The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-12-25

might be poor, but she was independently
And she died, sir. and they took her away
and we never seed her any more. Yes
Moliie and | have been all aloue since then.
see, but Mollie cries when she's 90 hungry
and its hard not to steal for her sometimes.s
What, 90 with yon, sirp No. no, no.
you want to take me to the workhouss. I'll
never let you do IT., never. Take your
hand off me, dye hear2 Mother would rias
from her grave, II l went thsre. Not the
house? Sure now, honest to God? Can I
trust you? Will you say suro as deRthf and
maybe then I'll believe you. And Mollie,
too2 Fed and cared for and made q schol-
me and Mollie2 Something 10 eat every
day? You'll swear it's NOT the housa9 In
deed, sir, | couldn't 20 there, and the poor
little waits f%ercensss broke down all AZ
once and lost itself in a food Of tears"
Uncle Rosie paused for q moment and
violently blew his nose. Tho Are had snaE
down to a dull Qlimmer. but no ono made :
move to replenish it,. Mary had gradually
withdrawn har chair beneath cha wing OF
her %uncle's. her face was In shadow. and
softly on Robert Sterling's shoulder. A
dusky silhouette. in an occasional flicker
Of the dying Goals. was all shat stood Tor
Jack.
1T is something to tho credit Of our hui
mainly. MARY the elder man resumed.
"thas there are homes for orphan ohildren
In this great d~esolato wilderness OF = Lon
don of ours. Az / stood there in She bitter
night before that lonely creature soma kind
inspiration flashed across my brain tina re-
membrance that a director WAS a friend or
! mine. IL would go hard, was my impstu-
GUS resolve, II / could NOT enlist his active
sympathies on behalf Of Nell and little
Mollie. But 10 was sore work with Nslis
sore work with Nell. The first pros
posal of my plan nearly drove her from her
wrstohed place of shelter. Tho hatred az
parish relief that had driven her mothsF t0
death in a cellar seemed quivering In avery
nerve OF the chiid's wan figaro. Again and
again | had to assure her Of my honesty Of
that won the day for me: That the littis
sister should be fed and cared
a great deal. and even in Naii's
jealous eyes might atone for much loaH of
independents wandering through ths mid.
nighs streets. So at last IL was covenantsd
and agreed that Mollie and SHE should inooo
me whore VIZ stood Mt 10 o'clock OF ths fuFns
goodnight"
ished breakfast and stepped into the fongy
street. Hailing d belated niaht-hawk 81 4
cab, that was making IN q mkudiin war fer
some neighboring stable, 1 hrihed liz driver
with the promise Of nm extra Hixpsncs 10
taks me 20 my friend. tho difsotorsa house.
What q disteputable old bird OF u cab that
was. The sorry old spawn IN tha HhAfte
positively limp, aud tbs driver. hin enlVeN
cneased In ropes of straw for additional
warmth, had been experimenting on Tho f4u
problem In his throat with numeroua
potations OF rum shrub. Ny opinion
OF She mixture was fornsd fr0ks
the frst Whit Of his breath I not Iii my
face. As a chemist. that man never would
he q success. The giimmsrina red or the
exhausted wioks In his OIL lasnps thTohbs&
IN the fog like She intiamed syssIde IN \
drunkard after some fufious niHhst4 a.
Eeeksd OF evsTy separate ravsIsF ttnt Ind
sprawIed there for ths last twsnty ysasn.
Az we tottersd along | had ample islsnrs ~
obses vation thiongh the pssph8iss I kApt
rubbing In the eionded panss. Nov II was mo
heavily laden postman. hIs msTFy Ghfiekx
mas rat.tat-tat i~nseFfaptsd In mid eaf6se
! By the children Of the hoaaehoIds noN =