The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-04-20
Somebody Loves Me.

Two or three years ago the Superin
; tendent of the Little Wanderers
Home," in distant city, received on,
F morning request from the Judge tha
he would come up to the court House
He complied directly, and found there
q group of seven little girls, dirty, rag
ged and forlorn, beyond what ever he
was accustomed to see. The Judge
pointing to them-utterly friendless
and homeless-said "Mr. IT. can you
take any of them ?'
"Certainly; / can take them all,'
was Mr.. T's prompt reply.
"Ah what in the world can you do
with them all ?" asked the Judge.
"I'll make women of them"
The Judge singled out one, even
worse in appearance than the rest, and
asked again "What can you do with
that one?"
"I,ll make a woman of her! Mr.. r..
replied firmly and hopefully.
They were washed and supplied with
good suppers and beds. The next
morning they went into the school
room with the other children. Mary
was the little girl whose chance for
better things the Judge thought small
During the forenoon the teacher said
to Mr.. r., in reference to her:
II never saw child like that. /
have tried for an hour to get a smile,
but failed.'
Mr.. IT. said afterward himself that
her face was the saddest he had ever
seen-sorrowful beyond expression
yet she was very little girl, only five
or six years old.
After school he called her into his
office, and said pleasantly Mary, I've
lost my little pet. l used to have O lit
tie girl that would wait on me and sit
on my knee, and I loved her much. A
kind gentleman and lady have adopted
her, and I would like for you to take
her place and be my pet now. Will
you"
A CLEAN of light filtered over the
poor child's face as she began to under
stand him. He gave her a penny and
told her she might go to shop and
get some candy. While she was out
be took two or three newspapers tore
them into pieces and scattered them
about the room. When she returned
in few minutes, he said to her:
MARY, will you clear up my Office
little for me-pck up those papers
and make it lnok nice?"
She went to work with a will. a
little more of this sort Of management
in fact treating her as kind father
would-wrought the desired result.
She went into the school room after
dinner with so changed u look and
bearing that the teacher was astonish-
ed. The child's face was absolutely
radiant, and half fearful of mental
wandering he went to her and said :
"Mary, what is it? What makes you
look so happy"
"Oh, I've got some one to love me !!
somebody to love me !" the child an
swered, earnestly, as if it were heaven
come down to earth.
That was all the secret. For want
Of love, that little ones life had
been 80 cold and desolate that she had
lost childhood's beautiful faith and
hope. She could not at first.believe in
the reality of kindn ess or joy for her.
II was the certainty that some one
loved her and desired her affection
that so lighted the child's soul and
gloritied her face.
Mary has since been adopted by
wealth y people, and now lives in a
beautiful home, but more than all It's
beauty and comfort, running like q
golden thread through it all; she still
finds the love Of her adopted father
and mother.