The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-07-30


God don't love mamma, guess, cause
he don't never come when she knells
down and cries for him to help her.
God loves you, though" with sage
nod of the head, "'cause you're good,
| 'spect. Mamma said you was good"
The pawnbroker very nervously
toyed with his watch-chain, finding no
words with which to reply to the child.
Every day." she went on, 4" NAM
ma prays for the Lord to forgive her,
and asks him not to punish her little
innocent Louise--that's me-" she eX-
planned naively, Wcause she thinks l
is too little to 90 cold and hungry"
" Have you no father?" chockingly
asked the old man.
con, yes." gravely, /" but he went
to heaven long ago"
Jacob still drummed upon the glass.
4" Where do you live?" inquired the
old man, after pause.
"'Way up in the top of big house,
an ugly old house," she answered,
YEARLY and half-drowsily, son Hous-
ton street"
And the NUMBER"
"See here" interposed Jacob, an
SlllO, ltlu W DuSlu6SS, anu sup lu0
child's chatter She's got a cunning
mother, | warrant, who has put her up
to the dodge; so, let's have done with
it. I'll be bound the father who went to
heaven long ago is lying in bed stupid
with drink this minute, and the mother
tipsy beside him."
The child shrank at the cruel words
and tone.
" Mother is in bed" she said, simply;
" but she amt tipsy, sir. She's only
weak from coughin'. She coughs all
the time, now, and wants to die and be
put 'longside of papa out in the church.
yard" and for the first time great tears
welled into her eyes and trickled down
her cheeks.
" Come, come" replied Jacob,
gruflly; "let's see the locket. Maybe
it's jeweled," with a jeering smile at
his father.
The little one put her hand in her
pocket, then withdrew it with fright
ened, wondering expression.
{" It's gone" she cried, in the tones
of a despairing woman, /" it's gone
see!" turning the poor thin little
pocket inside out, L" it's broke through"
Oh, of course" sneered Jacob, " a
piece with the rest of your story. Get
out, you little story-teller and beggar;
get out"
"Sh-,"crie she, warningly," sh--
God will hear you, and he knows Louise
is no story-teller and no beggar. Mamma
says God was poor hisself once, cause
he was born in stable, and people
gave him bread when he was hungry
Oh, my locket, my locket," she moaned,
her loss recurring to her afresh;
" mamma and Louise will have no sup
per and no fire, and God never comes
when mamma calls"
"There, there" snapped Jacob,
"you're warm now and must get out of
here. Comel" and he opened the
door.
Mr.. Solomons slipped silver piece
into the child's hand.
She grasped it eagerly, but with a
flushed face Immediately returned it.
NO." resolutely; - said Louise
was no beggar, and if 1 take it he,"
nodding toward Jacob, twill call me
that other name again"
" All right" sneered Jacob; you
can't be very hungry if you refuse
money, so get out of here without any
more palaver-git."
With sweet, sad dignity the child ex-
tended her hand to the old man.
Pm going to look for the locket,"
she said, land then | can take the
money. Good-by."
Out into the freezing, winter night
went the little one, back the way she
had come, earnestly searching, now
hoping, now despairing. The wind
tore at her thin garments, the nipping
frost searched and found all the tender
parts of her little body.
81 can't find it," with despairing
cry, as she reached home; " but maybe
God has been here and helped mamma
while l was gone. She cried so loud
this evening that maybe he heard this
time"; and filled with this cheering
thought, the weary, benumbed little one,
with tear-frozen cheeks, climbed the
steep stairs.
Mamma" softly mamma -
Silence and darkness, in the cherries
room.
81 is so tired" shivered the child,
creeping into bed beside the motionless
figure upon it so tired and cold, and
hungry"
- n
Wen close up, jacob said the pawn
broker earlier than usual that night.
don't feel well, and" he broke off
with sigh, as he restlessly paced the
floor
And what?" sneered his son.
seem to hear Esther's voice tonight
calling me to help her and her child to
come to her and"
And to throw more money away on
her husband and her brat, eh?" angrily
interrupted Jacob.
81 must go out and try to find her,
Jacob, must; but where, oh, where,
thou God of Israeli" he cried, sud
denly, raising his eyes and hands
toward heaven. Help me to find
her, my lost daughter, who NAV be
perishing this bitter night. Help! oh,
help"