THE LITTLE MATCH-SELLER.

Marlborough Daily Times, Volume II, Issue 128, 11 June 1880, Page 4

THE LITTLE MATCH-SELLER.

Under the above heading, the Otago Witness of June sth, publishes the following, contributed by a young lady who recently resided in Blenheim:—•

It was a cold afternoon in the middle of December, the snow driving in the faces of those few whom business, or other reasons, had compelled to venture out. The lights were being lit in many houses already ; the half-hour after 3 had just struck at St. Paul’s. Standing underneath the verandah of a cook shop in one of the principal thoroughfares was a girl, whose pale, wan face suggested a weary experience in this world’s troubles and trials. Looking wist fully at her still large stock of matchboxes, and then at the window, she sighed wearily. Oh ! if only she han but the money for half her stock, she would buy—what would she buy 1 A penny loaf and a plate of that nice soup : for she was so hungry and cold.

Whilst musing thus, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and turning round, she saw a man’s kindly face looking at her. “ Poor little one! have you not sold out yes'? Well, give me a box or two, and here is the money. So saying the man passed on.

Looking at the money, Kate discovered to her surprise, instead of a threepenny-piece, half-a-sovereign, which the stranger had given her by mistake for threepence, perhaps not noticing the feel of the coin, owing to the cold. The man by this time had gone out of sight, and there stood our little hero, debating whether she had a right to the whole of the coin, it having been given to her, or whether the man had made a mistake, and only meant her to have threepence. If she only knew quite certainly what a little fortune' it would be. Would it be right to spend itl most likely he who gave it to her would not miss it, and if he did it would not he a very serious affair to him. At anyrate she would spend what was right, so marching boldly into the shop she asked for what she had longed for such a short time ago.

.Soon despatching her warm supper, the little one again took up her matchboxes, and wearily walked out, to face again the cold wind and snow, which seemed so pitiless to her and her poor clothes, to walk about till she had sold enough to procure a scanty lodging for the night. She held her change firmly in one hand, and with the other drew her clothes together. The next day was a bright frosty one, and Kate decided to find out her friend and return to him his money , but not that day, nor the next, nor all that week did she catch a glimpse of him.

Meanwhile time wore on, spring and summer drew swiftly on, and Katie’s circumstances gradually improved, but still she did not find the stranger. All this time the change was carefully kept sewn in her dress for safety, and if she saw him at any time she should have it ready. One summer evening, while wending her way homewards, she thought at last she saw the man who had given her the money : running up to him she was not mistaken.

“ Oh, sir,” she called out, “ I have been looking for you such a long time to give you the change I owe you.” f‘ Owe me, child ? why I have been away six months and don’t even remember vou. How was it ?

Don’t you remember, sir, one cold night last December, you bought some matches from me and gave me half a sovereign instead of a threepenny hit? Well, i thought it must have been a mistake, so I have saved the change ; here it is.” So saying she handed him the money. The man inquiring of her found out how she lived, and where, and put her in a refuge for the homeless, whore she grew up a useful woman, and now tolls this incident to her children. Tiierese.