Year: 1877

Bachelor Joe Willis came down the
stairs and stepped upon the sidewalk
in no very good humor. AS he walk
ed sharply to the right, his eye, half
unwittingly thrown downwards, took
in something which lay glittering up
Oh the avement.


Being born with the lump Of econ
omy large, instinct prompted him to
stoop down and pick it up, but being,
as we have stated in a bad humor, he
only grumbled out Hump it's three
cent piece Then he pushed on down
the street,


Foolish man could he not feel that
this three cent piece was his destiny?


Half an hour previous, in small
sparely furnished, but scrupulously
neat room. fair-hairsd, blue-eyed
woman, from whose cheek poverty
and hard work had not yet taken ali
the bloom, sat sewing.


BY her side stood a boy of eight or
nine, whilst upon the uncarpeted floor
was playing girl of perhaps half that
age.


The afternoon had crept on but
slowly for the trio, and the little one
had more than once looked up to lisp
out the query whether ma wasn't
most done.'


The stitches flew fast but wearisome.
ly, and the face OF the worker spoke
volumes as 10 her wishes, but, still she
answered: mo Mary


AT last she ceased for moment, and
cast doubling looks, first at the small
boy and then at the smaller girl.


John, could you not take Mary with
you and walk little? Don't go far
and then you may stop at the store
where we were last night, and buy
mother candle.'


yes, MOTHER was the answer, stout
ly given, and soon, with his little hand
clulched tightly over a three cent
piece, John led his sister down the
stairs and out into the scarcely broad
er street.


The injunction was not to go far,but
the store was nearly three blocks
away, and the two had walked to the
end of the square before the first nov.
city of tho expedition had worn of.


Then they heard clattering noise
in the distance, and paused and hud.
died together by the curbstone, half in
expectancy and half In fear.


The noise sounded louder and clear
er. Around the corner like whirl.
wind dashed runaway horse, with
the fragments of a buggy clinsing to
him. lie lurched from one side OF
the street to the other as he ran, and
neither stopped nor cared for the lit
tie shivering mites of humanity,
crouched pale and frightened, at the
edge of the pavement.


Prince or beggar, tender infant or
gray. haired old man, was all the same
to this frightened steed, who swept at
aud over the frightened couple, and
then dashed on, leav ing a bloody tum.
bled. haif-crushed mass of infant hu.
manity lying in confused and scarce
ly recognizable heap.


The empty street filled. From hith-
erto unknown doorways, and areas,
and lurking places, there started out
swarms of men and half clad girls. who
give Look and shout for the fleeing
animal, and two looks and their SYM
pathy to the wrecked infancy before
them. Tenderly the hands of rough
coated shaggy visaged men raised the
little victims and bore them to neigh
boring shop, where they might receive
some attentions, even if they were
those solemn ones that come under
the denomination of that dreary word
last.'


They were pretty children as they
lay there upon the counter, their heads
supported upon bundles of wrapping
paper.


They were pretty children, for all
their torn clothing and blood-smirch-
ed brows; and the sympathy of that
crowd was drawn towards them dOub-
ly, since it was so patent that they
were some poor woman's darlings, who
through poverty and toll, cared for
them as only fond, loving, dear
hearted mother can.


From out of the crowd that swarm
ed abont the door,csme one man, who