St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1891-08-15
4 LITTLE SELF-DENlAL.
-onsregationalist.

bottom tniS aitttHCoii tt'''' 'oiO -A''''0
| alone in the house they had no idea
| that there could be any danger ios
her. Alice was their little only daugh.
ter, and rather than not leave her in
perfect safety they would have stayed
away from Bolton forever.
To be sure the house was q good
half mile away from any other house.
and was @ very nice one OF its kind. 1t
was large and well kept, with O broad
piazza all around it, and two bay
windows, and had q general
air CT prosperity. Any one seeing the
house here on this country road,
where nice houses arc not plentiful,
would have thought that wcll-tO-dO
| Dpople lived in it. However, no
one so far had thought so to the
!etriment OF either house or people.
| rramrs and burglars were seldom
heard of IN this peaceful part OF the
| country, and tho Armstrong; had
lived here twenty-five years, and never
once been molested. So they never
Thought OF such a thing to day. They
lid not even tell Alice to lock t he
| Ioors. Once, years ago, straIGler
nad come along, and Mrs. Armstrong
mad given him something to eat, but
he was quite inotTenslve, and that was
90 long ago she had nearly forgotten
it. Such o thing rs g strasgltr never
entered her mind now; the chief topic
| of discussion when they came to start
was Aiice's luncheon.
1t might have been bad plan, but
the little girl had always had q plain
bread and butter lunch between meals.
To day, however, she had an idea that
she merited something IL little extra
to pay for her lonely afternoon and
Disappointment. Alice herself want
ed very much to 90 to Bolton. with
her father and mother, but she had q
cold, and it was thought not prudent.
"Mother," said she, when her moth
er was putting on her bonnet, what
can have for lunch?"
why, what you always have"
said Mrs. Armstrong. You can
spread yourself q slice of bread and
butter"
''There was a little of-that honey
left" murmured Alice, blushing.
Her mo Their laughed.
81 never saw asuch a child as you
are for honey" @Lid she. "You ought
to turn into bee yourself.
Yes, don't care. All is, if you have
it this afternoon, you won't have 1T
for tea.'
"Td rather have it this afternoon"
said Alice, joyfully.
She stood at the window and watch.
ed her parents drive out ofsight down
the road. She was a slender little
girl, with q pretty, serious face and
smooth brown hair. When she finally
left the window and looked about the
vacant room, it seemed to her that
the clock licked about twice as
loud as she had ever heard
it. However, she was not in
the least afraid, only of course q
trife lonesome. She got out her Sun
day School book, and sat down ip
her little rocking chair and read
awhile; then she got her box of water
colors and painted. She had made up
her mind that she would not eat her
lunch until o'clock, and when her
father and mother would have been
gone two hours. 1t was @ quarter of
3 when she got tired of her paints.
She put them away, and washed her
hands and sat down at tho window
to wait until the clock struck. She
began to feel quite hungry and
thought pleasantly Of the honey.
She had only about three minutes
longer to wait when she saw a man
coming down the road.
"Why, 1 wonder who that isl" said
she.
She watched him interestedly as long
as she could see him; then there was a
shufiling step in the drive. and a
shadow stretched past the window;
the man had come into the yard.
| He gave q quick glance at Alice in the
window, then he stepped up on the
piazza and knocked on the side door.
Alice went promptly. When she open
ed the door there stood the man,
shabby and ragged, with o stubby
white beard. 1t was no one she had
ever seen before.
"Have you got an old coat you
could let me have?" said he. Helook-
ed past into the house as he spoke.
II don't know" said Alice. "I'm
all alone here this afternoon. Father
and mother are gone away. Maybe
II you come again, when they re
home, they'd give you one. "I'm real
sorry"
| She was honestly sorry. She thought
to herself tl1at the poor old man need.
ed o coat dreadfully: the sleeves of
real fringe OF rags around the bottom
| Cant you give me something to
eat?" said the man.
"Oh yes, sir" said she eagerly, 81
can get you something to eat"
| She showed him in the dining room
and placed chair for him with the
greatest politeness.
| tPlease sit down." said she sweetly,
land I'll get something for you"
| There was a pretty black walnut
sideboard in the dining room, and
upon it stood the spoon-holder full OF
| spoons. As soon as Alice had left the
room the stranger rose and tiptoed
softly over to the spoons. However,
he was in his chair, where she had left
him, when shs returned. She had in
one hand plate, with three slices OF
very nicely spread bread and butter,
and in the other little tumbler with
perhaps four spoonfuls of honey in it.
i She looked hesitatingly ut the, man
and then at the honey.
1--WE got some bread and butter for
you," said she, In her gentle little
i unica. s.hnt didnsk knnw-dn rn,,