Year: 1870

FOunu IN the street,


"Do you know, sir, that | am half starved
that have had nothing to eat for twenty-four
hours"


The young man started at this unexpected ad-
dress; then turned, and regarded the speaker
for a moment curously.


The scene was Fifth avenue and the time was
near midnight.


Horses and carriages were dashing over the
pavement, carrying gay parties from theatre or
supper


The air was crisp and chill the stars shone
cheerfully above the lamps CLEANED brilliantly
below, yet the young was thus suddenly
accosted in the most fashionable thoroughtare in
New York, by stranger who was almost starved,
and had eaten nothing for twenty-fonr hours.
No wonder he turned to look curiously at her.
Caleb Gordon was IA hard-workng young Jour
nalist-hard-w working but well paid for he was
IA vastly clever and rapid writer, and found
already market for all he wrote besides being
on the regular staff of one morning paper
musical and dramatic critic.
And in pursuit of this part of his vocation he
had that evening been to the French opera to
hear "Genevive and stopped into Delmoncos
for light supper, and was now on his way down
to the office to write up his evenings work.
He had no one but himself to take care of,
made money enough to supply all his wants,
including light suppers at Delmonco's when he
desired them, ana knew very little about the
poverty and wretchedness of the underworld of
the great city he lived in.
Therefore he queried, in n tone of surprise,
after looking at the questoner for moment,
" You say you have eaten nothing in twenty
four hours ?"


"a bit of bread and some coffee last evening"
and nothing before that since the day before, "
and the girl gave u great gulp, something
between a sigh and Sob and turned her face
away.


"Bless my soul p said Caleb " come right
along with me and get something"


You see Caleb quite green--he had only
been in the city about six months, had come well
recommended from a country newspaper, or else
he would have given her a.quarter and sent her
on her way-or perhaps something " orse might
have come o. it, who knows2 But as it was, he
took her hand and placed it on his arm, and
walked her rapidly down a side street toward
point where he knew there was oyster saloon
that kept open all night.
1t was not exactly place to take lady but
it did not occur to Caleb to take her to belmont
co 5, besides they were past it.


She said nothing further; but Caleb noticed
that she leaned rather heavily on his arm and
as they passed a street lamp, and its light shone
full in her face, he saw that she was very pale


He hurried her along, and presently they ar
rived at the saloon and were seated op-
posite each other in a small private room or box,
with Il table between them.


Caleb called a waiter and ordered a glass of
sherry, and, when that was provided, gave it to
the girl, who seemed absolutely about to faint,
and begged her to drink it, which she did then
he ordered a substantial supper for her.
The waiter left them, and CaIe3 had an op-
porunity of looking at his companion.


The wine had revived her, and little color
tnged her cheeks.


| She seemed very young. Caleb thought of his
little sister at the old homestead in the country,
| nd sad thic irI ha ahaut bar
about seventeen.


Thinking of his little sister, too, he could not
help thinking how he would feel il she were in
such a strait as this poor creature and he felt
strange sensation under his watch pocket; and
did not care to speak for a moment.


Then he said, kindly and in IL low voice, "And
now you must tell me how all this has been
brought about, and perhaps can help you"
But the girl folded her arms on the table, laid
her head on them, and cried-not loudly, but
very bitterly.


81 don't like to see you cry" said Caleb-and
his voice was Il little tremuous that was soft
point in Calebs character he never liked to see
anybody cry.


The girl raised her head, and threw The long,
soft curling hair back from her face, and said :
" You are very, very kind to me, and--I won't
cry !" and she didn't; she stopped instantly
which pleased him in more ways than one.


Caleb wasn't tar out about her age-probably
ule memories OF MS lllLle blSttf ndu hlueu
some occult way. She was just about seventeen
and now that she had gained littls color, what
between the wine and the tears, was manifestly,
pretty, or so, at least, Caleb thoughts but so
thin-so thin


She had pretty, soft brown curls, and brown
hair and tender violet eyes-yery large and as
they looked at Caleb, through the mist of her
late weeping, he thought he had never seen any
half so expressive.


Her figure was trim and neatly clad, but
poorly. Her hands were small, but they bore
the marks of labor. and the forefnger of her
right hand was dotted over with little black
specks, as Caleb remembered his mothers to
have been when he was a boy at home, and she
sat in the armchair sewing tor him


Then the nice hot supper came in, and with
an apology, she began to eat.


And how she did eat
Caleb had not seen any one very hungry be-
fore, and he felt his eyes grow dim as he
watched her. And somewhere 10 the interior of
his being be registered an oath that she should
never be hungry again-not If he could help il
and then he thought of his little sister once
more.


At last the supper was finished (of course Ca
leb took nothing, for Delmonico had supplied
him) and as she looked up he asked her il she
woud have anything else, she said, g. am
ashamed of myself for eating 90 much but
was so hungry !" and then she went TO crying