The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1888-02-25
LITTLE JOE THE CRIPPLE.
A LOVE STORY.

The.story had begun somewhere
south Of Cape Hatteras. 1t was wind
at first, but in the middle of the
afternoon the snow began to fall.
The storm came tearing up along
the Atlantic coast digging great hol-
lows in the water. From the top of
the billows thesswhite spume was
caught by the wind. Twas froth
from the Ioaming mouths of the sea
horses. When the storm reached
this city it seemed to rage with pee
uliar violence around a little frame
house in Lewis street, where lived a
lamp-lighter named Caleb Pinner.
Matronly Mrs. Pinner was clearing
the supper dishes away. Caleb was
doing before thefire. The mechan-
les bell had just tolled 6.
"Come, Caleb" said his wife, lay
ing her hand upon his shoulder and
shaking him. at is time to light the
lamps A storm is bowling outside
and you will have a bad night of it. g
Caleb awoke with Il start. His
wife helped him put on his great
coat. She brought him his ladder
and the little torch with which he
lighted the lamps. Then she stood
before him, the top of her head bare
ly reaching to his shoulder while she
butt0ncd up the coat, and he smil-
ed down upon her in grateful ack-
nowlcdgement of her wifely atten-
tions. She also went with him to
the door When the door swung
upon its hinges as Caleb turned the
knob a dclugc of snow was blown in
which whitened Caleb's long beard ,
and left damp spots on the cheeks
Of his wife where the snow was melt
ed by the warmth of her cheek. She
banged the door behind her husband
and ran shivering back into the
kitchen. When Caleb had reached
the vicinity of Fifth street, and was
about to light one of the lamps, a
gust of wind bore to his ears fee
Bile tremulous cry. Caleb listened.
Again he heard the wall, more fee
bly, this time, but still distinct to
Caleb, because his ear had quicken
ed. The cry seemed to proceed from
skinny Beadle's shipyard across
the way. Thither Caleb took his
way. Justinside the gate of the
shipyard was Il little round heap in
the snow, and from this mound is
sued the sound which had attracted
his attention. Caleb stopped down
and brushed away the snow, reveal
ing the face of a puny infant about
3 months old. Now Caleb had six
children of his own, and his wages
as lamplighter were very poor.
But without moments hesitation
he lifted the little humble in his
strong arms and started homeward.
When he arrived at the house the
welcome which he revived was not
half as cordial as that extended to
the little wall.
"The dear little creature! How
could any one be so heartless as to
abandon human being on such
night as this ?"
"Well,' said Caleb, "what do you
propose to do with the child? We
have six of our own, and the dollars
are very scare, Molly. Do you
think that we would be justified in
incurring the necessary expense ?"
"Well, Caleb, don't see what we
can do under the circumstances.
We can't put the little child out in
the storm again. Besides, it is dis
eased. Some blood taint seems to
be the only thing it has inherited
from its parents"
And so the little stranger became
an inmate of the Primer household.
The children coddled and hushed
its wailing cries by rocking the era
die.
Mrs. Pinner ministered to its daily
wants with as much solicitude as
though the child were of her own
flesh and blood. But still the child
did not flourish like IL green bay
tree, for its malignant heritage of
disease had polluted the spring of
health. The child was , years old
before he could walk, and then only
in feeble, uncertain way, for he
was a cripple. But the love and
fostering care of the lamplighter and
his wife, were not lost upon an un-
deserving object. AS the years went
by and Caleb's hair became winter
and whittier, and the blue veins in
the backs of Mrs. Primers hands
stood out more distinctly, Little Joe,
as he was called, was always ready
to perform those acts of domestic
kindness which are so grateful tothe
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