The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1908-06-23
Tuesday. June 3.
10 1908.
A LITTLE THIEF

woods. and make everybody useful
from three years old TO ninety.
Now Norma Was OF use no more and
! Lillino tried with all his might 10 do
his utmost TO be OF use for two. He
never doubted that he belonged TO
her or rather DE never thought about
1T; nc had always seen her near him,
and he had always heard Mamma Ro-
sa. who he had been taught To believe
was his mother, call her grandmother.
No one had ever told him that he
had patrician blood In his veins. This
poor old creature scarcely alive, ex'
cept in the warmth OF her affections
and the pains OF her limbs was all he
had on earth. and he chung 10 her
with the tenacity OF a tender and tim
i'd nature. His idea was that N he
could only get Norma back TO the
country she would become we'll and
strong -iAefe,-4Fid- eAle-te-~ssl!S
out In those green places ana
amongst those grassy streamlets.
which neither she nor he had ever for
gotten.
Il am sure she would get we'll. he
thought. as he leaned over the stone
parapet and watched the river glide
away under the moon.
| But how 70 carry her there? She
was like a log. as she said, with
limbs which were wholly useless. with
out power TO move any part of her ex-
cept her lips, dependent on her neigh
bors for every bit and drop. Nothing
! but miracle could ever raise her
again on her feet; but Lillino believ-
ed in miracles or. more truly speak
ing. miracles seemed natural to him
a constant part OF daily life.
True, he saw them no more In the
streets and the houses. but he saw
them in the frescoes, in tha lculptures,
in the carvings in the churches. and
he thought the halt and the blind and
the sick could all be cured II some
one unseen and unknown would be
good enough 10 do II. But all he saw
and heard in the unkind streets be-
gan 10 make him feel that the real
meaning OF miracles was money-that
strange. dirty. ugly paper thing
which was, he saw. so powerful In
such amazing ways What was II II
not miracle that scrap OF soiled
paper crumpled and dog-eared. could
procure bread for the hungry and wine
for the weak? Even those black-rim-
could do, only passing from hand 10
hand Lillino had not much under
standing. and Mamma Rosa had been
too busy herself all day long 10 at
tend 10 his education, either moral
or mental He CROPPED his way as he
could TO his few ideas, and his
thoughts were confused and tangled.
But these two were clear TO him :
1 a al 90 ,kn faff
back TO the country. and with money
she could be taken there. carried, he
was not sure how. but in some way
back 10 those vineyards and pastures
and running brooks where his baby
hood had been spent and her wffeie
life had passed, but the extremely
scanty means he ever gained did not
even suffice TO keep life In himself and
her and pay for their one room under
the roof.
This night. as he leaned over the
river wall. the moon was at the full,
and the water was high; II had a
strange attraction for him as IL flowed
toward the weir rejecting the long
double lines OF lamps. He Game away
from il reluctantly. not 10 be scold-
ed by the person OF the house for be-
ing out too late.
The garrett which he and the old
woman rented was mere nook under
the caves OF an old house. AS he
drew near IT, on tho moonlit flags OF
the old street he saw an object shin
ing: his feet touched II. he picked
IL up: il was a little bag OF golden
chainwork with a gold snap; he open
ed 1t; he saw II was full OF coins
such coins as he had never seen in
his life, except in little bowls In
money changers windows. The Ma
donna or Mamma Rosa had sent It.
Nothing else occurred TO him. II was
miracle An answer to his prayer.
! He slipped his hand. which he had
closed on II. into his ragged shirt. and
took his homeward way. his ears sing
ing and his brain turning and his
heart throbbing In his persuasion that
Some One In heaven. Some One had
heard ana answered his prayer. Sure
| ly il was Mamma Rosa. sitting now
beside the Madonna
Mamma Rosa had always taught
| him. indeed. that what was other peO-
Piles property he must never touch or
take. but this thing was mo ones; II