The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-12-07

"Thith lady it'll doing to put me to bed"
she said, pointing to her new friend.
"Dat's all right She gwine do dat all
right-better'n Joe. But JOEL make the
bed.
9TH dat paint on your father asked
Dolly.
"Oh. Lawd. no." said Joe. laughing. az
wish 1T was, for 1 would soon be white
folks"
Wont dat tome off?' she asked. point
ing little fat finger at his black skin.
This naive inquiry amused Joe as much
| as any one, for little Dolly seemed incapable
of giving anything but pleasure. no matter
what she said did.
The whole car was interested In the task
| to which the kind lady now addressed her
self. When she opened the satchel and
drew out the little white nightgown there
was something about it which must have
| excited very tender memories In the heart
/, of the old man. for he began feeling in
| every pocket but the right one for his hand
kerchief. No doubt he was living over
again some of the most sacred hours of his
! life, hours at the close of vanished days,
when a brood of little children scram-
| bled upstairs from the nursery to their
| chambers clad in robes like this-a process
| sion of angels of the household. Once
more he listened TO their evening prayers.
Once more he kissed their lips and heard
their fond good nights. Once more, with
his arm around his wife, he went back to
| the library to lay those plans which had
never come to their fruition.
| Where were those loved ones now? Green
! graves held all that was left of them on
earth. Long years of struggle had rolled
between those happy days and this: but a
| little white night robe with bit of lace
| about the collar had, with a talismanic
| force, revived and made them live again.
1 1t was fortunate for the kind old man
that the young lady sat beside him, for
while he felt in every pocket but the right
one she drew his handkerchief forth and
! placed it in his hand.
The little nightgown produced an effect
| no less profound upon the kind lady. She
too lived over again a sacred past, and she
protracted as long as she could the swee,
task Of bathing the little body and prepar.
ing it for sleep. But she could not pro-
long ii forever and when at last she
brought her to the berth and pushed the
curtain aside. Dolly looked up and said
| II dot to thay my prayerth.'
THAT is right, darling, kneel down al
my knee"
Her words could not be heard by Other
ears than those Of the kind lady and tn,
good God to whom they were directed blu
the college girl and all the other people IL
the car knew that she was uttering tina
sacred prayer of children, Now 1 lay mt
down to thleepth, l pray Thee, Lord, m,
thoul to keep. If 1 thould die before
wake. 1 pray Thee. Lord, my thoul t,
take
The next morning the whole compan,
of travellers waited eagerly for the appear
ance of Dolly. Every one had learned al
that could be known about her brief life
tragedy and all were eager to do somethin,
to help her. But by some superiority o
| power or purpose. the motherly lady an,
the young girl and the old gentleman hell
their own against all rivals in this sacre,
ministry.
what have you got in this great basket
Little Saint Sunshine?" asked her protect
ress, after she had performed the toilet o
her little charge.
"Thath my lunch. There are orangetl
and pickleth and-tookieth and jam an
| everything"
And were you going to help yoursel
to whatever you wanted?"
mo. The porter wath going to feed me