Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-11-12

at the misty hour of dawn, or when
carried or dragged thither at night
upon some thieving crrand by the
negress' evil friends.
They were numb with liquor that
afternoon when he left this midnight
mother and the dumb thug who was
her consort, and he had been spurned
into the street, where he lay long
time bruised and full of pain. Then
dizzy and crying he came away; dizzy
from his hurt. an crying because he
was leaving the little rag-mattcd hole
under the stairway where he had al
ways slept. because inc was parting
from the hard faces about him, tho ven
omous creature who had starved and
beaten him, and her sunken, stumbling
hut.
Ali, he had never known else, BY
day and by Ia. H. winter and summer,
this had been his ALL his world, his
home. Ponder it. You who sleep on
down in chambers fragrant and lined
with rose and gold! You who are all
but soured with honey. was not here n
Sowl?-your own twin-essence. starved
and ruined, moving in brothcr-nesh
across the Field of Lessons?
For a time he followed the river.
limping and sobbing and gazing
through his tears into its polluted
depths, rs if yearning after the soft
oblivion it might yield. But. when his
sore feet touched the water. his poor
llttla heart was not stout enough, and
he turned away, and ere long came
into beautiful avenue; then he ceased
TO weep; wonder swept the tears from
his hollow eyes Ii was Sabbath
though he knew it not and the sun
WAS going down in grea' flush of
clear vcrmilion far away at the other
end of The bcauteous street. lighting
thousand soft and glimmering fires
along the stately dwellings as il sank.
Everywhere were flowers and exquisite
ly dressed children. lovely girls sitting
10y richly appareled men and women in
costly chairs upon the porche,. with
rings flashing, bright rug, beneath
their feet, aad a background OF tintc d
glass and splendid furnishings.
\ light that was alien to the face of
little Tim slowly began to ilumin ate
his pinchcd and palld features; then he
wavered and went back; thca that look
of strange delight cam, into his eyes
again. and ne hurried on as if h" were
entering tn, borders %. Paradise.
Glitier.nt carr.a,c, were roll NJ soft
~ along tne smooth pavement, and
hundreds OF women and caldren. clad
in satin and velvet and flow r. like fab.
RIGS driftc with mjng,ing hucs along
the avenue The child forgot MS rags,
hi, bare feet and crooked spine; the
look of delight began to deepen in his
eyes: then n saw tiat som stared ut
him, that others scowled and pressed
back their costly clothing to let him
pass, aud the light died out of his face,
and he shrank from side to side and
turned into a little park and hid.
II >mclled sweet a heaven there
among the blossoms, and h lay quite
still on the soft grass with his poor heart
iluttcring Up above him he could SEQ
the deep serene summer sky, hung
here and there with iilmy loops Of lace
that seemed 10 burn with pink and
crimson from the far-oT sunset 1t
seemed to him that he hal never no.
ticed it before; chat hi, hungry eyes
had always been pccrng into bitches
and holes and filth. or blind with tears.
How calm and sweet it was there where
the r.ch dwelt.
He could hear voices here and there
from vinc-wound porches fronting on
the little park, and one, lmp.d and en-
gagjug, was saying near by. "Oh. |
shall 90 to Dr. Easman's church Do
you not think his delivery beautiful? It
rests me just to look vt him; he is so
handsome, too
"Ycs, sad silvery. affected voice
in reply. land he is so gentle. He is
quite unreasonable about his salary,
though. they say; will accept but seven
thousand! It's too bad. he is 50 pleas
ant and handsome; he could surely do
better than that"
Then little Tim saw form CARRIED
in blue, and capped and belted, co me
between him and the peaceful azure of
heaven, and he sprang up AMI ran. but
was struck by a cane. and wayered and
fell. Bat ere the officers fat paw
could secure him he was gone
The next avenue seemed fairer than
the first. and was alive with beautiful
humanity flowing on toward the
churches. Down this. with a little
thread OF blood tr,cklng from among
his matted curls. he ran like kind of
hunted human animal, and coming to
larger park hid himself again, and
lay there painting and sobbing while
the shadows began to gather and hud-