Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-24
"NUMBER THIRTEEN"
The Little Cash Girl Who Helped Support
Grandmother and Sister.

The Little Cash Girl Who Helped Support
Grandmother and Sister.
From the New York Recorder.
She was only little cash girl twelve wears
of age. No one thought of calling her pretty.
Her eyes we're too large for her thin. old face
Everybody liked her; even the stern, fault-find-
ing floorwalker sometimes patted her kindly on
the head.
Nobody in the store knew her real name; she
was Number 49, to every one.
/ had been attracted by her sad smile, and as
l visited the store quite frequently we soon be-
came great friends. l often took her fruit or
cake and noticed that she never ate them while
| was near.
One dayI entered the store in great haste.
scarcely noticing that no little figure in rusty
mourning came forward to greet me. Upon
lea ling | was accosted by little hunchback
girl. who pressed little soiled note into my
hand. Deere Mis- Arnold it said, IAN orful
sick and can't go to the store. Can you plees
cum and see me. Yours truly, Number r3.'
1t was so pathetic and tear-staned that / made
up my mind to go zee the child. The girl who
had delivered the note stood gazing eagerly up
into nv face and SAID: II will show you where
We live, If YOU want me to-
"An right" said l. Are you her sister?'
"Yes, ma am and as we walked along she
tOIu me me SAD. snort story OF their lives.
Their parents died when they were both very
Young. leaving them to the care of their old
grandmother, poor waeherwoman The older
girl had PLAYED the part of Eva i'll Uncle Toms
Cabin for three years. until. fatal night
during the scene when she appears as an angel
the machinery gave way and she fell. At first
she was thought to be dead. but it was finally
discovered that her little back was broken. Oh
the long. weary weeks of pain that followed.
Then the little sister of nine had TO be taken
from school to aid in supporting the almost
destitute sister and grandmother. Unused to
the confinement of a store. the rosy cheeks soon
lost their bloom and the face grew thin and
careworn. Still the brave child struggled on.
No murmur ever escaped her lips. until coming
home one night in The cold and rain she was
taken with pneumonia.
Every day the hunchback sister had crawled
around to stand in front of the store, hoping TO
catch a glimpse Of Miss Arnold" for whom
the little sufferer called so often.
followed nv guide into rickety Old tene-
ment and up four flights of dark, 'creaking
stairs. At length she opened a door and we
entered small. dark room. From an old
broken sofa, in one corner, came feverish
groan.
Number 49," whispered. bending over the
| little bed. 1T is |. Miss Arnold"
The brown eyes opened YEARLY and regarded
me for one fecond; in another the feverish
arms were both about nv neck as dehghted
voice cried weakly, "Oh. dear Miss Arnold. |
knew YOU would come l have waited SO long
| to see you"
| For two long DAYS and nights the brave spirit
struggled to free itself from the suffering little
! body. There was no hope for her, the rhysi-
clan said. her constitution was too much weak
ened by overwork and insufficient food.
| She died in the greatest agony, and her last
words we're: Take care of my sister and
| grandmother please''