The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1891-01-08

little while.
I'm most starved, Daisy said, eating
a sandwich in manner quite suggestive
of famished condition, land, oil
mamma, never tasted turkey so gooC
as this"
THAT'S because you are decidedly hun
cry, Carrie said. "Everthing tastes better
than usual to-day | never tasted sucl
delicious salad, or oysters, or jelly, OF
coffee, or anything BEFORE laughed Car
RE; and with the laugh came another
ring of the bell.
Daisy, who had thrown down her sand
wich to attend the door, came back Will
strange expression, half comic, hal
serious, upon her face.
There's a queer little girl at the
door, mamma, all rags rs to clothes
and she looks about as cold as cake o.
ice."
What does she want?'
81 don't know"
"WhOse child is she?"
"That don't know, either. But shell
freeze to death if she stands there
long. Can call her imp" Daisy asked
impatiently.
Eyes, call her in, child. Take hel
right through the hall into the kitchen,
Mrs. Mount answered.
Just as Daisy and the strange child
reached the kitchen, the front-door bel
rang again.
you tend the door, Martha, please
Daisy said to the hOusemaid. ''rm tired
and want to rest"
But she did not rest, she only lowered
about the strange child with plying
look upon her face.
"You look cold and tired and hungry
she said kindly. "Sit down by the range
and throw off your hood, and III get you
a nice lunch"
The guest did as she was bid, and when
the prettily-attired child brought her a
plate of nourishing food, she thanked hel
with quivering lips.
What is yonr name?" Daisy asked.
Dolly"
Where do you live!'
nowhere"
What? How can you help living
somewhere"
81 mean nowhere in particular. Any
where | can fluid place"
"Whose child are you?"
"Nobody's."
Mrs. Mounts pleasant face appeared
in the kitchen just then. Daisy said to
her, mamma: this little girl sayo Sho'a
child"
"What do you mean, dear? Have you
no mother and father?" Mrs. Mount
asked kindly.
''No, ma am. No mother,no father, no.
body" the girl answered.
Mamma! mammal called Carrie,
will you please come in and help enter
tain? There's whole sleigh-load at the
door, just about to descend npon our
eyes, I'll be there in moment, Car
rie. And, Daisy dear, just let the little
girl, nobody's child, stay in the kitchen
until return"
An hour passed before Mrs. Mount
found an opportunity to look into the
kitchen again.
mamma, what do you think? This
poor little girl sleeps in barrels, in boxes,
under door steps, or in cold sheds-any-
where and everywhere that she can find
a place." Daisy said in distressed tone.
Haven't we got comfortable place
somewhere III this big house that we can
give to the little thing, who belongs to
This last question she whispered to
her mother, who answered sympatheti-
call, I'm sure | wish we had, Daisy,
dear, but it would be running too much
risk to take a street waif in whom we
know nothing whatever about. She may
not have told the truth. She may have
q mother and father belonging to
the very lowest class. | will question
her some"
"Where do you live, little one?' she
lsked the child.
SIN Brick street"
Where is your homer"
Nowhere
"Where do you sleep, and where do you
Eat your meals?"
~ eat anywhere where can find any
hing to eat, and sometimes | sleep at
Nanny Varden's."
"WhO is Nanny Warden; where does
,he live?'
She's an old, ugly, wicked woman,
md ] hate her. She's got red rims
lround her eyes, and red nose and
he's muttering and scolding and swear
ng all the time. Sometimes when | beg
or her she lets me sleep on bed of rags
n her dirty room, but it amt often for l
lon't like to beg, and unless it's awful
old I'd rather sleep in box out of doors
han in her awful smelling room, it most
hOkes me there"
A CHEEKY whistle was heard, and Frank
tlount came stamping in to shake the
now from his boots. His mother met
lin at the door.
Don't take your coat off, Frank" she
aid; 81 suppose you're about tired
nut, but just one more call, one to please
Daisy"
Eyes sir, to please me" laughed Daisy,
uuning up to her brother with a greet
ng kiss.
"You want Paul Clifton to come over
nd taste the good things-is that it?''
frank asked teasingly.
Daisy's cheeks flushed, but she
good-naturedly, mo, 1
Iaven't once thought of Paul this
fternoon. We want you to go to Brick
treet."
"Now, Brick street is lovely place
or young man like me TO 90 to make
Jew Years calls, ism t it?" he asked, with
grimace.
at will be lovely in You to go, any
vay," Daisy said.
Ana then Mrs. Mount gave her son
message, which he listened to in
nystilied manner, and then hurried
n. In u half hour he was back again
With red eyes and a hoarse, choking
DICE.
1.-THE poor little thing told the truth,
mother, The said; only what she said was
IS drop in the bucket. Why. there's
whole ocean of iniquity over in that
Id house on Brick street. That old
woman is a regular bag. It's lucky for
Ter that didn't have my bOot-jack with
ne. Such an old, wrinkled, cruel face
md such vixenish eyes have never be-
leld before. She is a ragged woman
nd her filthy room is in the foulest
melting place / ever was in. She called
hat poOrslittle Dolly all the foul names
Ter vile mind could think of, aud left
Ter with unutterable loathing. As Il
walked down the dark, decayed hallway
ifter leaving her room, heard a gentle
TOice call. Young man, young man, will
'Ou stop here mOment?i | stopped,
# course, and CROPPED my way into an
,tber room, where an old LADY, call
Ter lady because she Is One-lay ON a
ow but clean bed. It's poor place 10
eceivd a young gentleman, but l want