The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1896-12-04

crcpt into his arms he aurmured:
1T always sleeps wild mc--to keep me
warm.
After awhile the old woman arose softly
and covered both the sleepcrs with blan-
kets and slipped pillow under the child's
head. Poor little tnused curls. How pretty
they would be if they were brushed! Tho
withered hand touched them softly. When
had that hand over been laid ON q chld's
head before? And then, as though ashamed
of such weakness, she sat down again and
resolutcly looked into the fIc. What was
this child more than any other? There
were hundreds Of such children in the
streets-born thieves, every one of them,
ready to repay kindness by stealing any
thing they could lay their hands on.
But it was no use. She couldn't keep
from looking at the child, and somehow it
did seem pleasant to hear his soft breath
ing in that room, that had Eecn silent so
long. And after shO had watched and lis
tened awhile she went out into another
room and opened Il drawer that had Ecea
shut l dOn'6 know how IHanr years and
took out-a child's clnak-a long, warm
cloak, that would surely cover that little
figure III the other room from head to foot.
She looked at the cloa,. = long time, and
once she rolled it up and put it back again,
but then she took it out in n hurry and
went and sat down, with it ON Il chair be-
side her. Ah, surely, that was Il genial
fire. That icy old heart Of hers was th.gw-
ing before it, rs the snow thawS on tho
southern slopes in spring.
And i'll Il little while she made another
journey to the long shut drawers and
brought out piles and piles of clothes
coed ones, tCo, that might have been for
the child Ivy the fre-and shoes, too wrap
ped in oiled silk, as though they were made
of gold, and the jauntiest little hat YOU
ever saw. Ard then, awhile late", she
touched her bell and summoned Jane, and,
Gisrcgarding james amazed stare, said:
''Gire this child warm hath. Jane, and
put these clothes on him, and then bring
him here"
The little fellow was pretty in bis new
clothes despite the thin face that had been
blue with cold that morning. And what
pretty curlS those were, just as she had
thought they would be. The kitten took
him for perfect stranger and went under
u chair and growled at him. How lie
laughed at that-a thin little laugh that
brought the +GIrS to her eyes. Oh, it WIS
wonderful how those eyes OF hers were i'm
proving! And yet she did not say a word
to him except 70 ask him where he lived.
And then she told Jane to take care Of tie
boy and the kitten until she came back,
and she wrapped herself up and went out.
She was gone a long time. When she
came back, her eyes were bright and moist
and looked almost like q pair of new eyes.
She sat down and took the child and the
kitten both in her lap.
Little man, " she said. GIVE been to see
your uncle and aunt. They've had sick
ness and haven't been able to take care Of
their own children. And so I'm going to
send them al, the whole family, out To q
great big farm of mine, whore they'll get
well and make living, and you are going
to stay with me and bc my little boy"
The child contemplated her with serious
eyes. After awhile he asred doubtfully:
An the kitten too:"
"Oh, yes, indeed, cried the ola wom-
an, 1.-THE kitten too
They had supper there together after
ward, all three of them, and sucha hungry
boy as that was, and what pleasure it was
to see him eat! Why, this rich old wom-
an, shut up in her own gloomy thoughts,
had never dreamed there could be child
as hungry Gs that in all the world!
And, afterward, when the little fellow
insisted on wearing his new shoes to bed,
Jane and Susan had to be called up to see
that, and they made regular holiday Of
it. l don't know how many years it had
been since those old walls had echoed to
such laughter. When Susan saw that
grim, Gustcre old woman actually persuad-
ing the child to let the shoes lie in q chair
where he could touch them, and when she
saw her put the kitten into his arms, she
remarked to Jane in an awcstruci whisper
Hit 90 pear to me like de merlennium
mus be jes' roun de corner. -
And that WASH t the end of it! No, in
deed! Why, the very next day q certain
minister, whose work lay among the poor
and destitute, received a summons to call
on an old woman who had refused TO sec
him when he had called at her door once
before. And when he went, there she was
with Il small boy ard a kitten, and there
was a radiance in her face that did not
come from the fire light as she said:
Il have just found OFT what poverty is.
You see great deal of it, am told. Next
Thursday will be Thanksgiving. l have
not observed it for many years, but all that
is changed. l want You to take this mon
ey and see how far it viii 20 in giving all
the poor you know little supply of fuel
and a good Thanksgiving dinner. And will
you come back to me when that is gone? /
want the dinner to be "a good one, mind, n
regular, generous, old fashioned Thanks
giving dinner"
Oh, it was a great time in that old wom-
ans life; hut that was not all, for she sent
for an architect that very evening and be-
gan to talk over plans for Il home for
homeless children, and while sho talked
the child was leaning against her knee and
she fondled his thin little hand. After
the architect was gone she still sat there
musing. Late as it was, she said to her
self, size might still atone for her idle, self
iSh, lonely life.
And that WAS rot all yet, for when Jane
came to the door and said. with Il broad
grin Spreading al ever her face, Some
body to see you, Mis- Ar..aiiI, - she did not
hear until the somebody came III and stood
beside her and asked:
Mother, caH you forgive lie yct:"
She must have been dreaming Of him,
for she looked at him as though he were
part Of the Grcam-this handsome man,
with mouth Us firm as her own-but ina
moment she had awakened and was il his
'.4-!LSI q ; ii+iS OUT 70 MN WHO Tie tears
raincd down Eer checks:
"Oh, Dick, NY little boy, my own little
lad, don't ask forgiveness Of me! 1 need
it SO much morc!"
And there was SuSaL's face in tho door
way, illuminalgd with q radiant grin; for
had she not known where Mas Dick was
this long time? And had she not Como TO
him that very morning and told him?
Mas Dick, now's yo' time to make
frien's wifi 80 ma, for sho sho'ly is like an
Cdder oman"
And there was the little boy in Dicks
arms before YOU could think, and friends
with him from the very first minute, and
there was the kitten running up the table
cover ard tumbling down again and max
ing Il perfect whirligig of itself in that
mad pursuit after its own tail, and alto
gether there never was such Il happy time
Susan began that very evening making
preparations for the most delightful
Thanksgiving dinner that ever WIS eaten,
and while she worked she chuckIcd with
delight and took all tso credit to herself
because she had brought Mas Dick home
in the very nick OF tine.
But then, there was the little boy who
had melted the hard old heart ready for
Dick ) coming and there was the kitten
which had brought the littlo boy and
there was Jane who had left the doors
open for the kitten, and SO
But what does it matter how the Thanks
giving got into the house, so that it came?
Philadelphia Times.
No Trouble Tor Him.