Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-05-11
Saint Maru's Beacon


perintendent Of the Little Wander
ers' Home in Boston, received, one
morning, q request from the Judge
that he would come up to the court
room. He complied directly, and
found there a group of seven little
girls, ragged, dirty aud forlorn, be-
yond what even he was accustomed
to see. The Judge pointed to them
utterly hemeless and friendless),
and said-"Mr. t., can yon take
any of these ~
Certainly; I'll take them all, /"
was his prompt reply.
"All. What in the world can
you do with them 2"
"I'lI 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 9''
"1'll make a woman of her." Dir.
T. repeated, firmly and hopeful
". lie took them all home. They
were washed and dressed, and pro-
vided with a good supper and beds.
The next morning, they went into
the school-room with the rest of the
children. Mary was the name Of
the little girl whose chance for bet
ter things the Judge thought so
small. During the forenoon, the
teacher said to Mr.. t, in refer
ence to her-"I never saw child
like that. / have tried for an hour
to get a single smile, and failed
Mr.. t. said afterwards, him
self, that her face was the saddest
he had ever seen-sorrowfu beyond
expression; yet abe was a rery 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. !
used to have little girl here that
would wait on me, and sit on my
knee, and | loved her very much.
A kind gentleman and lady adopted
her, and she went to live with them.
miss her, and ! should like you
to take her place, and be my little
pet now; will you 20
A CLEAN of light Fitted over the
poor child's face, as she began to
understand him. He gave her ten
cents, and told her she might go to
a store near by, and get some candy.
While she was out, he took two or
three newspapers, tore them in
pieces, and scattered them about
the room. When she returned, in
a few minutes, he said to her
MARY, will you clear up my office
little for me; pick up these pa
pers, and make it look real nice -
She went to work with will.
A little more of this sort of man.
agement-in fact, treating her just
rs kind father would, wrought
the desired result. She went into
the school-room after dinner, with
so changed a'look and bearing, that
the teacher was astonished. The
child's face was absolutely radiant;
and half-fearful of some mental
wandering, she went to her, and
said +: MARY, what is it \: What
makes you look so happy 2"
"Oh E.! Pve got somebody 10 lore
me !-soMEBODY TO LOVE Me-" the
child answered 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 so cold and desolate that
she had lost childhood's beautiful
faith and hope. She could not at
first believe in the reality of kind
ness or joy for her. 1t was this
certainty that some enc loved her,
and desired her affection, that
lighted the child's soul and glori-
fed her face
Mary has since been adopted by
wealthy people, and lives in a beau
tlful home in New England; but
more than all its comfort and beau
ty. running like golden thread
through it all, she still finds the
love of her father and mother.
Shall we who have many to love,
and love us, refuse to be comforted,
to see any value and use in life, any
work for our hands to do, because
one of our treasures may be remov-
ed from our sight-from our home