New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1889-01-09


move over to where he could get a
good look at the children IS faces, but
some invisible power seemed to keep
him rooted to his seat.
After she had seated the children
before the blazing fire, where they
could warm their freezing little bodies
into at least some semblance of COM
Portable warmth, the matron disap-
tpeared for moment and then came
back with a couple Of bowls of hot,
steaming soup, that gave forth a
delicious fragrance, which the little
folks attacked as if they had notseen
a mOrsel to eat for week, at least.
AS they ate, the matron questioned
them.
What is your Manner she asked
the little girl.
{ May, and his is Johnnie, : she an
sWered.
Strange, the same names as my
two darlings; and SO like Them he
thought.
"But what is your last name?' the
matron queried. He leaned eagerly
forward to catch the reply, but the
girl spoke 50 low that he could not
make it out.
EsWhere is your father?n asked the
matron.
He's dead answered the little girl.
@ We used to have lots ofmoney once,
but he lost it all just before he died,
and now we're poor, and mammals
.been sick ever solong and can tWork,
and there won't anybody hire me,
cause they say amt big enough,
and-and ." and here she broke out
crying.
The matron soothed her, and after
a little she dried her eyes, and saying
that they must be going home to
their mother, took her brother by
the hand, and the two passed out
again into the cold and snow. He,
to, went out, and as he brushed by
the matron, to his wonder, she did
not appear to see him at all. He
thought it was strange, and would
have given it more thought, but just
then he was too busy in trying to see
which way the children had gone in
the darkness.
He followed just behind them as
they plodded sturdily along through
the singing cold and cutting sleet,
but for some reason, he could not
understand what, he could not over
take them. He tried to call out to
them to stop, but again his tongue
refused to do it's work, and no sound
issued from his lips. Soon the little
boy began to whimper with the cold,
and his sister took the threadbare
shawl from her oWnilly clad shoulders
and wrapping it around him kissed
him, and babe him to keep up good
heart for they would soon be home.
''Home?o' he thought, what kind
of a home must it be that two such
waits as these call by that dear name?
My God, what if my petted darlings
should ever come to this?''
He thought of his refusal to give a
paltry five dollars of his abundant
store to aid in clothing such as these,
and then Of the seven dollars and a.
half for the new box of cigars, and
cursed himself as a selfish brute.
Never mind, he thought, CPL
make up to these two little ones to-
just then the little fellow stun bled
and fell in the snow, and crying Bit
terly declared that his feet hurt him
SO that he could go no futher. Where
at the girl lifted him in her arms,
chafed his feet with her equally freez-
ing hands for a moment, then wrapped
ed them up in her apron and with
his head upon her shoulders trudged
on. He tried so get near to
them so that he could take them
in his arms-to cry out to them
to stop SO that he could overtake
them, but again the same invisible
power prevented him.
Up to this time he had been unable
to catch sight of the face of either of
them, but all at once, he could not
tell how, he found himself in front of
an facing them.
He gave one look into their faces,
and started back in horror. Great
God! he saw before him the darlings
Of his heart-his May, his Johnnie
the two babes to save whom from
even the slightest pain he would
gladly have periled his life. He.
sprang towards them to clasp them
in his arms, to gather them close
and warm their freezing frames if
need be, in the very life blood of his
heart, which now throbbed and leapt
Within his bosom Ikea mad thing
struggling to be free. He reached
them, he threw his arms around
them, but they did not appear to
see him, for they passed through him
as if he were but thin air, and again
he found himself behind them. He
turned and again tried to lift them
up, but his arms again held nothing
but the air. Three times he vainly
tried to clasp them to his throhbing
breast, but still brave-hearted May
strobe bravely on, as if unconscious
Of his nroconno Ss4