The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-03-27

- APINTO was little girl who lived
a great many years ago, aud she
was the daughter of a very poor
man, who made meager living by
weaving common cloth. When Pa
pinto was only seven years OF age she
was set to learning the weaver's trade,
for her mother was very delicate wom-
an and could not assist her poor husband
at his work. 1t was all that she could
do to look after the children-Papinto
and a baby boy named Sando-and her
little house. So Papinto was early set to
work, and when she arrived Mt the age
Of 10 she was quite proficient in weaving
common cloth.
But the price of common cloth was very
low, and 1t required the most economical
managing for the family to get enough
to eat And they suffered from want
many, many times, and Papinto often
saw tears In her anxious mothers eyes
and a look Of deep concern and worry in
her fathers eyes
It was the day before Easter Sunday,
and a slow, cold rain was falling in the
country where Papinto lived. And as she
worked at the great loom her heart was
heavy. The morrow would be Easter,
ana there had been no provision made
for the Holy Day In that poor household.
True, they all possessed the Christian
spirit, but they would have to remain at
home from Easter services owing to the
fact that they had no clothes At to wear
In public.
The day grew colder and darker as the
clouds thickened. and long before the
E usual hour for lighting the candles the
room had grown quite dim, and Papinto
could scarcely see the threads that filed
the loom. In an adjoining room she could
hear her dear, sickly little mother sing
ing the baby boy, Sando, to sleep. The
fhther had gone to the village, half a
mile distant to deliver a piece of cloth
r to tailor, from whom he hoped to re-
ceive enough money to enable him to get
coarse food for the morrow.
And SO little Papinto, 10 years OF age,
was alone in the big loomroom. working
away with all her energy. She was al
ways so anxious to show a good weeks
result from her labors. And usually as
she worked she built air castles for the
future-for her father, her mother, the
little Sando and herself And on Easter
Eve she began again building air castles.
"Oh Ii only we could find pot OF
gold under the stone floor of the kitchen"
she mused. Wed all go to Easter serv-
Ice tomorrow, and we'd burn candles on
our little altar In the best room. and
We'Q nave IL nice uiuutL loE uCdk paRns
mamma, baby brother and me. And In
the evening we'd sit around the fire and
papa would tell us stories Of the days
when the world begun. oh, we'd have
such a splendid dayI And Easter Is such
a dear time, time when every person
should do some good IN the world"
And what good would you do. little
weaver?' asked a voice from over the
loom. And to Papinto's establishment she
beheld by the dim light Of the room a
little form hanging above the loom. Pa
pinto rubbed her eyes and looked more
closely. Then she discerned the figure
to be that Of fairy, and fairy on
wings The pretty little thing was just
over the loom, and it was she who had
spoken to Papinto.
She repeated the question: "And what
would you do, little weayerT
And then Papinto, not at all afraid, an
swered But first she stopped the loom
from running. 81 would do good to all
the poor / know she replied. "First.