"Maybe," sho began, doubtfully,
"maybo you'd bo gooder if you had
a littlo girl liko me. "Haven't you got
any littlo girl to tako care of you?"
Tho inflamed faco quivered
as tho slovenly-looking man
faltered:
L'Sho doesn't know, Marian?" nnd
as tho woman exclaimed "Certainly
notl" ho answered tho child's question:
"No, I haven't any littlo girl, and
there isn't ono who would caro for
mo."
"Yes, there Is," porslsted tho
child seriously, "sho would, if sho
was your very own llttlbglrl. Didn't
you nover havo ono?"
"Yes," ho said hoarsely, "I had
ono; sho was like you years ago,
centuries ago, wasn't it, Marian?
and becauso of her I would liko to
kissyou once."
Tho daintily-dressed child hesitated
a second, then sho looked inquiringly
at her mother,
"You may kiss him, Ethel," said
;tho woman. ,
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"My mamma nover lets mo kiss
strangers," exclaimed thcllttlochlld,
holding up quite fearlessly her plump
check, which tho healthy blood
tinged like clear, paje carmine, "but
you may kiss mo because you used
to had a littlo girl liko mo, nnd because
you didn't had her any more."
Tho child's voico sounded in his
cars like long-forgotten, music; all
the wasted scenes of a squandered
life crowded in remorse, fear and
shamo upon tho man's memory, as
his lips lingered hungrily on tho soft
flesh.
"Thero comes papal" cried tho
girl, suddenly, as sho drew away
and ran forward a few steps to greet
fine-looking man, who
pinched her dimpled chin with tender
playfulness.
Tho shabby, dissipated individual
shrank back with a groan towards
the crowd that surged backward and
forward up tho broad flights of steps,
where he could sco without being observed.
