't; the baby is sick,
and"
She said no more for with the words
''The little fellow is sick, is he?' the
father went back to the cradle, stopped
and kissed his infant child for the first
time, and arose with tears glistening upon
his eyelasbes.
"I'm not going out to drink, Mary. Do
not be worried; I'll be back by nine
O'Clock, and if the child should get worse,
Celia will find me at Sergeant Wright's."
"What do you suppose it all means,
mother? % asked Celia, as soon as the
father was gone.
Il don't know, child; but perhaps it
means there is a blessing coming on us all.
Pray to God that it may be So
ssyTntbar : said Celia. .sfather asked me