The Poorhouse Waif and His Divine Teacher

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How do you suppose that we could give it a mother's care? More than this, the board that governs the affairs of this institution has given us orders to accept no children under seven mon

circumstance that called forth the language was the appearance and request of Mrs. Fischer, a well-dressed young widow. The latter had come to the poor

re of her family, however, she felt was too great a responsibility to assume alone, and she had decided that the best thing for her to do was to give her three small children away and that the sooner it was done the better it would

n that it would be the duty of this institution to help her out that sh

work was too large for them to handle it properly. At that early date no special place except the poor farm had been provided for th

he bakery and the kitchen were in a building just a short distance away. And there was still another building, a large brick structure close to the main building. This was used for the confinement of such persons as the insane and the

times. In the main office, where Mr. Engler transacted his business affairs and entertained strangers, there was simply a rude desk, a homemade couch without sprin

e to get considerable help out of the inmates, they could not have managed to keep up the place at all

at Mr. Engler gave her only stirred within her evil heart the anger and cruelty already there, and with a fiendish glare of derision toward the one who was endeavoring to do his duty, she took a step toward the hard couch and threw, rather tha

o find the runaway mother. The task proved to be difficult. Owing to the fact that the woman was a stranger in the community and had gotten the advantage of her pursuer

dered and their escape be less probable. Still they could take a part in the work that had been assigned them about the place. It was thought best to use this method of securing Mrs. Fischer. When th

of her infant son dark and uncertain. It doesn't seem possible that any mother could treat her child in such a shameful manner.

sed speaking. "He's certainly a nice child, and it's a shame to see him grow up

uess we can manage some way as we always have," Mr. Engler replied. "You've got too much to do to take any of her responsibilities on yo

eglect that the poor little child would undergo even while its mother was there, for such a heartless woman could not be expected to do her duty. As the days and weeks glided by, it was as Mrs. Engler had feared, and the cruel manner in w

he glossy hair was tangled and unkempt, but within the eye the light of evil was shining brighter than ever. It was indeed a glad moment for her when she heard the chains about her ankles clanking heavily upon the floo

but there was One far better than mother, brother, or

e in every place, behold

v. 1

h neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: