The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1895-09-05

who sat huddled up beside her. care
you sick?" she inquired, anxiously.
The man raised redeemed, bloated
faced, and gazed uusteadily at her.
"Yes," he said huskily, ''sick OF life"
A mist gathered in the old lady's
eyes. III was once so. too. she said.
sympathetically, "when my Eleanor
was taken; but with the Lords help
I'm living it down. Maybe some
body's dead belonging to you"
"I'm dead to them," said the man,
bitterly, sinking into his old position.
Mrs. Petit was mysti6ed; but this
was plainly trouble that catnip can
not reach "a trouble OF the heart.
"Pm sorry for you," she said,
quaveringly, laying her quantity
Gloved hand upon his arm; "but
whatever your trouble is, with the
Lords help you can live it down"
"l02," said an officer, touching the
man on the shoulder.
The man rose to follow, hesitated,
then held out trembling hand.
"With the Lords help, when l get
out Of this I'll try to live it down" he
said, huskily. He looked at the
withered hand within his own mo.
ment with twitching lips, then gontly
laid it down and left the room.
Down the rows OF poor humanity
moved Mrs Petit. Ginger cookies
caused baby eyes to shine, and kindly
words dropped like rain upon arid
hearts. The brown basket brought
forth lunches of fragrant June pinks,
clusters OF elder blossoms aud pack.
ages of marigold seeds. A bottle OF
home made cordial and dozen fresh
eggs were put into the hands OF n
young woman with hectic cheeks and
hollow cough, who held waywarj
brothers hand anxiously in her own.
"Therc won't be much left for Johns
Wife" thought Mrs. Petit, regret.
fully; "but dear knows these poor
creatures need 1t. -
Two hours later the doors swung
violently in, and nm excited group Gu.
| tered. An old gentleman with n fringe
of white whiskers under his chin, n
tall young gentleman looking very red
and excited. aud two officers. A mo.
ment's conversation at the desk, aud
IS was called.
But "JS, close in conversation with
two little vagrauts, the baby girl in
| her lap and the boy at her side, with
traces of tears still upoa her old
cheeks, had forgotten that she had
ever been given number.
"You will never be hungry again, ="
she was saying, solcmnly, "never
beaten, never forsaken. Eou shall 60
home with me, AMI Tony shall own the
dog, while the white kitten that will
drink nothing but cream shall belong
to the baby sister.
"Mother - said voice at her side
"A voice in which there were both ioy
aud tears, AMI III moment a pair OF
strong arms had her in their embrace.
Lacy" said another voice, which
souu led like Ephraim's mutilel with a
feather bolster, "l'il never forgive
myselifo losing Won never"
"Why, john" SAIL Mrs. Petit,
"and Ephraim, tool I'm glad you've
come. There is 80 much trouble in
world, and here I've been sitting to
home shutting my ears to it. Ephri'
i'm, know you won't care. You've
never opposed me in anything III my
life. I'm going to take these children
home with me and keep them. There's
nobody in the wide world t. look as'
ter or do for them"
"But, mother, such charge at
your age - began her son,
John, said Mrs. Petit, with the
solemuitv of conviction, "it's the
Lords call. They're sweet, handsome
little things, aud such life rs they've
led? Ephraim, you don't object? We
will call the baby Eleanor, III memory
OF our own"
For answer Mr.. Petit stopped an
lifted the baby girl in his arms.
al guess we've got money enough &c
hire IL nurse if they are charge h
said, triumphantly. John, you're Il
lawyer; you can fix up the papers a
soon rs you like.
Aud so the losing Of Mrs. Petit
like the wandering OF clear broo.
over parched meadows, leaving fresl
and grateful all behind, carried alsr
on its bosom to harbor of safety tw,
tender human souls. New York lnle
pendent
A Growing Industry.