The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-06-18
WHO lit that great lamp of the
 AZ heavens which looked into the little attic room of Gertrude

WHso. t that ,sn great aoh"a a%D n 9 the the
 W little attic room of Gertrude after old Nan had boxed her ears and sent her to bed, locked up in the cold and dismal room beneath the roof? Gerty saw one star shining through the window and concluded that Trueman F'lint-Uncle True she called him-had done it. Who else could light the lamps that gave her her only comfort in her dreary life? Night after night had she sat upon the steps of the squalid house where she lived with the woman who. seemed to have charge of her, looking for Uncle True to come along and light the lamps that burned and fickered along the street after him. It was her only joy in life poor child-that and being able to es- cape from the cruelties of Nan Grant. the woman who gave her shelter and made her young life miserable.
 The house was a miserable one, sit uated near the docks on the Boston waterfront and Gerty used to like sink away once in while, and, secret ing herself in nook of boards in the neighboring lumber yard, to smell the tsalt breath of the sea and speculate upon the mission of all those white sails which went in and out of the harbor. Nan Grant had her reasons for keeping Gerty. She knew whose child she was and that there were pos abilities" in giving her the scanty fare and care she did. Also she could get work out of the child young as she was.
 One night, when in her desire to see how Trueman Flint lit his lamps she had got so close to hinS that he stum- bled against her as he came down his little ladder, the old man had said: My little one, hope I have not hurt you. I will bring you a present tomorrow night" And he did bring her a pres ent. It was a kitten-the last thing that Nan Grant would have in the house. That kitten was something for Gerty to love-something she could be kind to. But Nan soundIy cuffed her and drowned the kitten. Gerty, in a rage. threw the first thing she could get hold of at Nan Grants head. It was stick of wood and 1t struck the woman hard. She grabbed the girl and, rushing her to the front steps, pushed her outside. saying: %rhere, go away I have had enough of you; never darken my doors again.s
 It was the next night after Uncle True had given Gerty the kitten that he came along lighting his lamps and found the poor girl shivering there It was a bitterly cold winter night
 Why, my little friends" said he, why are you here?" "Old Nan Grant put me here" replied Gerty; T threw a stick of wg9d at her and hit her I wish I had killed her. Old Nan Grant, I hate you, hate you, hate you"
 The lamplighter was shocked to hear such words from this little girl. He labored with her while and soothed her, Where are you going tonight. my dear?" said he finally. q ain't going nowhere" replied Gerty. But you will freeze to death out here" Well, Il don't care. Old Nan Grant won't have me in the house. Can I go home with you?"
 She looked up into his face trustingly and the old man, after a moments hesi- tation and recalling charitable woman. Miss Graham, who might advise him in 'he circumstances, said: "Yes, my dear, I am poor, lone old bachelor and do not know how to take care of little girls But come with me I cannot leave you to perish out here" Miss Graham the charitable woman of whom IJncIe Trus had thought, was the blind daughter of HIS former employer, Boston merchant
 Trueman had been injured Cthrough his own carelessness) by a barrel rolling up- on him while in the employ of the mer- chant. And the merchant, a very wealthy man, had procured him the position of street lamp lighter. In those days gas was an innovation, and today people not so very old can remember when the lamp lighter came around with his torch and his little ladder to light up the dark ehing streets. Trueman lived in the back part of a rather squalid house-his means would afford no more-and Miss Graham saw, every now and then, that the old man wanted not. In the front part of the house lived Mrs. Sullivan with her son, Willie, and her father-the sexton of a neighboring church, a grouty old man named Cooper. When Uncle True brought his charge home kind Mrs. Sullivan was only too delighted to help him in the care of her. The poor widow was no more impressed with Gerty than her son Willie was, however. And then Miss Graham came to see them, and for the first time since she could remember Ger ty had new clothes paid for by Miss Gra- ham and made by Mrs. Sullivan
 One night Uncle True brought home with him an image of the praying Sam uel. What is he on his knees for?" ask ed Gerty He Is praying said Mrs. Sullivan. What is praying?" asked Ger ty. This was rather hard question, and after they all had labored with her. trying to explain-Gerty got this impress sion-that God was in heaven-that His power was great and that people were much better by prayer. Which, possibly is about all that any of us get. That night. when she went to bed, she saw a great star shining through her window And as she gazed she said: "God lit them