Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-09-06

thing to wear-a bonnet, a pair of shoes
and then maybe we can manage to have
her carried some distance. Oh, such an
odd little thing
who is that. my daughter
/ "Oh. papa, you have come home. Why
| was talkiug about a little mite Of child;
/ she can't be more than ten. if that. | saw
her ont here sitting on moss rock, the
most forlorn object. She says she is going
to Sing Sing"
Il met her on my way" said the pleas
ant-faced old man, ''she asked me about
it, but she trudged on. Where is she. 1t
was noon when saw her.
In the kitchen, papa. Susan is taking
good care of her l think, and when she has
had hearty supper We Will talk with her. "
A gay trio of young girls came in. The
MEETINGS were put up, the gas was burning
| brightly. and music and mirth banished
| all thoughts of care. Suddenly Nell May
wood remembered the odd little figure and
cla9ping her hands, cried "0h, I've some
thing to show you girls" and disappeared
Susan was picking gooSeberries near the
| pantry in the kitchen.
where is the child, Susiei" asked Nell
haywood.
"On the doorstep. Miss"
"Why, no, Susan, there's nobody to be
seen"
"No! Miss" Susan placed her pan down,
held her apron up to catch the stems of the
berries and walked deliberately to the
door
Why, she sat there sometime after sup
per. l turned and came in; she was sit
ting thele, looking up, at the stars | ex-
pect. / thought she was a mighty quiet
child, but she's deep, deep, Miss Nelly;
she's gone Let me see, there amt any
silver around-I should be afeared she'd
took something; they're mighty artful.'
'"Why didn't You tell her she might stay
all night" Nell haywood was peeping
here and there to spy her if possible.
Yes. Miss Nell. and told her what a
good bed there was over the woodshed, but
she looked strange out of them large eyes
of hers"
''The poor child is in trouble, " said y Nell,
quite sorrowful that she could not farther
relieve her necessities. "Pd have given
her something to wear, and we could have
sent her to Sing Sing; and perhaps she
will she will come back again if so, will
you send her to mel"
IF she do, l WILL Miss" answered Su-
san, going at the gooseberries again.
But little Kate did not come back. She
had been watching her opportunity to get
off, and had already been gone sometime.
She slept in an open field; erawled in some
hay; she would have walked all night if she
dared but she was afraid of the dark.
''Mr. Warden, there's queer case over
at my house, said bluff looking fellow,
meeting the warden of Sing Sing prison.
I'VE found her last night in some out of
the way place, and nothing would do but
my wife must take her in. We can't find
out her name except that it's Kate, and l ex-
pect that she wants to see somebody in prison.
But we can't get anything out of her-where
she's come from or anything about il"
Bring her over here" said the war den
my wife is wanting little girl for help;
maybe she's just the Gne."
So Kate stood, trembling more than ev-
er, in few moments, in the presence of the
warden and iailer. Kate was pretty
child. Her large blue eyes wore an ex-
preston of intense melancholy; her hair had
been nicely combed and curled. and some
one had put good pair of shoes on her
feet.
"Well, my little girl said the warden,
kindly-for he was prepossesscd in her IA
yor-''where have you come from"
New York" said the child family.
The men looked at each other incredu-
lously.
''Do you mean to say that you have
come to Sing Sing from New York on foot9"
Eyes, sir" said the child, frightened at
his manner, which had in something of
severity.
"And what have you come for!"
''To see my father" The child burst
forth with one great sob, and for a moment
her little frame was shaken with tempest
of feeling.
''And who is your fatherl' asked the
warden, kindly.
''He is Mr.. Lloyd" said the child, as
soon as she could speak for her rushing
sobs.
The warden look ed at the jailer.
Lloyd; there are three Lloyds here
jim, Bondy and Dick" said the jailer
THAT may not be their proper names" !"
responded the warden.
That's So said the jailer, "but | can
try em all Little one, was your fathers
name Jimi"
The child nodded her head, or they
with the reaction brought on by the termi-
nation of her journey.
'If it's Jim he's a bad one, said the Jail
er, in low voice; ''he's in irons this morn
ing for tempting to break JAIL he don't de-
serve a little gal like that one, the william.
Come, child, I'll go and find your father"
He took Katie's shaking hand with the 9th
er he dashed away the tears fast as they
fell 1t frightened her almost into calmness
to seethe ponderous door at which the jailer
applied the great key. and the stiffness of
long stone passages; the dimneSs thrown
over all, the constant succession of bars
and bleak, black walls were terrible to
sensitive mind like hers. How the heavy
tread of the jailer and the tread of the
warden behind him, echoed through the
gloom and the space! 1t was, in truth,
great tomb through which they moved
tomb in which were confined living
hearts whose throbs could almost be
heard in the stiffness. On, on they went,
now through that passageway.- Every
thing spoke of crime-of fierce passions
subdued and held in stern control-every-
thing, from the grim face of the ferocious
watchdog to the sentinels armed.
Then they turned and went up the stairs,
the jailer holding the scared bird close to
his side with tender clasp the warden
following Another tramp, and at last
they came to a standstill. The jailer rap
ped at a cell door Slowly the figure of
man. with harsh hair covered face, ap-
pcared,
Little girl! you're green said the man
in glum accents. 'Pve got no little girl,
or you wouldn't catch me here"
Father" said the childish voice. 1t