Year: 1870

| LOT tWenty-lOuT hours!


The young man started at the unex-


pected address; then turned, and re.


garded the speaker for moment curl
/ ously.


The scene was Fifth Avenue and the
| time was near midnight.
Horses and carriages were dashing
over the pavement, carrying gay parties
from the theatre Or supper.
The air was crisp and chill; the stars
shore checrfully above; the lamps CLEAN.
ed brilliantly below, yet the young man
was thus suddenly accosted in the most
fashionable thoroughfare in New York,
by stranger who was almost starved,
and had eaten nothing for twenty-four
hours


Caleb, or Gale Gordon as his intimes
called him, was Woodworking young
ist-hard-working, but well paid
for he was a vastly clever and rapid
writer, and found ready market for all
he wrote; besides being on the regular
staff of one morning paper as musical
and dramatic critic


And in pursuit. of this part OF his vo-
cation he had that evening been to the
French Opera, to hear 'Genevieve'-had
stepped into Delmonico's 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
Delmonico's when he desired them, aud
knew very little about the poverty and
wretchedness of the under world Of the
great city he lived in.


Therefore he queried in a tone Of sur
prise, after looking at the questioner for
moment, you say you have eaten moth
ing for twenty four hours?'


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


Bless my soul = said Caleb. come
right along with me and get something.


You see Caleb was quite green-he
had only been in the city about six
months, having come we'll recommended
from a country newspaper, or else he
would have given her quarter and sent
her on her way-or perhaps something
worse might have come of it, who knows5
But as it was, he took her hand and
placed it on his arm. and walked her
rapidly down a side street, toward a
point where he knew there was an oys-
ter saloon that kept open all night.


1t was not exactly place to take n
lady; but it did not occur to Caleb to take
her to DelimOnico' s-besideS they were
past it.


She had said nothing further, but Ca.
leb noticed that she leaned rather heav-
lily on his arm; and as they passed a
street lamp and its light shone full in
y ho ~, hot oh
pale.


He hurried her along, and presently
they arrived at the saloon, and were
soon seated opposite each other in a
small private room or box, and table
before them.


Caleb called a waiter and ordered
glass of sherry, and, when that was pro
vided, gave it to the girl, who seemed
absolutely about to faint, and begged
her to drink it, which she did, then he
ordered substantial supper for her.


The waiter left them, and Caleb had
an opportunity to looking at his CON-
panion.


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


She seemed very young. Caleb
thought of his sister at the old home
stead in the country, and guessed this
girl must be about her age-about sew
entcen. Thinking of his little sister, too,
he could not help thinking how he
would feel if she were in such strait as
this poor creature; and he felt strange
sensation under his watch-pocket, and
he did not care to speak for moment


Then he said kindly and in 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.


Il don't like to see you cry said Ca
his voice was little tremulous,
that was soft point in Caleb's charac-
ter, he never liked to see anybody cry.


The girl raised her head, and put the
long, soft, curling hair back from her
face; and said:


You are very, very kind to me, and =
won't cry and she didn't, she stopped
which pleased him in more
ways than one.


Caleb WASN'T far out about her age
his memories of his little sister
had aided him in some occult way. She
was just about seventeen, and now that
she had gained little color, what be- !
tween the wine and the tears, was mani
testify pretty, SO at least, Caleb thought;
but SO thn--so thin


She had pretty soft, brown curls, and |
brown hair, and tender violet eyes-very |
arge; 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,
out poorly. Her hands were small, but
hey bore the marks Of labor, and the
'oreinger of he- right hand was dotted
over with little black specks, as Caleb
remembered his mothers to nave been
Shen he was boy at home, and she sat
n the arm chair, sewing for him.


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