Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1891-09-17
THE LITTLE THIEF.
BY MARY KYLE DALLAS,

1t was tea-time. Mr.. Matthews, the
proprietor of the stufy little Eighth
Avenue dry-goods store, where Ned
Brandreth was serving his apprentice
ship to the business, had gone to tea with
his family. and Ned was in sole charge.
AT this hour there was little chance of
customers. People were for the most
part hurrying home to meals, or getting
them ready if they were women. The
questionable thoroughfare was not yet
lighted, but the shadows lay heavily be-
low the tall tenement houses, and the
sky, of dull gray, gave warning of an
approaching storm.
To the country boy it was very
dreary scene. Leaning over the coun-
ter, his eyes fixed upon the moist and
greasy-looking sidewalk, he saw in i'm
aginetion the old homestead standing
''amidst rows of wheat and corn," the
little garden about its door. The table
was set for tea. There was his mother
his father opposite her. There were the
boys, Bill and Ben, and Fanny, his little
sister, with her blue eyes and haxen
hair, and her grandmother's gold beads
about her neck Alive together. Did
they think of him so far away? He
could see his vacant place, his chair set
back, his plate put away. The boy
could have wept.
How he longed to return to them |!
But, alas! the farm would not support
them ALL Bill was to be a doctor; Ben
would help his father; he had his task
" 1t had TO be, he said; and, Just as
he spoke, he thought for moment that
he saw Fanny before him-haxen curls,
fair forehead, blue eyes. Was it vision?
No. The next instant he understood that
what he looked at was living child with
the same pure tints of skin and hair. A
pretty creature,quite as pretty as Fanny
but not clean and tidy as she always
was-a girl in the ragged frock of
grown person, cut short in the skirt and
left unhemmed, with bare feet soiled
with the mud of the streets, and no trace
of motherly care about her, crouched
close to the wall behind form on which
ready-made suit was displayed upon
the sidewalk. She was tugging softly
and cleverly at gaudy shawl that was
exhibited on the shoulders of another
dummy, and, as he looked, had it down
and rolled into bundle beneath her
wretched shawl. Now she came creeping
from her hiding place, and in moment
more would have gone pattering up the
street on those bare feet of hers, but a
hand came down upon her shoulder, and
the shawl was removed from its hiding
place.
You wicked little thief" said Ned
for he it was who had caught the child
"come herew
lie led her through the store, which
was small one, to the little portion
screened off at the end, and, sitting down
on box, looked at her.
suppose | ought to call police
man, said he. "What did you try to
steal that shawl for? Don't you know
that they put people in prison for steal
ing things?"
." Yes, sir" sobbed the girl. Jimmy
got put in prison last week for hooking
u shovel"
"Why don't you take warning then?'
Ned said
81 didn't see none, sobbed the child
81 only saw the shawl If none of us
don't bring nothin home, she hits us.
I'm all black on my back, bein' hit. |
knowed she'd like shawl, and when she
likes what you bring home you get
sausage"
Poor little soulu' sighed Ned
"What's your name?"
Mag, said the child.
"And is she your mother?" asked thu
boy; ;,
"Them's that's got mothers has goot
times, She keeps us out of charity
Her name is Old Sally. She is mostl,
drunk and can't work, and we hooks ant
begs what we can"
How like pretty Fanny's blue eye
were those turned up toward Ned! HOY
unlike the fate and condition of thi
child!
"Well, Mag, I've got a little siste
home," said Ned. "She's about you
age, and cant help feeling sorry fo
you. / ought to tell Mr.. Matthews, AM
make a charge against you; but haven
the heart. Look here; wouldn't yol
like to live a nice life out in the country
and not have to steal and beg?'
"Wouldn't I-just!" cried the chil6.
Every well, said Ned. "I'm going t.
write note to good MANI minister
Every year he sends poor orphans to til