Morgan County democrat. (Versailles, Mo.) 1900-1906, 1904-01-01
"a. George wash,ns,os, - ain. o..

goin' to CONE o. we all. cause nanny
allwus said It wus better fer to starve
ner to beg"
well. you needn't beg, Martha, and
you're not going to starve on New Years
day. You Just bundle those children
up. for I'm going to take you all to some
place where 1t is bright and beautiful,
and oh. as warm as summer-time!"
In contrast with her present sur
%roundings the great. fine depot seemed
all this. Martha obeyed wonderingly,
n 1t was n strange little procession
that filed out OF the darkness OF Moxey's
alley and a very breathless company
that clambered into Jerry Flynn's hack
which Elsie had hailed in the grandest
manner possible.
ITO the Union depot" Elsie had told
jerry Flynn, and at the station they
shortly %alighted. How much?" asked
the girl, holding in her hand the crisp
new two-dollar bill her father had
given her that morning.
well. ma'am, my rates Is a quarter
apiece" began the smiling Jerry.
"A quarter apiece!" Elsie made a
rapid mental count. ooh, | won't have
any money left to buy them something
to eat"
But seeing us New Years" went on
the hackman. give me half a dollar.
ma'am, an we'll call it square," and
Jerry Flynn was rewarded by the smile
in Elsie's eyes.
/ II was as warm as summertime, and
oh. so beautiful. At first the little
| guests could np1y, exc tn n upI,p,n 1iitla
row. staring wide-eyed at the marble
pillars and glittering chandeliers. They
made the q%uaintest picture, and every
one stared and then smiled; and after
awhile the Washingtons began to smile.
too, 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. Il rave only
a dollar and n half, and | must keep
something to get back with. Six cups
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 children!"
beg pardon, ma'am, but I didn't
know you was buyin' for hat orphan
asylum over there. Possibly could
md enough for you for a dollar. Howe
that? III take the contract of film
them up for a dollar"
And Elsie was glad to accept this
really generous offer. They had pie and
cohee and sandwiches and pork and
beans. Some of the articles, of course,
were not as salable as they might have
been a few days before. but the Wash
ingtons did not mind this In the least,
but just ate and ate, pausing 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 a
funny way it was to spend New Years
day. The station policeman, who had
had his eye en- them for a long time,
came forward now. Were you waitin'
for a 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
waiting for, after all? Where could
they go now? She listened to the ris-
ing wind and saw the sleet driven
against the window. Oh, how could they
face the storm-poor Martha Washing
ton and these little ones? What could
they do but wait? And for whom-un-
less it be the Father of the fatherlesso
It was a comfortable thought, and when,
after another space of anxious watch
ing, the policeman again came forward
and said kindly. won't you tell me who
yO~'re waiting fOr?" Elsie smiled
through the tears that would come, and
answered sOlemnly, "We're waiting for
the Father OF the fatherless."
He was a very kind-hearted police.
man, and perhaps was remembering q
little blun-eyed girl OF his own as he
listened to the simple story, for h-
drew one rough hand across his eyes and
said: well little girl. I guess you,
don't need to worry about them kids no
longer. for III just call up the patrol and
take them over to the police station In
no time, and In the morning we'll sec II
we can't get them into the colOred
orphans home. | guess the Father OF
the fatherless was lOokin' out for them