The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-25

|
says he. You are a pore little chap; and
| he gev' me a bob. oh. he wor a nice
| gemman he were"
Such emphasis was laid upon the good
| qualities OF this particular gentleman.
| that felt assured he was being held up
| to me for imitation. why don't you go
home with your three-ha pence?' "Taint
no use" How's that?" Must have six
| pence yer know; faint no use going
home with hitler nor that DO you
always try to get sixpence at least?'
The little head was quickly nodded.
"Well. now" ] said. "telr me where
your mother lives '13. Plough Court.
Banner street, st. Luke's."
The place was not more than ten min
utes walk from where we stood. Come
on with me-" l said, land I will visit
your mother. I am a doctor. you know,
and I may do her some good without
more ado the little chap trotted off by
my side. showing me the way, darting
In and out among the people whom we
constantly met crowdlng the thorough
fare, but managing meanwhile to keep
up a never-failing stream Of talk mostly
about the mice gemman."
On our reaching Banner street. n few
minutes brought US to the corner Of a
dingy pestilential-looking court. lined on
each side by tumble-dOwn twO-ssory
houses-houses that looked as II they had
been originally jerry-buit. and bad been
out OF repair for many years back. They
reeked Of noisomcness. No. 13 presented
a set of creaky and very filthy stairs. and
without delay we began TO climb them.
up and up. until we reached a back room
on the top floor. / allowed the boy to run
I'm and tell his mother. while | waited
outside. only a minute elapsed. and then
the door was thrown open and | entered.
The room was literally quite devoid Of
furniture. There was no chair 20 sit down
on; no table 10 fiji up the space. Yet
all seemed wOndrOusy clean and out
OF keeping with tho dingy court outside
and the filthy worm-eaten staircase up
which we had come. But the human
occupants Of this bare and squalid garnet
claimed attention. Near the window on
the floor on a heap OF rags. which formed
her only bed, lay n poor deccnt-looking
|. woman, fully dressed. but having her lex
extended without a stocking. A few
words OF sympathy and explanation, and
| learned the simple story Of this poor
Ia f-starved creature who lay in that
back room within a stones throw of
thOrOughfare thrOnged with passers-by.
and where great business enterprises
were carried out. The woman was n
widow of about forty-hve. She had
wounded her leg and. instead OF healing,
it had apparently festered \ large I'M
wholesome ulcer was exposed TO view as
| examined IT, She had been twice as an
out-patient 10 the nearest hospital but
could walk no longer Nor could she Of
course any longer pursue her calling
that OF a charwOman. so there she lay,
helpless 20 move hand or foot on her
own behalf BY her side stood n little
girl OF about six years Of age-"our
Bess" she called her-a bright-eyed,
winsome little lassie. who soon made
friends with me
But Billy was tho bread-winnerl Il
was he who kept the wolf from the door.
1t was he who had boldly gone into
trade and cndcavOred to supply mother,
sistser and himself with bread. 7 cannot
say how affected I was as / listened 20
the simple story. But why did she not
so into a hospital? They would take
her in The question was hardly asked
when I felt rebuked What would be-
come Of the children" said the poor
woman. "Bily might do for a bit by
Bess--' And then the poor soul fairly
broke down. However il was only for a
minute. The tears We're soon wiped away,
and as ] looked al the calm. resoute
face. / discovered whore Bill got his
bravery from. "Why not try to get
the children into some Home or Refuge.
whore they would be- looked after while
you are taken TO the hospital and get
properly treated?" All that was what
she would like. but she didn't know how
TO set about il. Then 70 my surprise she
said: II have been praying to the Lord
all tho time I have been here TO take
care Of the children, and to KEEP our Bess
from the Streets Here, I'm this wretced
room. deprived Of everything. depending
absolutely upon q child Of nine years Of
age for food and fuel-here lay this
decent Industrious creature, in whose
breast there still burned the flame OF
faith and hope!
Mrs. Rider was indeed, found,
woman Of faith and prayer Dark as her
horizon was. I soon discovered that she
habltually exercised simple. almost
childlike. trust In God. and it was at
this moment that an incident occurred
which h4ed my own heart with glad
ness. and sent me away humbled in the
very dust. as | thought of how often /
had doubted the unfailing proyidences
and faithfulncss Of God sir" said the
woman as We talked putting her hand
under the pillow, and pulling out a copy
Of q well-knOwn Christian weekly jour-
nal Look here. sir read that" And
under my very eyes she placed a short
narrative Of one of my own rescues,
which had been reprinted without my
in this journal. How the page
had drlftcd to her / know not; but the
last lines of the story contained that
statement OF Of mine which has been so
oft-repeated and which all my readers
know so we'll: "Nevcr during all these
years have / refused Il single destitute
child who has made application at my
DOORS" There sir, said the poor crea- |
;ure. not knowing in the least TO whom
she spoke. II have been hoping and pray |
ing that God would let Billy and our Boss |
get IN there. Then | know they'd be |
safe. and they'd both be tOgther. and |
I'd go I'm cheerful 20 the Hospital"
| thought for Il few moments before ] |
At length / said slowly: 81 |
did not tell you who I am; but now l |
must let you know" The poor woman |
looked up with something like alarm |
written on her face 1 continued MY |
name is Bernardo. and l have great |
many poor boys and girls, and that is
why | asked your little lad to bring me |
here to-day. Now. if l can help you by |
leeping the children for while, l Will"
It is impossible to describe the emo
ions of wonder and amazement which |
passed over that poor mothers facet In |
l moment the tears poured down her |
,heeks. "Billy~' she called. and the boy |
an quickly TO his mothers side. "Bess.
lear" she added; and then. holding the
,xn children I'm her trembling hands she |