The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-01-14

. meeting somewhere up town-which
then, by the way, was any where
south of Union square-and was re-
turning to the Office through one of the mar
row streets that are common on the east side
Of the city, when childish figure emerged
from the shadow of building, and faint,
girlish voice said pitcously, please, sir,
please-only pennyW
The night was cold and tempestuous, the
wind driving a slcety rain, and it was some
thing unusual to find a beggar stirring IN
such a storm. Besides there was an in
describable plaintiveness in the tone, and as
il arrested my attention, | saw before me
little child apparently about II years of age,
wrapped in an old tattered garment that
might once have been cloak, but now
mere cover of rags. Her look was one of
utter despair, and a glance at the pinched
features showed that the little one had seen
better days.
"Why, my child" said to her encourag-
ingly, "what has brought you out on such a
night as this. Where do you live"
"Oh, sir, Tn not beggar she replied,
looking up into my face and bursting into
tears, 'and don't feel the cold, but brothers
sick and we've no wood to make IA fire; none
of us have had anything to eat since yesterday,
and what can we do! Fathers in jail-and-
and"-she could go no further, and bursting
into tears, sobbed as if her young heart
would break
Telling the little girl TO lead the way,
went home with her to see what could be
done if her story proved true. 1t was one of
the oldest and poorest quarters in the city.
The houses around were rusty with age, and
on either side of tho narrow street the tOtter-
ing frames leaned against each other as if
for mutual support. Here and there soli-
tary candle glimmered through broken
blind but it only served to make the dark
ness darker, and even the gas lights, few and
far between, fckered in the whirling gusts
of wind.
The child stopped in front of a small two
story house, and, bidding me follow, crept
up rickety stairway and stole noiselessly
into a room. The apartment was low and
dingy, the floor bare, and bed, chair and
broken table constituted the furniture. Heat
and light such as they were, came from a
few bits Of wood smoldering in the CRATE. It
was the old, old story of hard, grinding pow
erty, in which the pawnbroker had played the
chief part and the sequel was starvation and
death
however, was the wasted form of little boy,
some or years of age, whose CLASSY eyes
and hollow cheeks plainly told that he was in
the clutch of the fell destroyer and the end
was not far Off. A woman clearly but scantily
clad, with child in her arms, was sitting by
the bedside and gazing wistfully into his
face, as only mother can look who sees her
best beloved drifting helplessly away on the
Int
impossible not to observe that she was gentle
and refined, and once had been beautiful.
A moment sufiiced to show the necessity
for instant relief and with word or two Of
consolation and encouragement, | took the
little girl to neighboring grocery. Making
my errand known, and mentioning the name
of my paper, which, by the way, proved to
DO an open sesame, the good natured pro
prietor at once filled q basket with such
articles of food as were Immediately useful,
including wood and coal, two or three extra
blankets were obtained, and a man sent to
render such assistance as might be necessary
to make the family temporarily comfortable.
On my return an hour later a cheerful fire
was blazing in the CRATE, the little patient
was enjoying the luxury of an orange, wine
ard jellies were ON the table By his side, and
the OUner members Oh llle uOuSeuOIu hau par
taken of what to them was a rare, substantial
meal. "Oh, motherl if father were only
here" murmured the lad, 1--WE might be
almost as happy as we used to be in our nice
house in the country
A question or two elected the story of the
family trouble 1t was just such tale of
misfortune as befalls thousands every year
in our large cities The father was a well to
do architect in Albany, and had lived i'll ease
and comfort. In an evil moment, however,
he was induced to invest his savings in a
speculative building enterprise, and an unex-
pected depreciation of property following,