The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1895-07-05

Shopping-and the
weird, pale face that looked so intreat-
ingly into her own was in no wise diff
ferent from a score of other want
pinched faces.
Yet Miss Fortescue stopped, with one
foot yet on the step of her cushioned
landau, and searched In her pocket for
some stray coin.
"My dear Miss Fortescue, YOU will
take cold" said the soft, measured
voice of Mrs. Vinton. her companion.
go away, child, quick, or I will call
O policeman"
Don't speak so harshly to the poor
little object, Maria!' chirped rich Miss
Fortescue. 1T isn't her fault that she's
poor and forlorn, and this won't ruin
me! Here little one-go and buy bread,
or meat or anything that will put a
streak of color into those tallowy
cheeks"
The child grasped at the money as a
famished wild beast might snap at a
morsel Of meat. But she caught at
her companions silken rustling skirts,
as she passed forward toward the
plate-glass portals Of a fashionable
milliner.
"Did you call her 'Fortescue,' ma am?
Did you say Miss Fortescue'?" she
asked.
But Mrs. vinton twitched her skirts
away from the childs hand, as If the
feeble grasp were contamination, and
passed on. Still the wild-haired elf
hung around the carriage wheels.
1T say, your she cried to the coach
man, holding her ragged garments
around her to prevent their being blown
xxyin dc
"does your missus live in a big stone
house just outside the park? Is she
an old maid?'
The coachman. deeply resentful at
being addressed thus Familiarity by so
pitiable a specimen Of humanity, lifted
his whip, and called OUT
"P'leece! I say, p'liceman," in the
same breath, and little Jack Morley
shrank away out Of sight.
"Jacqueline" her name was, but no
body called her anything but "Jackey."
She had no father or mother-in fact,
no relative that she knew Of, and, so
far as she knew, she had no earthly
business to live-no excuse for existing.
Poor little Jackey.
Children and animals do not commit
suicide. yet there are some circum-
stances under which we could scarcely
blame them If they did.
But Jack did not absolutely vanish
into the cracks of the paving-stones-
for when the two ladies once more re-
entered their carriage and drove away,
Jack fastened on behind in some linn
pet-like fashion, and rode too! Not I'M
til the carriage had stopped, discharged
its freight, and started again for the
stables at the rear of the gloomy old
mansion, did the small parasite drop,
like a caterpillar shaken from a tree,
into the road.
81 thought So" said Jackey to her
self "They shan't-no, they shan't!
She smiled when she looked at me
and she patted me on the head like I
was like other gals"
And with these disconnected medita-
tions floating through the chaos of her
brain, Jack battered down the area
steps, and knocked softly at the base
ment door.
A plump cook answered the sum-
mons.
"Murther! she cried brusquely,
whats a-wantin' here?"
II want to speak to Miss Fortescue,
please"
do you?" cried the cook, surveying
the bold petitioner in blank astonish-
ment. "Well, then, you can't, so there,
now! Go along with you, do"
''But I got suthin' very pa'tickler to
say to her. Please let me inv' pleaded
Jacqueline.
Eyes, and let out the spoons and the
table-napkins at the same time-that