St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-01-01

nad Dullt him up not only home, but a
name, In this new country. We had a
beautiful house and luxurious furni-
ture, birds, and flowers, fine pictures
and books, nice horses and carriage,
In fact all the possessions that go to
make up happy home, for Ned had
line taste. But we were childleSs. Lit
tie Sunbeam had never come back, and
God have given us no other child to fill
her place.
Poor Ned! That unforgOtten sorrow,
together with hard work, had made
him an old man before his time. The
silver threads were thick on his tenn
pies, and the burrows on his forehead
deeply cut. When he went back to our
old home, the friends of his youth did
not recognize him. His step, once buoy
ant and elastic. had the slow gait of an
old man. His life had lost it's impelling
aim and motive. l was in hopes visit
to our old home in Ohio would help him,
but in this was disappointed, so with
sad hearts we started on our journey to
our Western home, going little out OF
our way to visit some friends who lived
In Chicago and vicinity.
One night in the great city we were
returning from the opera when a child's
voice startled us. "Please, SIR" it said,
give me a penny to buy some bread"
1t was mid-winter, the pavementS were
glazed with ice, and the stars overhead
glittered in the cold, blue sky like so
many points Of steel. / was dreaming
of my home in the far West, and long
ing for the hour of my return to come.
A strange feeling of tender eSs bound
me to the spot where / lost my Little
Sunbeam. The little cabin still stands;
we regard it as the tomb of our dear
one. could not bear to be so far from
it, because of foolish fear that she
might come back and / not be there to
welcome her.
The sad pitiful voice broke in upon
my reverie, and, glancing out of the
carriage window, saw small childish
figure, tiny hand reached towards us,
blue and stiff with cold.
''Stop, Ned! [ won't close my eyes
tonight if we pass that child"
My husband started up from his
stupOr and Obeyed me.
''What do you want, little One?" he
asked, kindly bending over and taking
the child's hand in his.
"a penny, please sir, to buy loaf for
granny; she's sick"
Ned took some change from his pocket,
but caught his arm before he dropped
it into the little waiting hand. Some
thing in the soft blue eyes, looking up
so pleadingly, thrilled my heart to its
inmost core. yearned to take the little
Shlvering form to my breast, to stroke
back the tangled golden hair from the
want-pinched face.
Take her up, Ned,", entreated !;
she'll freeze if leave her here. We
can take her wherever she lives"
GOOd-natured, patient Ned, who never
denies me, complied. Down dark and
lonely streets, into one of the lowest
haunts OF poverty, up long flight of
stairs into cherries attic, she guided
US.
An old woman lay upon bed of
straw, her face wearing that cold, gray
ish hue which is the unmistakable pre-
cursor of death.
'Have you Gomez" she questioned,
eagerly, as we entered; "give me some
bread"
The child ran to her side and began
strOking back her gray hair.
GA good lady and gentleman has
come to see you, granny" she lisped,
softly.
"I' m glad you We eome," she said,
turning her wan face toward us. 81
take her, pointing to the child. She's
good little thing. Eve had her X
years come next winter. She amt
mine, though. got her from squad
of Ingins. They stole her from some
one. She was such pretty little thing,
most like our Sallie that died. The old
man n me struck trade for her. We
gave shOat and bag of corn, and I've
never been sorry nuther. / kept her
clothes, the ones she had on, thinkin'
her friends might turn up some day and
might know them, but they didn't, and
now Pm going to leave her. don't
know what to do, the old mans gone a
year or more. Couldn't you take her,
madamY'
"Where are the clothes she had on?''
asked Ned and in the same breath.
She gave each of us a keen, searching
Ned lost no time in opening it. There
they were folded carefully, the dainty,
embroidered slip, the tiny bib. and one
crimson stocking. Its mate lay in the
bottom of my bureau drawer in my
far Western home.
sob, Ned" cried, sit is Little Sun
BEAM" but already he had her in his
arms. "God be praised, we've found
her at last" was all he said.
Ned has grown young again, though
his hair is still silvered. His cheeks
are red, his eyes are bright and his
step as light as before we met with
our great trouble. Sunbeam is full
grown now, and there is no happier
family in Kansas than ours.
Kind reader, have told you true
story, hoping that if any of you feel
that the burdens of life are more than
you can bear, that your children are
burden and hinderance to you. you
will remember this poor stricken
mother-how the memory of that wish
ranked in her soul all through the
weary years of search, of the JOY and
peace that came to them with the find
ing of their child. Remember that
Goods ways are not our ways"