Middletown transcript., 1895-11-23

tufkeyj; GtlHeS IOr oacn cnllO IN tn
\ house; pipe and tobacco and fresh roll
> for old Madame Pierrot, whose pip
was the only solace of her dark life.
II Mademoiselle held her purse tightl,
, in both hands, she was SO afraid every
one would notice its unusual bulk
r She trembled with excitement. Whel
. she reached home she could hardly
wait for the provisions to be sent
Then the distribution-tha was done
as quietly and secretly as possible
After her soup and bread Madamoiselle
remembered sick woman some dis
tance off. To think of forgetting Lucy
laid up with broken leg, with mother
| and crippled boy dependent upon hel
To be sure she knew her but slightly,
and when Mademoiselle has nursed heI
she had scolded her-poor Luciel her
troubles had made her sore and rebel
lious. She would go at once. Thank
heaven, the shops were not closed, and
there were two near by.
| Later, staggering under her
load, Mademoiselle hurried down the
| street; then off into less respectable
part into the DEVILS Alley. Loud
swearing, druHken brawls reached her
ears, but no one molested her. She
expected no thank and went to the
iIvalid's bedside tAp planning in hurried
fashion that she wanted tuem to ''have
~ happy day lo-morrow."
81 lock as if Pj be happy" Lucie
said IN he: harsh voice. II see myself
givin' thanks for all this trouble,
through DO fault u mine"
The old mother uncovered the bas-
ket with trembling hands. "It's oys-
tiers, Lucy, an beef. an lots o things"
she said, ina high, shrill voice. "Think
O. thatf It'll last US days."
The little Mademoiselle rose to go;
she knew by experience what the long
ing eyes and trembling hands meant.
She had known hunger. She put some
money in Lucie's thin hand.
"Say, thou'It a Christian; l never
knew one BEFORE" said the harsh voice.
ut isn't mysel mademoiselle. it's the
others wantin' for things that makes
me wild. There thou'rt good one."
Mademoiselle went out in the night,
LGcie's words ringing in her ears. She
seemed walking on air, and hardly no.
tieed the noise and ribald language
about her, until a rough-looking man
barred her further progress.
"What yer doin' in our placer" he
asked fiercely. But Mademoiselle-
she was so small-slipped under the
uplifted ann, and sped swiftly on. Her
breath came quickly, but now that it
was over, her usual CAIN courage came
buck to hel. She turned the corner
and ran into someone coming in the op-
posite direction. 1t was a young girl,
tall, slim, wretehedly clothed. Her
face was drawn and white; her great
dark eyes wore mixture of anger and
despair. The keen eyes of Mademoi-
sell, accustomed to scenes of suffering
and sin, took her in at glance.
SIZE caught her arm and said, look
ing into the passionate eyes: "Let me
help the; thou art in trouble. Tell me
thy sorrow or wrong" The gentle
voice had certain determination as
well. The girl looked amazed, defiant;
then, seeing only the plain, good face
looking into hers, she burst forth into
a queer patois, vehement, eager, de-
spairing.
"It's mine father! he treats me
worse an worse. There are only us
two. work so hard, an tries to keep
decent, but be takes all my money; be
beats me, he hates me; it is the liquor.
Tonight he drove me out and tell ne
never no more to come back, cause
why | lose my place in factory yest'day,
am earn no more. have no place to
go but re river-let me go and end it
all.n
The little Mademoiselle took frmer
hold of the trembling figure. With
her free arm she stroked her hair.
Something in the touch had astrangely
soothing effect on the desperate young
creature. "Come home with me, am
all alone in the world, too. We will |
comfort each other," Mademoiselle |
said gently. "Come." The girl's eyes
opened wide in amazement. She was
quick to read human faces; she was
forced TO feel confidence in this little |
woman. who looked at her SO stead |
fasily, SO compasstrnately.
You don't know me; pelhaps Pm
guy IN you," she stanlmered.
Come" The other said, leatliug her
fnwald. why, forget all about
my own Thanksgiving" Madenoi-
sele thought, with surprise; "But
then didn't know | was to have COM
pany." There was little shop open
on her way. She bought her dinner,
asking her companion what she pre-
ferred in the way Of food. The girl
looked on as if only half comprehend
ing. ~
Mademoiselle did not sleep much,
she had so much to think of; but the
girl slept exhausted. by her side.
The next morning Mademoiselle
would not disturb her strange guest.
She went to work. Suddenly voice
startled her. Il thought I'd dreamed
il. Do you mean itall. honest, true?
II kin live with ycu LII work till I
1rep. III learn. an I'll run fer you"
The girl Was sitting up in bed, and