Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1891-01-19


piteous tale she burst into tears.
ooh, Miss Regina" said she,
"what am l to do? He says
"Never mind what he says" curtly
interrupted the girl. eve can't let
these two poor little creatures perish
of cold this bitter March night be-
cause he hasn't any heart AS to get
ting to the tavern before the stage
starts, they cannot do it. And, af-
ter all, what would become of them
at the other end of the route? No,
Mrs. Black, we'll give 'em good
supper of warm bread and milk, and
and fix 'em bed in my room to-
night. And if your husband finds it
out and scolds you, why you may
just tell him it was my fault. I'm
afraid of him, if you are. And to-
morrow we'll consider what it is best
to do next"
Thus relieved, to certain extent,
of the responsibility, old Mrs. Black
set to work with a glad heart to
warm and feed the two poor little
children, and did not rest until she
had seen them snugly asleep on
foor-bed in the corner of Regina's
small apartment.
cit don't seem as if [ could ever
let 'em go again, Miss Whelpley,"
said the old woman, wiping her spec
tacle-glasses. ''But you don't know
what it is to be married.
"No, don't" said Regina, laugh
ing. "But never mind, Mrs. Black,
two sweet children like this will be
sure to find home somewhere"
Old Decimus came home at the
usual hour from his chat at the vii
lage store.
Mrs. Black looked at him guilty as
he entered.
''It's a snowin', said he; ''snowin'
hard"
lis it father?'
Yes. Where's the lantern?''
Decimus Black writhed uneasily.
81 stopped at the tavern on my
way back said he ''an' they told
me the stage went back empty"
'Did it, father?" Gin low voice.
can | feel sort of uneasy to think
what can have become o them chill
dren," unwillingly admitted the old
man. 81 dare say fort, [ can't get
the look o that boy outen my head.
It's jes the way john James used to
look at me. John James has dread
full pleasant eyes. Help me to s'arch
for the lantern, mother. | must go
out and hunt the children up. l wish
to goodness I'd never sent 'em
away"
At that moment the door at the
foot of the stairs opened. Regina
Whelpley stood there, with flushed
cheeks and shining eyes.
"If you really mean that, Mr..
Black" said she, "Providence has
been kinder to you than you had any
right to expect. Light the candle,
Mrs. Black. Show him where the
poor creatures are. | found them
covering under a stone fence, Mr..
Black, and | brought them here on
my responsibility Look !"
She held the candle high above her
head. Old Decimus leaned forward,
and for the first time in her life, Mrs.
Black saw a big tear plash down
from his dim eyes on the blue plaid
cOverlet.
''I'm glad ont? It's bitter March
night, and the snow is falling as |
never knowed it to fall afore in
March, and if them little ones had
perished-'
His voice broke down; he turned
his face away.
"Father,'' pleaded the old woman,
coming close to him and putting one
withered hand appealingly on his
arm, "they may stay here, mayn't
they?"
eyes," he answered in husky
voice ''they may stay here"
SO the little wanderers found a
home after all, and, to Judge by pop
ular report, not an unpleasant one.
''For l do declare,'' said Mrs.
Whelpley, the village schoolmistress,
''those children rule the whole house. |
Only think of old Decimus Black,
used to think that children had no
business to exist, building a play
room for them in the barn and buy
ing little pony for them to ride,
and taking them with him wherever
he goes. His heart has been frozen
up tight these many years, but it has
thawed out at last"
So it had In the sunshine of
smiles, the magic influence
of which the Great Teacher spoke
when He said:
"And little child shall lead
them. ''-F9resjde Companion.
An excellent remedy Two of nv children have
been much troubled with neuralgia all winter.
They used Salvation Oil and few applications
produced complete I consider it
cellent remedy. John II. JONES' Inspector,