Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1903-12-26
warm Ike summer-t time, their black ey,s

warm like summer-tlme, their black ey.s
were shining. too
TO the Union depot" Elsie had told
Jerry Flynn, and at the station thew
shortly alighted. How much?" asked
the girl, holding in her hand the crIsn
new two-dollar bill her father had
given her that morning.
We'll. ma'am, my rates is a quarter
apiece" began the smiling Jerry
"A quarter aplece!" Elsie made a
rapid mental count "Oh. / wont have
any money left to buy them something
to eat!"
But seeing It's New Years" went on
the hackman, give me half a dollar
ma am, an Wen call 1t square" and
Jerry Flynn was rewarded by the smile
in Elsie's eyes.
1t was as warm as summertime. and
on SO beautiful. At first the little
guests could only sit in a solemn little
row. staring wide-eyed at the marble
plllars and gllttering chandeliers. They
made the quaintest picture, and eyery
one stared and then smiled. and after
awhile the Wasningtons began to smile.
100, and to feel less strange and to nudge
one another and whisper together in the
1olliest way. Elsie meanwhile. was
holding earnest conversation with the
proprietor Of the lunch counter.
But you see, ;" she said, 81 have only
a dollar and half, and must keen
something to get back with. Six Guns
OF coffee at ten cents would be 60 cents
and six pieces Of pie at ten cents-oh
how can | ever buy enough for those
poor chidren!"
Beg pardon, maam, but didn't |
know you was buyin' for that orphan
asylum over there Possibly | could |
find enough for you for dollar. How's |
that? I'll take the contract of alln' |
them up for dollar.
And Elsie was glad to accept this
really generous offer They had pie and
coffee and sandwiches and pork and
beans. Some Of the articles, of course.
were not as salablc as they might have
been few days before but the Wash
ingtons did not mind this in the least.
but just ate and ate, pausng every now
and then to smile tenderly at Elsie.
When at last no one would have an
other piece of pie or another orange,
the children rolled up on the soft cush-
Ions and went to sleep for all the world
like cozy little kittens Elsie took the
queer bundle from Martha's tired arms
and fixed her own coat against the bench
that the girl might rest better Then
she sat for a long time looking about
her at her charges and thinking what
funny way it was to spend New Years
day. The station policeman, who had
had his eye on them for long time,
came forward now Were you waitln'
for train, ma'am?" he asked, touching
his cap,
"No-oh, no, thank you, said Elsie,
looking sweetly up at him.
His words put an anxious thought
into the girls mind. What were they
for, after all? Where could
they go now? She listened to the ris-
ing wind and saw the seet driven
against the window Oh, how could they
lace the storm-poor Martha Washing
ton and these little ones7 What could
they do but wait? And for whOm-un-
less it be the Father of the fatherless?
It was comfortable thought, and when,
after another space of anxious watch
ng, the policeman again came forward
and said kindly, Won't you tell me who
you're waiting for?" Elsie smiled
through the tears that would come, and
solemnly, We're waiting for
he Father of the fatherless"
He was a very kind-hearted police
nan, and perhaps was remembering q ,
title bue-eyed girl of his own as he \
listened to the simple story, for he a
lrew one rough hand across his eyes and
ana wen, llANlt SIl, SutoA gON {
ion't need to worry about them kids no p
onger, for I'll just call up the patrol and p
axe them over to the police station in \
10 time, and in the morning well see if +
ye can't get them into the colcred a
,rphan's home. | guess the Father Of
he fatheress was ookin' out for them
II the time, so you needn't worry no
nore." =,
Elsie stayed just long enough to see
hem tucked away in little white beds
" the kind-hearted matron, then the
policeman took her back to the school
Hiss Morgan was looking anxiouslY =
rom one of the windows as the strange
,air came up the long stairs. -
"Why. Elsie Lawrence" she cried, =
what on earth is the matter? Where =
AVE you been?' f.
When she heard the story, Miss Nor 9
an sat silent for long time, and there q
,as a suspicion of tears in her voice as q
he said: well, little girl, think you
ave had a very happy New Year, in 7
eed d."-Detroit Free Press,