South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-01-08
while We Have Time

A little child stood crying on the
corner Of the strect lt 10 rot by
sny means "a urususl sight IN Z
great city to nee peppls OF oil ages
aud conditions in grief or trouble
end Bessie Willis hurrisd sIoug wheu
sh' saw this little ones tears, hall
tempted tn stop and ask what was
wrong. but yet too indolent to tsks
the trcnb's.
] don't Relieve there 10 much tina
matter, Bessie said tn herself: aud II
there h. somebciy will be sure TO
help her before long the police, ORE
or--so,pe one, she canclaSed rather
vega ~, 90 she weot on her way.
But the child WAS so little. con-
science said perhsps you might have
oeen able to help her; at anv ratio. q
kind w3rd would have mean : little
thing for you and e might have been
60 mach to ser.
Idan't care. replied Bsssie, rather
Grossly. | cant stop and speak ca oil
the street bcagars I sec Id hav, my
hao.s full II undertook TO comfur,
all the crying childr,n msss; no.
body is expected to do that. I'm
surc; and on she went and tried Ia
put away all thoughts OF the little
one whom che had passed by, as II,
were. on the other side.
Bu. that night when Bsssie slept
Ia her warm. comfortable bel +, the
child once more stood before her.
ani she followed hsr as she turned
one corner after a1o,her, into mar
rover aud pc ,rer streets, and paused
at length before dingy hou.s AID
after . momeats hesitation. lifted
the latch and went in.
Bessie went Ia too and such power.
u as she had read Of. hut ncve. be.
fore seen; cod room. de,titute Of
furniture. except miserable bel 10
one corner. on which lay boy abou,
fourteen or fif,een years old, who
raised himself eagerly on his elbow
ss his sister came ia, AMI said plsas.
an'lv, Welt Nettiep
Nsttie burst into tears. I don't
Know how to beg, Ned; I did,
know what TO say TO the people and
for ever 50 long nobody took any
no'ice OF me At all then. Just before
l came homo, gentleman gave me
ten cents and vas coming to you
with 1. when boy snatchel it away
and ran of with IL. anil row /
haven't anything stood on the
street and cried ever so long Ned.
! couldn't he'll It. l was so sorry
you would have TO 90 70. sleep again
hungry.
Never mind. Nettie, said the boy
you will have better luck next time
maybe, and [ shall be we'll 10 few
days. 60 that can go TO work and
then We shall &c. along spIendidly I;
don't cry, 1t ain't such q dresdful
teia2 to Inc hungry; We will 60 TO
sleep and forget all about It, and
perhaps something will come to us
tomorrow. and he called the little
girl to him aud tried to soo,he her,
and bring back o smile TO the poor,
wan fac.
Only ten csnts! exclaimed Bessie,
and spent four times that to-day
for things I really didn't need. ani
she tried to put her haui ia her
pocket for her purse, that she might
give some money TO the hungry chill.
dren; but the effort was vain, she
could MT move IL; her hands we're
fast tied aud bound, go that It vas
not possible f.r her TO use them.
Too la:e, said voice near her Z,
too late the power TO help was
yours once, nov /, IL taken away.
Oh, IL | had only known exclaim-
ed Bessie; poor starving children
isn't there any one to help them?
The police, or-or-s )mcbody.
said the voice once more, aud Bessie
remembered her own words OF that
very afternoon, and burst into tears,
and ruggied TO release her bound
haD1s, and 10 the eff,rt swoke from
her dream.
Oh, .st US he watchful an I ,iiligent
lest when it is too late, we bitterly
mourn the Unfinished work, from
which when It was In our power 10
do II, We turned away.-S ,locteJ.