The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-14

words came at rush, but In so trend
lous a. voice that his wife gazed at him,
wondering. "Clara-she's such a little
thing, no bigger than our Min was.
She's exactly like Min--the same hair
and eyes-I almost thought when I
first saw her it was our little Min come
back to me-
His voice quavered into silence, and
he turned his face from her. She re-
sumed her sewing with fresh energy,
and perhaps it was only some trick Of
the lamplght that made her harsh fea-
lures seem strangely softened
"It would be cruel to send her to the
| workhouse," he spoke again presently.
| .Why-why couldn't we have her
here?"
why, indeed" Mrs FAINT laughed
scornfully. AT the rate you go on we
| don't have enough for two How we
should manage to live at all with three
Look here, Clara he interrupted
| eagerly. I've been better for months
past than used to be, haven't II"
you'd good need to be-
81 know I did. But, look here! Il
was all right till our little Min went,
! wasn't 1? 1t was that that sent me all
wrong. I didn't care, and I was mis-
cradle"
AN wasn't II"
You was as fond of her as I was,
but you We're a good woman, Clara, an
| was poor fool. 1t knocked me all
to pieces. If she could come back. it
| 'ud pull me around an I could be N.Y.
self agen. An this little 'un"-she
swallowed a lump that rose in his
throat-"shea our little Min over agen
exactly. If she was here with us it
would seem Clara! Think If
it was our little Min an they were send
ing her to the workhouse! We can't
let her go there. If you'll have her
here, Clara, I'll make you promise
AN forget it Tomorrow she said,
coldly
Il swear to you IN keep it to my dy-
| ing day. She'll help me-if she comes
it'll be all as if our little Min mad
never died I'll do what that parsons
| been worrying me to do. I'll sign his
pledge for him and take that job he
offered an get right away from the
chaps 1 booze With will"
| Mrs FAINT made no response.
'Clara!" he pleaded, just the same
age, an so like Come with me an
see for yourself, an if you don't feel
it's our little Min come back to u.s.
Will you, Clara?''
Il can't come till I've finished lacking
this lining in" she cried, irritably, $50
just leave me alone'
He said no more
He waited patiently while she COM
pleted her lacking without undue haste
and when she got up, grumbling vague
| ly, and tied her bonnet on. he rose and
went with her.
| They walked back by the way he had
come, in under the arch, and so up and
into the presence of the little 'un her
self
| She ran to Mr.. FAINT at once, but he
was shrewd and polite; as soon as Mrs
FAINT had accepted the invitation of the
woman who tenanted the room and sat
down, he placed the child in her lap.
She passed a wandering hand over the
tangled golden curls, and looked intent
| ly into the dimpled face and baby eyes
that opened wistfully on her own worn
features; then suddenly folded the lit
tie 'un to her breast and began to cry
without any apparent reason. The
other woman was unreasonable enough
to cry with her, and soon there was not
dry eye in the room, except Mr.
Fant's. and his would not have been
dry either, if he hadn't kept wiping
| them on his sleeve. He found the lit
tie 'un's bonnet and jacket such an in
finitesimal jacket that he could hardly
take hold Of it with both hands at once!
he helped to put them on her and at
tempted to pick her up for the purpose
Of conveying her home. But Mrs
FAINT pushed him aside.
Leave the child alone" she said
! brusquely. You'll only be dropping
| it, or something
And she carried the little 'un home
ward in her own arnls-Good Words.