The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1891-09-09
HOW 'LlZBETH FOUND HER
FATHER.
BY MARGARET MANToN.

Am pSth lifcQ III Collar GOWN IN
Mott street. No one knew what her
ether name was. Liz'beth could not in.
form them. She used to wonder about
it herself, as she sat looking out Of her
one window.
Liz'beth called 1t window, but in
reality it was only an iron grating that
overlooked the sidewalk. In order to
see out of it the little girl had to sit over
against the cellar wall, and then all she
could see was the feet of the people as
they went by.
Liz'beth used to wish sometimes that
she could see what the owners of the
feet were like, but then it was rather
nice to sit and imagine about it. Most
OF them belonged to working people, but
now and then pair of patent feathers
went by, and onoe IN great while a
lady's kid boot and dainty French heels
would pass with light tread, as if the
owner wished as little contact as possible
with that wretchcd street.
izbeth had been up in the City Hall
Park on pleasant afternoons, and there
she had seen the ladies and gentlemen
who wore pretty shoes. So she knew
what they were like. But that was a
long time ago.
'Liz'beth felt very sad this morning
for her kitten had just died.
1t wasn't much of kitten, either.
One of its eyes was gone, and some cruel
boy had cut of piece of its tail The
cold weather had wilted an ear, so that
it hung forward, giving poor kitty the
look of a disreptuable character. But
her little mistress thought she was beau
tiful and loved her better than anything
else.
'Liz'beth called her kitten "Biiou. -
She hadn't any idea what it meant, and
she couldn't have spelled it to save her
life. But one day in the pretty park Il
lady went by leading curly white dog,
which she called "Bijou," and that
night 'Liz'beth christened the kitten.
The little girl sold papers in those
days, and every day she bought penny S
worth of milk, which she gave Bijou, and
she used to beg scraps of meat from the
market on the corner. Sometimes she
found a fish in the ash barrel, not over
fresh usually, but Bijou wasn't particu-
lar.
I've forgotten to tell you that Liz.
beth had not lived alone in the cellar
always. Some one whom she called
''Mag" used to be there. 'Liz'beth was
afraid of Mag. She was good enough
when she was sober, but that was so sell
dem.
Sometimes Mag would be away for a
whole week, and 'Liz'beth would dread
to have her come back, she was always
so ugly.
Once she came home more fierce than
usual; she was in trouble aud wanted
money. 'Liz'beth had been lucky for
week and had saved almost 81. She got
it out from behind a brick-that was
her bank-aud gave it to the wretched
woman, who struck her in return and
went away.
Liz'beth was pretty well used to
blows; she'd had lot of them; but
somehow it hurt worse than usual this
time. Her head ached, and her poor
little desolate heart ached, too. There
was tight feeling in her throat, and
the first thing she knew she was crying
SO hard that Bijou, who lay in her lap,
was all wet.
It seemed to her she could remember
when some one with pretty hair and soft
gray eyes had held her and rocked her
and sung-what was it she used to singl
'Liz'beth closed her eyes, swayed to and
fro, and tried to think.
Softly through the mist of almost for
gotten things came the shadowy men,
ory of that song-so softly that it seemed
only the ghost of words that whisper ed;
A sleepy kiss is the only fare;
Dear little passenger, say goodnight.
Into the station of dreamland we 20,
Baby aud /, in our rocbing-chair
How queer 1t seemed "There's surely
something the matter with my head, +"
said Liz beth, and then she began to
think again; the fancies were pleasant
If they were queer.
The next thing that came to her was
remembrance of the same misty sort con-
corning some one else-some one big aud
handsome, with kind, brown eyes and a
voice not so soft as the other, but vet
good TO hear.
sis baby asleep, little motherl' the
voice said. And how near it was-so
near that the moustaehed lips touched
the baby's cheek, and then
slow much she is like you--your
mouth and chiu aud hair. believe she
will have your eyes, too. l wonder if
chat is what makes me love her so2"
NIOVe herl WhO loved herf Ho,..