Year: 1879

! girl stood by the counter, holding q
large package for the dealers inspection.
/ Her eyes followed his motions vistfully
as he took it and removed the paper
wrappings, displaying the lustrous folds
of silk dress, made in a quaint, old
fashioned style.


"How much do you vants' he ques-
toned at last.


My mother thought five dollars
would be little enough for it. The silk
is very good. 1t was her wedding dress. .


The man raised his eyes and hands in
establishment.


Give dollarsl The little Miss is not
in earnest. I will geef but two
The child's lips quivered, but she did
not speak.


"Vell, viii say three, but is too
much. The-vat you say 2-the style Is
too old-too DID, and with a deprecat-
ing, suggestive shrug of his shoulders,
ne placed the money in little Adelaide's
out stretched palm. AS she received the
dingy looking bills and accompanying as
dingy pawn ticket, she turned with q
disappointed sigh toward the door.
What followed was the work Of n mo-
ment. A rough young hanger on about
the place saw the bills in her hand as
she came out into the street, caught
them from her with a jeering laugh,
then ran swiftly away with his booty.


For moment she stood bewildered,
hardly realizing what had happened.-
Then with cry Of, ''oh, my poor moth
er !" she sank down upon the steps and
began to sob bitterly.


But help was near. A passing stranger
had witnessed the theft and had given
indignant pursuit, and forced the young
miscreant to disgoTge his plunder. Then
hastening back to the side of the sobbing
girl, he said.


"Here is your money, little one. Don't
ever be SO careless again, especially in
neighborhood like this.


By this time a group had gathered
around the two, watched them with
sinister looks, evidently IN full sympathy
with the young ruffian who had been SO
summary disposed of by Gerald Car
mans strong arm.


He took in the surroundings with one
swift glance, and determined not to
leave the helpless girl until she was in q
safe place.


eff you are willing / will walk little
~yoy Nth YOU" lac said III undUrt0uo.
81 like not the company hereabouts-
They look as though they might work
you more trouble"


Thank you" said the girl, gratefully.
Il was never here before, but mother
was so sick she had to send me"


She was wee bit of thing, and look
ed even smaller walking beside her pro-
tector. Her face was an interesting one,
though wan and pale; and her eyes were
OF that deep gray color which, IN the
Gde SllddON VI t1c iouS, etatl n ihohOS,
looked like black. They shone out from
beneath a tangle of curly hair, which
glistened in the sun like molten gold.
But Gerald thought not of any promise
of beauty IL the child. His memory
was busy in the past, when he had press
ed lingering last kiss upon the fore
head Of little sister who was to be laid
away from sight under the daisies. Of
ten had he threaded his fingers through
her curls-iust such another mass OF
cleaning, tendril-like gold; and his
heart warmed to the owner of the hand
Nesting so confdingly in his own broad
palm, while she told in artless words Ler
simple story as they walked along.


Her father had been q sea captain.
He had sailed away on three years
voyage, hoping to come home rich en-
ough to stay for the rest of his life with
his family. But the news of his death
had reached them and they had heard
nothing since.


Mamma had lived in the country"
said Adelaide, in conclusion, land when
our money was nearly gone she thought
it would be easier TO find work here, so
we moved. She has not felt able to sew
lately, and has had to pawn one thing
after another, until all was gone but her
wedding dress. She was too sick to
take il this morning, so she had to trust
me. She was afraid | would get lost in
the big wicked city; but L told her God
watched over the little birds, and He
would surely do the same by me; and
He did. It was God who sent you
and she turned and looked up into his
face with admiring, reverential eyes.


Gerald flushed little, but her simple
child faith was too refreshing to disturb
by any commonplace disclaimer; SO he
said, to turn the subject from himself:


"Was not your mamma very sorry to
part with the dress Z"


Indeed she was. | never saw her
cry so but once before, and that was
when we heard that papa was dead


1t was easy for the sympathetic listen
er to form an idea of the destitution
which threatened the family. A paltry
three dollars only between them aud
want


They had by this time reached the
door of the dwelling house which shell
tered the widow and her child.


May come in % he said, 81 would
Ike to speak TO your mother of friend
OF mine-a young doctor. He is very
skillful, and might help her.


''Oh, SIR said Adelaide, brightly;
then her face<clouded; "but we have no
money to pay him.


ssThat VIII he all riCbt - said GaraI5