The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-08-26
AN AWAKENING,

/ II was 100 hours past midnight and a
January storm was raging. New York
| lay II foot under the snow which had
| been falling all day and night only to
give place to an icy rain. The streets
were deserted by all save the guardians
of the peace, and even they sought shell
ter wherever, they could, secure in the
belief that on such night they were
safe from detection by the chance patrol
man. The clogged cutters afforded no
| outlet, and rivers of water ran over the
mounds of snow and gathered in pools
i'll the footprints made early iii the even
ing by hurrying crowds of workers eager
to reach their homes.
| At the desk of one of the largest and
most luxurious hotels stood Il young
| man, fashionably attired, leaning partly
on one arm, with his face toward the
| door. Near him stood the clerk, and
they were engaged in that semi-confiden-
tial chat SO usual between men of their
| habits. All life in the vast caravansary
was hushed under the dreary, sodden
sound Of the rain as it drove it's way
| into the SNOW
| Suddenly one of the doors leading to
the street swung in Il little, and what
seemed but gray bundle of wet rags
flashed through and disappeared behind
huge hall lounge beside the radiator
Despite the rapidity with which it came
and vanished, neither the eye of the clerk
or that of his companion failed to observe
1t; nor were they at a loss to understand
what it was. An ejaculation somewhat
profane escaped the lips of the clerk, as
his hands instinctively came down upon
the bell. and the almost unconscious
"F'ront!' came, as though jerked, from
his lips.
| Inc young man, on the contrary,
Strengthened himself up, and SMILE
caused either by the irritation of the clerk
or by a chance thought of his own,
broke over his face. The hall boy, who
was running to- obey the summary COM
mand of the clerk, was stopped by d
backward nod of the head and the words:
| TN attend TO this!'' The young man
then proceeded down the la II towards the
door. and came within view Of the
! bundle, which proved to be Il boy Of 6 or
! years of age.
The child was; sitting bolt upright, fast
asleep, with his little legs, stiff from the
cold, extended straight out along the
h0ot, and bis hands clasped together in
friendly embrace in his lap. His hat,
| which had fallen from his head, lay be-
SIDE him. and his long wet hair hung
straight down over his face, almost shut
ting out from view the closed eyclids.
Inc little Inquire was rigid, and the young
man stood for one moment il: absolute.
amazement. as he realized the sudden
ness with which this forsaken waif of
the street had found repose in sleep
be mad been accustomed to seeing
these boys about the great city, il, ali
| places and at all hours of the night, find
ing shelter wherever they could, and had
never given them single serious
thought. Now, as he stood there in the
qmetqde of that night, looking down on
that little, SILENT storm-beaten figure, a
realization of the extremes of life seemed
to burst upon him. He dropped into u
chair, his first impulse being to sit there
until morning, it necessary, silent guar
dian OF the sleeping boy; but, as he real
lied the saturated condition of the chil,i's
clothing and his need of change, he
reached over reluctantly, and gently
shook the little shoulder.
| At length the eyelids quivered, and
finally opened, disclosing pair of large.
sleepy, blue eyes in mute appeal for st.
For one instant their eyes met, and then
the young man, with Il single hurried
glance round. as though he was about to
do something wrong, suddenly snatched
the child from the floor placed him upon
his knee, in utter disregard of conse-
quences, and inquired if he was hungry.
! Amusement seemed to hush articula-
ton. -. -. a.> 49,.
| The silent answer came in an aftirma-
tive nod of the little head and Il bright
ening of the eyes. re-. - :
A secluded corner of the dining room
was sought, and an order given, with the
confidence of an old habitue, for any
thing and everything the kitchen could
afford at that late hour of night, now
well into morning. = T.,
| For some time, after the soup was
served, the little fellow sat in wonder,
gazing unblinkingly at his benefactor.
Suddenly he reached over and touched
him. ~.,s= I'll :. RI. -
what is it? What do you want p
asked the young man. 4 80
Jest wanted to know if yer wuz
dere! answered the boy, sheepishly. "Is
it all rite, or is it jest one of dem
dreams? p - '%est. go
T A burst of loud and happy laughter
came from the young man, as he gave
assurance that this time it was no
dream, and, reaching over, helped the
hrst spoonful Of soup: then he dropped
into silent contemplation, as he viewed
a most ferocious and indiscriminate at
tack upon everything the table afforded.
Sense of an obligation: never before
suspected began to take possession of
him, and the problem of how to deal
with it kept him silent as he watched
the food disappear in marvelously large
"Why didn't. you 60 home tonight 2" he
asked, when he thought time could be
found for an answer. ..s,..<<: =. .s:..EEt
Got ma hum!'' r. . .z=
Haven't you a father or a mother?" I.
1 FaddeE. Mudder ded." sz55
Where are your brothers and sis
u tsClnleo pot siStor - =, f4sr sslj s. +