The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-06-10

Inab Is q BreaD plty, Ior ne never
owned it.
"But where is her He promised me
the keys last night.
"He has gone west"
Gone wesS7' An icy terror clutched
at the Norseman's heart and he reeled
backward as IL he had been struck.
''Good Godp' he groaned, sinking down
upon tho topmost step. GOOD GodP'
Tho Little Chap, seeing his distress,
wound his arms tightly about his neck
and rubbed his check against his face
He sat thus for five or ten minutes,
while the five blond bundled up girls
stood ON tho sidewalk staring at him
with innocent stupidity. Then the man
Of the house reappeared and ordered
them In harsh language to move on.
And when they only continued to stare
In uncomprehending wonder two po-
hcemen were sent for, and the whole
family were huddled into patrol wag-
on and driven to the nearest police sta
iton. There Amund, under the stress of
answering the required questions, was
aroused sufficiently from his dumb mis-
cry to send for a Norwegian lawyer, who
presently made his appearance. He lis
tened to the carpenters story and then
shook his head mou1nfully.
"You have been swindled, my
friend" he said. "You ought to have
been more cautious.
'But-but, lawyer" the poor fellow
went on, gazing into his face, with an
anguished expectancy, "he-he-sold
me-the house-and here I've got the
papers. It's all right, surely. Amt it,
lawyer?''
The lawyer looked at the paper which
was handed him and then dropped it
contemptuously on the floor.
ga very clumsy forgery" he said.
"But-but--he couldn't surely sell
me-what-what didn't belong to him,
lawyer?''
eyes. he could. if any one was fool
enough to buy"
"But, lawyer-I say, lawyer-do you
mean to say now, that-that I have
worked and shaved nigh on to three
years, and often starved and skimped
myself, for the Little Chaps sake-do
you mean to say that-that man is to
have it, and not my Little Chap?'
Beads of cold perspiration burst out
upon his brow, and the panied wonder
and stunned bewilderment in his face
were pitiful to behold. His slow wits
could not yet grasp the situation, and
he was obviously hoping against hope
that there was some terrible misun-
Outstanding at the bottom of it all, and
that sooner or later 1t would be cleared
up.
The lawyer had in all his practice
never encountered SO heartrending
case. He weighed his words we'll before
he answered, my dear friend, you
have paid dearly for your first expert
ence in the new world.
Amund, taking slowly the bearings
Of this remark, stood before him with
vacant Look of dawning terror; then
tremblingly he raised his hands toward
the ceiling and cried. with frightful
energy, "But, God, what are you doing
up there in heaven when such things
can happen upon the earth?"
There was hush as of death in the
station room. In the presence of SO
lllOASbLOLo u WLO0S CFOly OuJ bbOOu
helpless and little awed. After the
terrible explosion of despair Amund's
head dropped upon his breast, his knees
tottered, and he fell in heap upon the
floor.
the Little Chap, who had stood witt
his hands In his pockets, puzzled frown
upon his face during this strange scene,
grew suddenly alarmed as his father
fell He strove bravely to disguise his
distress, which he held to be unmanly,
but his lips quivered, and his eyes were
full of tears.
Dad" he said, STOPPING over the
PROSTATE form of his father, with a
touching air of loving protectorship,
dad, I wouldn't take on so if l were
you" He waited anxiously for re-
spouse, and when none came he con-
tinued in a soothingly comforting tone:
dad, dear dad, don't you worry. I'll
help you, dad.
The sweet old we'll remembered
phrase penetrated through the stricken
mans numb lethargy of despair. He
raised himself suddenly on his knees,
stared with Weakening wonder at the
child; then, closing him in his arms, he
burst into tears.
eyes, my Little Chap" he cried,
"you will help me. And may God for
give me for despairing as long as have
you'll"
And he arose with the Lit6le Chap in
his arms, and the two began bravely
the battle of life anew. -Hjalmar
Hjorth Boyesen in Harper's Weekly.