Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-06-08

and how were they to know real pow
erty when it asked aims? Men whom
they had pitied as paupers proved to
be owners of real estate. Cripples |
and blind men whom they had aided
were found to have bound up strong
limbs and glued their eyes together
SO they were hard upon real distress
and refused it broken bread.
At six that evening Becky stood
at a street corner with one crust in
her basket-no more.
Beyond lay pawnbrokers shop,
and Becky looked at its golden balls
and at her wedding ring. She had
worn it fifteen years, and it was thin
and frail, bnt pure gold. Through
all she had kept it until now. Must
it go? The thought was worse than
begging
Becky took step forward, another
back. Then she began to cry little.
Nick's ring that he put on her hand
so long ago-oh, dear, oh, dear.
But she grew brave again and walk
ed into the shop and pawned her ring.
1t was not much they gave her for it,
but it would buy supper, and perhaps
.o1x I,,tt
she could get it back. That was
very faint "perhaps" however.
A woman was in the pawnshop as
she waited, bargaining with the pro-
prietor over a suit of little girls cloth
ing-costly things, strangely out of
place in her hands. Becky noticed
this, saying to herself that they were
never fairly come by. But she had
forgotten all about it when, coming
out of the bankers little voice fell
on her ear, and, looking down, she
saw a barefoot child of four, in
wretched rags, sobbing piteously.
Becky was soft in heart; but in
poor quarters crying children were
common enough, and her own were
waiting for the loaves in the basket.
She walked on hastily, and so upset
the toddler. Then Becky must need
stop and pick her up.
"Why don't you go home to your
mother this night time," she said,
''and not stand here to be knocked
DOWN."
A little silver thread of a voice an
swered,-
81 can't find mamma. 1 can't find
my home. Where is mamma? Oh,
mamma !''
Becky knelt down. A little white
head of crumpled curls and pair of
blue eyes swimming in tears she could
just make out.
But the child could tell nothing. 1t
was plainly lost. Becky took it in
her arms and made inquiries at the
corner grocery where she bought
slice of ham; but no one knew the
child. 1t was growing late, too, and
Becky could not leave it to fate.
s'I'll take it home,'' said she, "and
tomorrow find it's folks"
So, when the cobbler and his chill
dren 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
this establishment, and the children,
in their juvenile view of such mat
ters, opined that they had "another
little sister,
"It's poor lost child" said Becky.
"Tm going to keep it tonight. Its
parents are poorer than we are you
can see that by its bare feet and only
one little frock, poor thing Now
hold her Nick, while cook supper.
didn't beg 1t Nick, so don't fret. }"
And then keeping her ring finger
out of sight, Becky fried the ham,
and made gravy, and cut the bread,
and sent for two cents worth of milk
and water, and tried to be cheerful.
The lost child cried, but Becky fed
it and coaxed it to talk; then came
q story of ''bu dess'' and "nassy
woman"
The youngest, who had chewed the
red kid, acted as interpreter. Soon
it was discovered that some woman,
described as "nasty," had taken away
the child's blue dress and other gar
ments, and had also beaten her.
Becky listened intently.
ssThat dress was blue, Nick" she
cried. Il knew it warn't hers-a
tipsy ragged woman; and folks that
own them things don't come to pawn.
Il
Then she paused; the secret was
out. Nick's eyes had danced to her
wedding ring and back again to her
face.
''Oh, Becky" he cried, now.
Cheeky, we didn't think
Becky flushed scarlet
81 didn't mean to tell,'' she said,
ssbut now it's out; I'm married all
the same, thank God. 1t was at the
pawn shop | saw the blue dress. .
And she told them of the woman
whom she had watched and of her
suspicious. "The child had been
stolen, you see, Nick. It's genteel
child; and if we can but find out its
name, we may save some one trouble
we've never had. Think of one of
ours being gone all night, Nick. "
The baby's name seemed to be
Minnie Smith, although "M. s.
L. Il Il 80