The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-05-29
TEMPERANCE.
A GIRL PINK BOOTS.

Came From-A Fathers Resolve.
A drunken man came staggering
along village street. As he reached
corner he saw group of boys watch
ing something across the way. He had
not entirely lost his senses, so he won
dered what they found so interesting.
"Wha-a-ar-yer-yer lookin' a-at?''
"Wel. old fellow" answered Billy
Door, "we're looking for beauty to
come out o that store OYER there"
"A beau-tie?''
"Yes, beauty; but 60 on, there's
no use o. your lingerin' 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 interest 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 fowerS-roses, lilies and
carnations. She walked half-dozen
or more steps down the walk, and was
just stepping into a handsome carriage
when another little girl came in sight.
For brief moment the two children
stood in strong contrast = Florence
Burr, with glowing, happy face, and
Celia Hunt, with her pale, distressed
one. Florence was dressed in an
deliberately embroidered pink cash
mere and her feet were incased in
beautiful pink kid buttoned boots; for
Florence was going to q tea party. She
wore also broad-brimmed hat with
nodding pink plumes. As for Celia,
she 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
covered her thin shoulders, although
one was much needed this chilly day.
The carriage drove away with Flor
ence, 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: Il 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.
Il say, old fellow, did you buy
Celia's fall outfit at the same store that
Pink Boots father bought hers?'
ssSh1,t mn nnuy will WOMB TT Won
don't I'll knock the breath out of YOU. y
The drunkard spoke savage!y and
raised his hand to execute his threat,
when suddenly little arm touched his,
and voice said coaxingly: Come,
father"
The man suffered himself to be led
away from the heartless group; cruel
Billy singing after them 30 father,
dear father, come home.
1t was long walk to the drunkard' $
home. Before he reached it he was
sober. Celia lie said, wouldn't you
like some pink bootsP"
mo, father, would not want themr'
''Why not?"
"They 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?S'
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 SOP"
Nobody told me, found out for
myself"
YOU'RE strange child, Celia"
Yes, perhaps l am, but ! love you,
father"
And Celia put her cold hand within
her fathers.
81 don't see how you can," he said,
chokingly.
81 guess it's because you're my IA
Their, was the innocent answer.
AS father and daughter entered the
house the mother arose. put the sleep
ing babe in its wretched cradle, and
said: "Come to supper. "
Such a supper for family of six!
Only a part of II stale loaf of bread and
some weak tea. The patient, weary
wife would not have been surprised ri
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 done often before;
but she was surprised when he rose
from the table-just after seating him
self-and said, huskily: "Eat this mis-
cradle stuff if you can, poor things! ]
must be gone"
He started for the door, weak and
faint, but determined. His wife fol-
lowed him, beseeching: "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 glistcning
upon his eyelashes.
I'm not going out to drink, Mary.
Don't be worried; I'll be back by nine
O'Clock, and if the child should get
worse Celia will find me ut Sergeant
Wright's."
"What do you suppose it all means,
mother?' asked Celia, as soon as her
father was gone.
:" | don't know, child; but perhaps
it means there is blessing coming on
us all. Pray to God that it may be so. -
Mother said Celia, father asked
me this afternoon if | wanted pink
boots. What do you think of that"
g 1t was q strange question, child.
I'd be thankful if he'd save enough
money to bu. you some black ones
Your feet are blue with cold
At nine o'clock face peeped through
the little curtainless window of the
kitchen. The eyes saw desolate pict-
Hre. 1t was this; bare, cod looking
room; haggard woman bending over
a sick babe; a little sad-faced girl fall
en- asleep on the hard floor while brave
ly waiting for father and two pale
faced boys asleep on low bed against
the wall. Upon the boys faces were
traces of tears, for they were only little
fellows of four and six, and had cried
themselves to sleep because they were
hungry.
The face moved from the window,
and the man to whom it belonged
opened the door and walked in