The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1886-04-29

\ was Hung IN the way OF inc lOOl-IIdFcl-
err. Ill-tempered, snarling dogs ran
out of the tumble-down tenements.
whose human inhabitants looked equally
snarling and ill-tempered.
"What if | have made a mistake in
coming here at alp" thought the anx-
ious mother, with a shudder, as she
looked into the face of her delicate child.
'.How hard it is to know what Is best
but could not stay any longer with
them. They hated me, and they hated
my child, though their own son was his
father! All, William-dear William!
How could you leave me to fight their
hard hearts alOne?"
A sob of anguish tried to struggle up
from the almost bursting heart, but the
brave little woman crushed it down, and
held her child closer to her breast.
Night was coming on, and she felt
the urgent need of food and shelter for
BERTHE; inexperienced rs she was, she
had but dim idea of the difficulties be
fore her-alOne. and in a great city for
the first time. She began to glance
about anxiOusly, ca@erly-hOw dark it
| waS!-and how suddenly the night had
come on. Then for tho first time she
observed that the heat was not so
great: a cool breeze had sprung up,
and it blew straight in from the country
fields she had left 50 far behind her. 1t
was cool and moist, and it bore the
sweet odor of wet grass and hay and
of the damp earth. While she was
feeling rather than thinking of this
change in the atmosphere, came the
rumDIing roar of thunder, at first fur
of, bat gradually coming nearer.
The clouds gathered more darkly, and
from out their gloomy depths lesped
f0cked tongues OF lightning. Then
came peals of thunder That shook the
ground she walked on. while little Ber
tie tr .mbed and chung more closely
TO her. Anxiously - wildly - the
poor little mother glanced to and fro in
search of some shelter. Her breath
came quick and short dizzy tGmult
possessed her brain-shc heard the wild
throbS of her own heart, then If seemed
to stop beating. 4 terrible fa!ntncSs
overpowered her: the darkness grew
biaclSer She had an indistinct vision
Of an open door a little further on; she
struggled blindly toward it, tottered,
swayed to and fro, made Ons last eff
fort aad ran. then fell, fainting, across
the threshold.
Thank Heaveni there are kind hearts
to BE- found, even in the midst of squalor
and misery that too often harden the
gcntlest. Berries mother had scarcely
reached the floor when she was caught
by pair of strong arms and good
natured voice exclaimed:
God bless u.s. but look at that, now,
and the child in her arms nigh killed!
Is it dhrinllin' we've been? An burn
in shame fur We, with that swate child
to take care of-the Lord forgive me!
What was l sayin'? Sure there's little
sign of drink in the pale face av her.
but dead bate entoirely, an fainted
away altogether. Come here, Biddy,
an take the child"
A tall girl came forward and took
BERTHE in very motherly manner, like
one well used to the task of caring for
children. She disappeared with him in
TO an inner room, and divining that
food and drink were his chief wants, fed
him copiOusly.
In the meantime, Mrs. Flynn had car
ried the mother to a small apartment
little better than clOSet-which did
duty as her own sleeping-room. There
she placed the insenSible woman on the
bed, united her bonnet, chafed her cold
hands, marveling at their wilderness.
and observed with an approving nod
the plain gold ring on the third finger.
"Poor craythurer' she murmured:
"a wildly. suppose, Ike meSelf."
1t was long before faint color came
back to the pallid lips and fiaxen face:
but at length the large blue eyes opened
and gazed wOnderingly into the red,
good-natured countenance thai met
them-the next moment the poor MOI
er remembered. and asked in an anxious
whisper.
where's Bertie?"
"WhiSt, nOwl don't be afther wOrrith-
in. The child's cared for. ven be
bether in moment an thin yez can
talk"
But he's hungry, and I've money to
buy food"
''Be aisy, now! Dye think we're
haithens here? Yer baby's had all he
wants, an no thought av pay"
The tears that shone in the grateful
mothers eyes spoke mute, but eloquent
thanks. She was too weak to speak and
gladly refrained from making the effort
for awhile.
Mrs. Flynn was widow, with large
family, which she managed to support,
as she said herself, ''by turning her
hand to siveral trades" She did wash
ing and ironing by the day, or dozen
also scrubbing and house cleaning. She
kept small store for the sale of eggs,
outskirts of the town supplied her with.
Then her two eldest boys sold papers
and swept crossings, while Biddy-who
was houSekeeper and care-taker in gen
eral to the family, in her mothers alb
sence-had a great gift at knitting and
often made few extra shillings in that
way.
After much talk on the subject Mrs.
Flynn now consented to add another to
her various modes of money-making;
and agreed to take BERTHE and his moth
er as boarderS.
At first the arrangement had been
uIilIA lIItN COuIu lnu DeIler pace;
but weeks and months grew into years,
and Mrs. Tingler and her little boy still
continued to board with Mrs Flynn. |
BERTHE was now five years old, and
though still slender and delicate
child, he was stronger and harder
than on that hot summer day
when his mother had carried |
him till she had tainted at the door
of Nanny Flynn. He was still lame.
but he walked with the help of little |
crutch; and the doctors gave his mother
good hope that he would. in time, out
grow his lamenesS. During the three
..nara In ,r-h;nh rhn hnd hon., A..