Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-12-30
3. FOL D GH RI 1

!. The konan had stated her ca She
No. 3 well Eoy1ned woman and her faco
bespoke her 6 OF the SOCIAL eleot. The
charity she represented was In want
new dre escape was needed for one.o the
soutbuildings and the ladies' Aid sOcisH
had undertaken to collect the money from,
the charitably inclined. e -. S rs
The man listened quietly and thsn told
/ the woman: he would see what he could.
do. He arose and went into the inner Of
fee, intending TO send out crisp % bin.
but on opening the money drawer e was<
confronted by q glittering array Of new
and 10 cent pieces And then this thought
came upon him:..s "zzzzss.s@
! Instead Of giving 80 to this charity for
fire escape, why not take 81 in dimes and,
niokels and 60 out on the street and giveis
to every poor person who asks you until
the entire 81 il gomez"
And 50 he told his clerk to inform thol
woman who was waiting in the outer Of |;
fee that unfortunately a, contributiont
could not be spared today. - > s.
1t was O'Clock in the afternoon, thof.
lamps were lit, the streets were 1nstinotE
with life, the air was keen. And 50 he.
buttoned his oyercoat. put % in loose.
change in one Of his pockets, and putting,
on his hat and gloves he walked into the
street. ,-<.ss5- >'.
"A little girl, with q shawl pinned over
her head, with dress whose scanty, knee
high length showed a pair of pitifully thin,
legs-a girlwith a half fed expression and
general uncared for lo0k-called out in q
plaintive voice, "Matches, sir-two boxes
for cents.''
He stopped, and, giving her 3 cents.
took the two boxes of matches.
"Do you keep all you maker
"No; only keep half-Mrs. johnson
gets the other half
"Who's Mrs. Johnson"
"The lady lives with.''
The man dived down into his pocket and
f1shed up dime. "Here' 10 cents extra
for you, mind-not for Mrs: Johnson
"Oh, can't do that answered tho
little girl "You see me mother tole mo
afore she died that no matter how was
tempted that I should keep honest. Aud
then Mrs. johnson started me in business
she bought the matches for me. I'll
have to give her half-it wouldn't be
right, you know, to keep it ALL
"That's true," said the man, quickly
there's 10 cents for Mrs johnson
there darted through his mind the thought
that he, q man of the world, had learned
lesson from little child who sold
matches.
And then, as he moved away, and said
goo d.: ight" ho did something strange
for a luan of the world to do-he lifted
his ta6 to the waif of the streets.
"DO YOU want any pencils, STRIP
He turned to the old woman-a kindly
faced old woman, wrinkled, bent. She
carried q little basket OH her arm.
Eyes he answered-'I did want
pencil. What else have you got there?'
She looked down in the basket to make
quick inventcry-'' Needles, pins, soap,
pencils, darning cotton, shoestrings, hat
pins, backing, combs, matches and tooth
brushes. ~
"Well, give mo a pencil. box of
matches and needle"
"A needle?" she said smiling up at himf
-''why, bless your heart, sir, don't sell
single .Eeedles-nobody does You buyI
'em by the paper
"Ah,' he said, refectively-'1 guesst
you'd better give NE toothbrush then. 81
That makes 20 cents altogether, - she
said
He gave her 20 cents, and was about to
move away after she had thanked him,
when suddenly he bethought him to ask
her how old she was.
"Sixty -four on the Sd of April next"
she said.
"sixty four" he said thoughtfully;
land no one to take care of your"
"Oh, yes, indeed, there u.s." she answer
ed brightly my husband. I only do
this to keep out of mischief You see,
he's night Waterman. Goes on at
O'Clock in the afternoon and stays on I'M
| til in the morning. don't know what
| to do with myself, so / go around the
street selling these things SO as to keep
from being lonely. pay the rent every
month Just from these little things. she
added proudly.
He looked at her half pityingly, half ad
miringly. Then he asked: "But what do
| you do at II O'Clock at night" ~: 80
Why, you see, John is Waterman In q
| big place on Delaware avenue, and every
! night at II O'Clock 60 down there with:
supper for him-for the mans hungry
by that time. And stay with him talk
ing until O'Clock in -tne morning-for;
you see, that's the only time we have to
see each other and have long talks. He's
| been there % years, and haven't missed
night, Sundays and week days, from Sec
| ing him-rain or shine, heat or cold. -
,"And how long have you been mar
ried2"
"Since was IS, sir. That's pretty
close on to 46 years ago. she added, smil-
ing. ,>- = ~, ~ r
1 "And for 81 years you have gone down
to SEQ him every night at II O'Clock and
have gone away at 9 In the morntngf"
The mans tone was increduloQs. Is
4 Indeed l have" she said proudly.
For there's not another In the world like
him." 7z5esi < I9sss = ~ <esa< =
He helped her across the street 4 Il;
because she was an old lady, and, second
4 ", because travel had congested at that
particular corner. And when she babe
him CHEEKY good night he lifted his hat
and bowed low to her with Difference and
| reverence that was her due.
For she had loved the same man for 46
/ yearsi 4e33ss5.H
The man walked up the street rapidly.
Before he had reached the next corner !
fire engine went laundering and Changing
! past him. He watched II until IL wheeled
sharply out Of sight two blocks farther up.
! wonder he said to himself, ST wQns
der II fought to have given those % tor
j the fire escapey" 55g
i Then the bent old lady who had tho lit
i flo haakat and whO ha1 lowed tl,n ~,.,n..