The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-02-27
mother had left the room temporarily, and

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one ~
Because your face looks so sad, and
you don't eat anything hardly and you
almost cried just now" replied the little
creature, bending forward, and fixing an
earnest gaze upon him. "Don't you feel
happy"
"Not very happy, child; that is fact. "
And another sigh finishes the sentence.
care you bad man ?" was the next
question.
A half smile parted Ralph's pale lips.
"Why do you ask me that?" he re-
sponded.
because mamma says that real good
people are always happy, and that they
only feel sad when they do something
wrong"
az suppose mamma is right" said Ralph,
signing. Sand yet am not bad man,
little one only foolish one"
~ am foolish sometimes" said the little
creature, shaking her head with serious
air. 9And then mamma tells me to sit
down in my chair and think about it and,
by and by, feel very sorry, and look sad
like you do now. Don't you feel sorry
you was so foolish ?"
'Indeed, do, my Child said the young
man, with involuntary earnestness. "But
tell me, he added, interested by her artless
prattle, "what do you do then?"
II tell mamma how sorry l am, and then
she kisses me, and 1 feel better. Haven't
you any mamma or friends to kiss you?"
"No, little one. My mother is dead,
and my friends are all gone
The child pondered for moment.
''That is too bad she exclaimed,
thoughtfully.
Then suddenly raising her little face,
fervent with tender sympathy, she added ::
"Will it make you feel better if l kiss
you?"
"There was a simple but touching pathos
in the artless words stirred the heart of the
homeless man as it had not been stirred
before; and bending forward, he said with
emotion :-'Yes, | think it will. l am
sure it will.
"Well, I will kiss you
And, rising from her chair, the child
stepped to his side, and kissed the lips that
bent down to meet hers.
Snow you won't be foolish any more,
will you ?" she asked.
"Indeed, l will try not to bel" was the
earnest answer.
ssGod bless you, little one That is the
sweetest kiss 1 have had since my mother
died How l wish I had dear little
friend like youl"
Il will be your friend" said the child.
"And wait moment-I will get you
something"
Darting away from his side, she left the
room, returning in a few minutes with a
small parcel in her hand
"See here" she said, opening it upon
his knee. "Papa had my picture on some
cards the other day, and he gave me this
one to do just as l please with He wrote
my name on it-"Maude Evelyn Granger. "
will give it to you, and when you look
at it you can think of your little friend,
won't you p
HBut will your mamma let you give this
to me ?" asked Ralph, with some misgiving.
'Oh, yes! 1 asked her just now. [
told her 1 wanted to give you something
to make you happy, and she said, ''Very
well, dear" Now you'll have one friend,
won't you p
eyes," said the young man, taking her
soft, little hand in his, "and if l should
come back again some of these days, and
tell you that I have been good, and not
foolish any more, will you kiss me again?"
"To be sure l will p was the eager re-
sponse, and at that moment the returning
footsteps of the lady were heard, Ralph
arose, hat in hand.
'I thank you kindly, madam, for your
hospitality" he said, bowling with grave
courtesy, for new spirit had been infused
into him by the sweet sympathy of that
little child, and he no longer felt like a
homeless tramp.
''Good-by."
He pressed little Maude's hand in a
close lingering clasp, raised his hat to his
benefactress, and left the house.
Five years had passed, finding Ralph
Wentworth still working as common la
borer at the mines, but reckoned among
the most steady, efficient and faithful.
Every evening, when his work was ended,
he would wander off to some secluded spot,
then drawing little package from his
pocket, gaze long and earnestly at the pic
tured face it contained. One of his fellow
workmen had, on one occasion, gratifed his
curiosity so far as to follow him, and stole
upon him unawares, just as he was raising
the little souvenir reverently to his lips.
But the look in Ralph's eye, as he turned
and discovered the intruder, warned him
that it would not be safe or pleasant to at
tempt any further investigation and be-
yond an occasional sly reference to "Went-
worth's sweetheart" nc allusion was made
to the matter.
Frugal, abstemious and self-denying as
hermit, his life appeared to have in it
little to envy. But he had goal before
his mental vision of which they knew
nothing goal to the attainment of which
every shilling of his hard-earned wages,
every energy of his life, were devoted.
Although apparently lost to the world
without, Ralph was not entirely forgotten.
One day letter came for him, a thick,
cumbrous-looking envelope, directed in a
large, sprawling hand. In the solitude Of
his little ceIl-room he opened it, and his
pale cheek flushed with a look that was
almost an ecstasy, Thus passed ten years
more.
The brilliantly lighted saloons of Mrs.
Remington's handsome mansion in Bel
grayia were filling fast with guests, when
the hostess came quickly forward to well
come a new comer-a lovely girl of twenty
years, who was entering accompanied by
gentleman, evidently her father.
"Good evening, my dear Maude!" she
exclaimed, with rapturous little squeeze
of her hand. II have delightful news for
you-and all the other manageable young
ladies who will be here tonight p with a
gay laugh. II am to have among my
guests tonight no less person than Mr.
Wentworth, that elegant young mani
call him young, for he is only thirty-fve-