The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-06-08

the ball would be more beautiful than
she. Emile lost not q word OF this,
and great sObs arose in his throat,
nearly sitting him. At last hismother
went out. He heard her laughing gay
ly in the hall at her husbands teas
ing compliments. "NeuX-tu to taire'"
were the last words he heard uttered
in the laughing, silverY tones OF his
mother, as the door closed alter the
happy couple. Bitterly grleyed, jeal'
Gus OF her, as all children are where
mother means the whole family, his
tears burst forth anew, and tOsmother
them he buried his face in the bed
clothes. He fancied himself, with the
sudden despair so frequent in sensi,
tive children, entirely abandoned by
his mother, who cared more for her
pleasure than for him. This dreadful
thought aroused him, impelIing him
to an action, which, in his little
world, seemed like suicide. He dress
ed himself swiftly and silently, and,
opening the back stairway door, he
cautiously made his way into the
street.
1t was a dark, cold night in Febru-
airy, and the wind was pier cling.
Where should he sleep? He had no
cloak, no scarf about his neck, and
his little frock was i'll b~uttoned, as
would naturally be the case with u
boy not accustomed to dressing him
sell. He crept along hurrediIy close 20
the dreaded wind and the equally
dreaded policeman, for he had been
told that these latter carried off boys
and whipped them until the blood
came, and then locked them up in
black dungeons with horrible spiders
and rats. From certain words over
heard while his mother was dressing,
he knew that she had gone to the Rue.
Saint azare, and he set out in that
direction. Arriving there he saw q
house brilliant with lights, a great
crowd before the door, and carriages
rolling up to the grand staircase.
That was where his mother was, he
was sur OF it! Suppose he should go
into the ball with the others, what
would they say to him?
Emile kept watching the crowd, the
hotel, the lustrous lights. His mind
was filled with but one idea-to find
his mother he must mount the STAR
case before him, follow the fine gentle.
men and ladies, with their masks and
gay costumes, and search for her within.
The cold was growing more and more
intense, and his purple little hands
were numb. At length he ventured
forward and climbed step by step I'M
til he reached the vestibule. The
Wallets stared at him with astonish-
ment. Hello! youngster," said one
OF them, what are you looking for
here--your mother" and ne chuckled
at his own wit, not thinking to ques-
ton the little intruder so pertinently.
The unh Apply child dare not reply.
Besides, to speak of his mother in
such a crowd would insult her. "Ah,"
thought he, 'if she only knew / was
waiting here in the cold how quickly
she would come and take me back 20
my little room where it Sc so nice and
warm"
"What do you want here?" asked
the valet again. 81 want to 90 in
there" said Emile, pointing to the
large doors.
"Wha for?"
''To see ---" he began hesitatingly,
but thu valet, suspectlng him to be a
gamin, would listen no further, end
harshly thrust him into the street.
Again outside, he was jostled from
group to group receiving knocks from
every one who found him in their
way. He was weak and cold, and all
but prostrate, bit he was sustained
by the thought that his mother was
there. that he would see her
when she came out; that he would run
to her and cling to her skirts, and
that she would never leave him again.
The hours went by slowly, through
that bitter night. He shrunk away
behind a door, until the chill air com
PEELED him to beg the eoachmen TO
shelter him in their carriages. But
they, warmly wrapped up, nodded in
differently in their boxes; besides, it
was OF small concern to them that q
street urchin was freezing.
At last the guests began to depart.
Emile posted himself at the head of
the great staircase. and anxiously
scanned each face thatpassed. Faster
and denser they came, the carriages
rolled up; tho coachers hailed each
other in d~eafening shouts, and still
Emile's mother tarried. He had hard
ly strength to withstand the strain,
and the tears were s~pringing up to his
eyes again when his heart gave agreat,
bound, for there she passed before him.
He could not mistake that superb tot
let! She was taking the arm OF her
husband, his step father. They did
not observe him. The carriage adj
vanced, they entered, and were driven
away.
Then Emile's heart was filled with
anguish, and be wished to die. He
ran after the carriage, and before the
horses had got well started seized the
traces with his little hands. neither
knowing nor caring what he did, such
was the transports Of bis despair, and
was dragged under thecruei wheels He
uttered a sharp cry Of pain and, al
ready overcome by the cold, tainted.
The carriage stopped, the occupants
alishtinE and then the mother. wlth-
out q moments warning.f0und herself
at the side1of her little Emile, who
was white, motionless, and may
- Ioo1 n~ivtrfor thn d~osan ~