The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-11-14
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Ing, yet almost hoping to End them


ing, yet almost hoping, to find them
there.
Misery, sickness, death, insanity,
troubles Of all sorts she saw, but not
face that she knew; and bravely once
more she started on the ruad to what
was left OF the city.
All that day long she walked, weary,
footsore, nearly crazy, inquiring her way
to churches and school-houses, and going
through every one that she found.
"I'm looking for my papa, who's
SICK" opened all doors to her. Eagerly,
almost wildly, as the hours went by,she
peered into the faces of the crowd. She
ate something-she knew not what;
somebody made her sit down and eat
and drink; somebody said kind words
in her ear; somebody took off her soaked
and ruined shoes, and put on apair that
were dry, though, coarse; somebody
tried to take off her jacket to dry It, for
1t was soaking with last nights rain.
But fear OF discovery aroused her. She
tore away with cry, and ran many
blocks before she dared to look around
to see if she were pursued.
Just as 1t began to grow dark Grace
who had all day heard dreadful tales Of
suffering and death, of people burned
up, and people dying of exposure-was
settling into the belief that she no longer
had father or mother, that she should
all her life be tramp and begger, and
that all her sufferings had not after all
saved her dear papa, for whose sake she
had braved everything. Just at this
lowest point of her courage, her eyes
fell upon familiar face coming out OF
church.
so Maggie" she cried, with her heart
on her lips, "where's my papa9"
can who are We thin?" asked the
tidy Irish girl. 81 don't know ye, boy"
go Maggiel I'm Gracel I'm not a
boy; have on Bert's clothes" Heie
she whispered: "I-I-I went to get
something for papa"
"Faith thin! ] do believe it's Miss
Grace herself; but 1 niver should ba'
known her! Holy Motherl won't they
be wild. just9' and seizing one Arm of
Grace with grip like iron she started
off with rapid strides towards the
suburbs.
"Bu. Maggie, tell me, are they safeP
Do you know anything about them,
Maggiep" with cry so full of agony
that the gool-hearted though rough girl
stopped.
"Well, yis, thin; they're safe and
sound in my brothers bit place to stay
Your pa was carried In wagon, and
and the Missis rode with the driver
, We couldn't git any place, an so made
bold to speak to me brother, who has I
spare bed-so he has. So they wen
5 there glad enough to get a roof oyer
t their heads. But amt they just wil(
/, about you'll Your pa was out o. hi!
= sinses all night, an your ma walked tht
r house like mad cretur. I'm out nov
have been all day-trying to find you
And why thin, ia like to know, did "
/ run away that black day9'
r But Grace could not answer. Relic
S and joy, added to her sufferings, wer
S too much. She had tainted dead away
= About 8 o'clock that evening thert
a stole into the back door of an Irishman'
e shanty on the prairie neat Irish girl
r half dragging, half carrying the death
r like figure of boy, ragged, forlorn
hatless, miserable; he looked like one o
. the worst vagabonds of city life.
!, Mrs. Lord was warming something a
D, the fire, and looking so old changed
d that Grace hardly knew her. At sigh
n Maggie she looked up eagerly, but seeini
t hercompanion she fell back with moan
"Oh. my God you haven't found her
then?"
'Thin ye don't know her, MissisF n
: more did /; but look again.
Another and closer look, and mother
. and child were in each others arm.
Good news travels as fast as bad, AM
, in one minute more Grace was ia tn
arms of her father, and such a scene o
tears and sobs and groans and cries, ma.
:, it never be your lot to see.
: When all were calm, and Grace wa
warmed and fed and bathed, and dressed
: in some clothes of Maggie's in whicl
she looked like an overgrown doll; ant
when the precious package, which haC
. SO nearly cost the lives OF Grace and he
\ father, was found TO be not destroyed
by its soaking-Grace told her story, o
what she could of il. Much OF it sh'
could not recall, and never again coulC
:. she be induced to repeat 1t, so full o
= hGrrnr it was,
:, / sAil through the dismal tale she wa
.itfserasEseiby her mothers's tears ant
isseks, and her fathers words, NOR
thstasrIci cus thaa.goli, "Brave grill Littl
!. ssiatSffteft My darlingl Brave littl
y woiaEIe and ending with a long em
4 brace, and ehe last word of all;
Little woman, you have saved you
fathers honor and his life! You hav
h been a hero. Herbert-nad he beel
q a man-could not have done more;
= doubt If he would have done so much.
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