The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-02-03

poor old fellow; he wasn't accustomed
10 laughing.
20. / am old enough TO be your grand
pa my dear. Where do you iiVef
Mamma and live in the second mousse
from here. way up near the top. It's so
hard to climb the steps. ! wish we could
live near the street. Bat mamma says
we can't get enough money
The old man sat down on the chair
near the Are AID the girl stood beside
him. She Interested him strangely. Her
fresh beauty and loving simplicity
aroused In HIM feelings to which he had
been a stranger since that night when
he had returned from the theatre to
find his house vacant, his wife gone.
From that day he had never felt an inter-
est in any one. Now. his thin. blue lips
were quivering with emotion. The un-
conscious path0s OF the little beauty's
words touched him deeply.
do you know, 1 wish mamma had
more money"
why do you wish THAR
Because | saw such a pretty cloak
down in store and / did want II so
much. but mamma says 1t costs too much
money. she looked 50 SORE | thought
she would cry"
What store was H. dear?
ITS the big one with all .he dresses
in the window. It's right down by the
corner. DO you know now
40. yes. Was II pretty cloak
Eyes, it was so pretty. Req WIN
brown around the neck and on the
sleeves. It was right by the door but
mamma says it, costs too much here
comes mamma now. Goodbye. sir. nope
you won't be cold tonight
She took her mothers hand and they
went out of the door. The old man walked
toward the counter TO buy his bread
when the door opened and the little yell
ow-haired girl rushed in. dragging her
mother after her. Coming 10 where he
stood she said:
Lean over. | want TO whisper some
thing IN your ear. / forgot it just now.
he stopped, and her long hair brushed
his cheek, as she said softly:
Il hope this birthday and all your
birthdays viii be 50 happy. Goodbye,
sir"
lie stood and watched her as she went
along the store aisle 10 rejOin her mother.
Then he looked al the woman. Were his
eyes deceiving him, or was II -.
"Who is Shc-the MOTHER he asked
the baker. after she had gone.
She's Mrs. Marshall lives just above
here. one Of the finest women in the
world. too"
Us her husband living?'
no one knows. He treated her badly,
and she left him. That was six years
ago"
How does she manage to live"
"ra5cs in sewing. She has a beautiful
child"
yes, pretty enough" muttered the old
man. well, good night"
lie walked slowly out of the store and
began his w5ik back to his room. y
sudden thought seemed TO strike him, and
he turned back He passed the bakery
and went along 10 the great dry goods
house on the corner beyond. There, by
the door, was the little red and brown
cloak IL bore q card. He looked closer
at It. The price was five dollars. lie
thought OF the chid's words, Mamma
says IT costs too much" Yes, too much
for her; too much for him. How he
wished that he could send II 10 her.
What q sweet child she was, He stopped
on the sidewalk. snow UP 10 his ankles,
the fierce wind beating upon his bent and
shrunken form. Il was strange that he
should al last meet his wife. with her
child. or rather. their child. She had not
recognized in him the handsome, erect
man Of few years before. 1t was best
that she had not, ne Thought She proba-
bly, supposed him dead; he would be so
before long How changed everything
was When he had last seen her they
We're in comfortable circumstances. Now
she was poor; he utterly destitute and
diving by inches. Their only object OF
mutual interest. the girl Jane, d.d NOT
know him, and never would.
Wish eyes dim with tears he took "a
last look at the cloak for which his
little daughter had wished. Five dollars!
He shrugged his shoulders. II might as
we'll have been five thousand. lie had
| five cents, no more Sadly he turned
away and went back 10 his room, st.ll
thinking Of the little girl and the cloak.
He climbed the long stairway. and. feel
ing in the dark for the door entered the
cold attic.
He lit the bit of candle and set II in an
old bottle. his candlestick. \ paroXyism
of coughing made him sit down FOR Is mo-
mcnt, while he regained his breath. He
was so cold that he could hardly unite
he string and mwrap the paper from his
bundle OF food He warmed fis hands 10y
the candle flame, and broke off piece OF
hread-he rad no knife.
As he sat on the box eating his sup
per" his eyes wandered about the dimly-
| lighted room. II was bare of furniture.
His box was his table, his two old
blankets spread on the floor. his bed.
How could he live after tomorrow As
for the red and brown clOak-tooiish
though the idea was-he could not drive
it from his mind; it was out Of the ques-
ton
His last glance fell upon a long, slender.
paper wrapped package. standing upright
by the window. He started The bread
fell from his hand The cane-why not
sell that? II was ebony, with a gold head.
The only relic of the days OF his prosper
iiy. II would buy the cloak for the child
his child.
lie sat buried in thought. To sell the
cane seemed like parting with half his
life. lie had often, even while suffering
with the pangs of hunger. held that pol
ished stick in his hand as he recalled the
days before his selhshness had ruined HIS
home and life. Everything else had gone
but he chung TO this last precious memen-
to of his past with tenacity born OF
despair.
He tried to think Of her as she had
looked when she gave it to him-young,
handsome and graceful. He remembered
it quite clearly; how she had kissed him
when he promised never 10 part with 1t.
He raised ~ head; he could not let this
sacred token OF a dead love 80 out OF
his sight.
With "a great sigh, ne walked TO the win