AN ANGEL'S TOUCH. BY JOSEPHINE POLLARD.

Waikato Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1607, 21 October 1882, Page 2 (Supplement)

AN ANGEL'S TOUCH. BY JOSEPHINE POLLARD.

A little maid, whose looks betrayed A sorrow far too deep for tears, Stepped in the store, ('twas known she bore A burden weighty for her years.) And, with the nickel in her hand, She lingered till the clerk was free To wait upon her. She had come ! To purchase five cents' worth of tea. Men stood not far off, by the bar, 1 In haste the whiskey -fire to quaff, The glasses clinking as they drink, As if it were the demons' laugh. They turned away the score to pay, When one among them chanced to find A little maid asleep ; her head Against a barre.l near inclined. E'en while She slept, the coin she kept Still tightly guarded — precious store — That was to buy a small supply Of tea — when food was needed more. Her story sad the grocer's lad Tdld to the men who stood anea.r, And one, ashamed, straightway exclaimed, " Say, drunkards, all of you, look here 1 '♦ We drink our fill of whiskey, till Our moneys gone, our senses fled, While this one here (he brushed a tear) Is suffering for want of bread I I 'm not bereft of feeling yet, Thanlt God I" he added, as he took, With generous impulse, an amount Of money from his pocket-book. " I'll give my share 1" another there ' Exclaimed, who would not be outdone ; " And 1 1"—" And 1 1" till by and by ' Five dollars were in this way won. Then from her hand one of the band ' The nickel took — preserved with care — And irf its place, with tender grace, , Left the much larger treasure there. The little child then sweetly smiled : " The gal 's a dreaming boys, no doubt !" The spokesman said. With gentle tread He and his comrades then went out. The clerk awoke the child, who spoke , With ringing laugh — all free from care : "Oh 1 ma, 1 ' said she, "wasn't sick, and we ' Had lots to eat and lots to wear ! " It didn't seem to be a dream, It was so real I I can't forget An angel stood there, bright and good, ! And touched my hand : it burns me yet J" ;With startled gaze, all in a maze, 1 She s.ees the bill within her hand ; And how the change so wondrous strange 1 Was wrought she fails to 'understand. Her arm's heaped high with good' supply Of precious things,' she gladly bore, She said, " Ma '11 hardly think it true, j An angel clerked it in your store 1" 'What joy, if they who on that day t Performed an angel's part so well, 'Shunned, fere too late, the drunkard's fate, ' Und saved their souls from deepest hell ! ' ' New York Ledger.