The officer, on entering, found no one
in the cabin but three children—the
youngest about three years old, and the
eldest six. The hut was cold and cheer
less; there was no fire. The two elder
children, alarmed at the presence of
the officer, exhibited discolored eyes
and faces, which bore evidence of suf
fering and recent tears; while little
Willie, the youngest, was crying and
inuppeaseablc, moping aimlessly around
the cabin, looking into the empty closet,
and putting his little hands mechani
cally into the empty dishes on the table.
“ What made you steal the bread, my
girl?” asked the officer. At mention of
the word “ bread,” little Willie looked
tearfully and piteously in the man’s
face. The girl hugged the little fellow
frantically in her arms, covering him
with tears and kisses.
“Oh, my poor little brother!” she
cried, bitterly. “ What will become of
you now P This man is going to take
your Lena away with him!”
Here the child threw his arms around
her neck, as if to detain her by force;
while the other two children screamed
piteously.
The officer, suspecting the actual state
of affairs, began to.investigatc.
“ Is there no coal, or nothing at all to
eat in the house?” said he.
“No coal, no bread, nothing to cat!”
replied the girl, wringing her hands:
FROSTBURG, ALLEGANY COUNTY, MARYLAND, SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23, 1880,
and poor W illle and the rest of us nave
had nothing to cat since yesterday morn
ing.”
I Here the officer went, away, saying
that he would be back again in a short
time.
"Is the man gone lor bread? ’ asked
i the oldest of the children.
| “Hush, Mollie, dear!" said Lena.
“ I don’t know what he is gone for.
