Worcester morning daily spy. (Worcester, Mass.) 1888-1898, 1898-01-09
II.-sALLY,s LUCK.

Their mother did not know that the
two children went about together, and
she thrashed Tom whenever she heard
of it, She expected the boy to do any
kind of chance street work: selling pa
pers, matches, or anything he could;
carrying a bag or parcel, minding a
horse, or doing whatever might offer.
But the girl was too small and too weak
to work, and she was therefore to beg;
and the woman hoped to trade on her
sickly looks and pale face and emacia-
ted form, and often told her that by
means of them she ought to be able to
get lot of money.
But the boy had the promise of a good
man in him, and would not let the girl
beg, as he would not beg himself: and
he worked increasingly to earn a few
coppers for his sisters food and his
own. and for little money over to take
home to the mother. He rarely trusted
her out of his sight, and tended her and
cared for her and fought for her from
morning till night,
The enemy he was fighting, however,
was one against whom all his care and
strength were useless. Disease had tax
en- strong hold of the weak frame, and
it was the shadow of death that paled
her pinched face. Lack of proper nour-
ana
tie constant cruelty in the nome" and
continuous exposure in the streets were
combining to kill the child speedily. The
| hoy OWNED something Of this and at
times when luck was against them, and
| the weather was very bad and nothing
could be earned. he would look visit
fully into her face. and the sorrow
YOU'D make him cold and frightened,
| and his brave heart would quail as he
J XEnnlAHpfI w me- ahn To- - l,,a
We're left alone and the child were to
| die. This feeling would always act as
an incentive to him to make harder eff
| forts to earn money so that he might
| give her whatever she seemed to fancy.
/ Her fancies were not extravagant, and
a penny OF two would always satisfy
! them; hut the boy had not always the
/ penny to spare. and it was at such
4 moments that life seemed hardest
! He hid from her every hint of his Sc
! cret fear, and was always as cheerful
and hopeful as he was gentle and kind.
On this morning, he went first to the
| place where he could replenish his stock
1 of matches Then he bought some
bread with the pence which he had
| taken on the evening before, and he
| put the child on the doorstep and gave
! her the bread, while he tried to sell a
/ few boxes.
He sold five or six boxes very quick
ly TO those men who were hurrying ear
/ ~ to business. and then he went and
4 sat down by his sister and ate a little
! of the bread, and afterwards went to a
street fountain for a drink of water
! faint it cold. Tom?" said the child
as she slipped the water out of the drink
ing-cup.
Don't drink no more o that, Sally
/ said the boy; Il don't know what we'll
! do. Come along o me-" and he took
I her by the hand The old fear was
/ strong in him today and he led her to
| where coffee-stall keeper was getting
ready to pack up and go home for his
1 days rest
| "Will yer sell US 'aporth o. corfee,
\ guynor?" asked Tom
/ NO, yer young raskil, 1 won't Wot's
I the likes o. you to do drinkin corfee like
! young swell2" growled the man rough
1 IT,
faint for me, guvnor," answered the
/ boy, mis- heart swelling its fur my sis
! ter Sally ere. She amt strong, and the
waters orful cold TO er inside. I don't
( want no eorfee, don't.
Ere y are. said the man, when he
( mad looked at the child. Never mind
( the 'ap'ny. It's only leavins. Why amt
| she at ONE? She admit ought TO be out
! in the streets like this
J But Tom pretended no. 20 near the
/ question, and gave Sally me coffee and
watched. her drink it. The mans words
had frightened him about her more than
before. When she had finished it. ne
/ led her away. and thinking OF nothing
/ but aer comfort, found out place
where the wind could not lNacn her and
the sun was warm. and SAT down with
/ her and cuddled her close 70 him and
4 kissed her, and very nearly cried over
I her
Presently. however, he thought Of his
mother and of the tErashing they would
both get If he didn't earn some money,
50 he left the child and went off again
to sell his matches; but his thoughts
were all Of her, and he kept running
backwards and forwards al day to see
how she was getting on
Late in the afternoon, when he had
I been away longer time than usual, he
Went running down the street, and met
/ the girl coming towards him, her face
glowing with excitement and her eyes
shining brightly, as she held out her
right hand to him with coin In it, and
cried;