The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-30

sRlu, M hho nad Baiu To mo, that nor mother
was dead, for | saw the girl bend and
flush a little. whilo her eyes Allied with tears.
l dare say she thought of her W mother
whom she had lately left. and abe put her
arm around tho child and kissed her. and
afterwRrd seemed to be telling her q story,
ut which she smiled now and then.
read for a while, but In the middle OF
the afternoon ! fell asleep and when ! walked
again the car lamps were lighted, and l
looked for the little traveller, who was
standing in the passagewav Of the chr. She
had taken OFT her hat, and there was evil
was looking at it anxiously and trying to
fasten something that had broken. ! tried
to beoken har to mo, but in the seat just be-
side her was the priest, a stout, unsympa-
thstic looking old gentleman, and / was
half amused and half touched to see her
fasten tho strap of it. He was evidently
much-confused he even blushed, but he did
what shc asked him, with his clumsy I'm
gers, and then put the hat on for her, as
she stood before him and bent down her
hend as IT he would have had to reach up
stopped her and gave her some money
from his pocket; and she came a step or
two nearer to him and held mp her face to
kiss him. and then he looked out of the
window a mln1te and afterwaId returned
and looked at his l%neishbors sppealinRly.
" Ad0 hpCA Inv q AoWCA NbogPO~ AAVO ~
prossio life, l imagine; no was evidently
quite surprised and pleased BY 90 touching
a confidence.
1t must hsvo been a long, dull day for q
child to spend, but she was as good a. pos
sible, and did not give anybody the least
her, and felt as II she was under the care of
evory ons OF us. l could not help thinking
how often we arc at each others mercy as
we go through this world, and how better it
would be If 10 were as ~trustful and unsus-
picious as this little child, and only looked
for kindness at our neighbors' hands.
just as 1t was growing dark she came to
me and put her little hand into mine and
COWS it a little pull.
Come and see the birds,'' said she, and
| suddenly became aware of the chirpinR of
a robin somewhere near us. 1t was q funny
the rattling of the train md the shriekinR
of tho Whistles. for it was generally the
note of the robin who was going to sleep
on his nest in an apple tree. or high on olm
Dough, some early summer evening. But
Molly led me toward the old lady with 80
treasures was a bird cage, and there snre
enough. was tho red-breast, g fat
follow with smooth feathers who winked
and blinked at us n stopped his chirp-
ing as we stood beside him.
"She seems pleased with him, the little
klIl OOcb, hHlu tuC DlTu b OWIeIs l u 4lAS
to have her see the rest of my birds. TWEEN
ty-three I've got in all; thirteen Of 'em's
canaries. The woman in the other part of
the house 10 taking care of 'em while I'm
gone. I'm going to Stockbridge to spend
Thanksgiving with my niece. II was q
didn't feel at first as l could leave the birds,
but l knew Martha's folks would feel hurt
if l put 'em Oh again this year about COM
ing. Blu 1 had to take the old robin along
with ms. Some folks said it might be the
death of him, but he's never been one mite
home, where he sees n sight of passing.
Hos tho tanest thing you ever saw. Now
I'm SO fur on my way I'm glad | did
make up my mind to start, though it'll be
bad getting there in the night. l think a
change is good for anybody, and then I'm
birds that l don't get out much, and there's
nobody to fetch in the news"
"Why don't you fetch up a few carrier
pigeons with tho rest of your fsmilyP" said
l, and thiss seemed to amuse her very much.
"Sakes alive! / don't want no more,''
all the folks that keeps canaries in our
place comes to me if anything ails 'em. l
was telling this little girl, if I'd know l was
going to see her, I'd have brought along a
nice little linnet Tor her; he'll sing all day
long; but he and the one l put with him is
always klSAb1IiS SdOA oGACAs iA0 I'LL l1N JULIO
cages is too full already. l reckon you'd be
good to the little bird, wouldn't you now,
dear?'.
The little traveller smiled eagerly, while 1
suddenly thought of the five sparfows that
are sold for a farthing of this worlds
God.
think we were all anxious to see what
kind of y woman the aunt would be, and I
was half afraid she would look hsrd-heart-
ed, and l knew in that case l SHOULD always
DO sorry when I thought of the little girl
looked after her at night. l had walked a
dozen times to look at her sweet little shad-
owed face rs size slept with the doll held
fast in her arms.
At the station in the morning I found
some one who came to meet me-, but | could
not go until l saw the u / waited with
the conductor for u few minutes, and l was
beginning to fear must say good-by to my
little traveller nnd neve. know her fortunes.
Every one of the passengers had given her
something, l Observation-Disclosures and
fruit and candy, and I do not know what
else-and | had even seen the old priest kiss
her good-bv most tenderly, and lay his hand
on her head III what l am sure was a heart
felt blessing. l do not know whether it was
some god old Latin benediction, or q
simple longing that God would be near the
lonely child and that his saints would de-
lelu n9T as ble goes CnrOuQu ING WOElu 70
heaven.
l was glad when 1 saw just the woman I
had wished and hoped for coming hurriedly
toward us-there was no doubt that it was
all right, she was sure of the child at a
glance. l had fancied all the time that she
must look like her mother.
my dear baby!" the woman said with o
sob, and caught her in her arms. while the
little girl. with a quick. instructive love, put
out her short arms and they chung to each
other without n word.
1t was all right, as the conductor said
again, half to himself and half to me. AZ
ter a minute the woman said, brokenly, thai
she thanked him for his kindness. Poor
Ellen, she never knew she was sick till the
news came she was gone. He must tell
people that Nelly would have a oood home.
They stopped to talk longer and Nelly stood
gravely by, but I had to hurry away. and
after l was in the carriage l wished l could
go back and kiss the little thing again,-Sa-
rah Jewett.
How to Prevent Rolghness of the Skin.
During cold. dry, windy weather this
question apitates the mind Of every lady in