A WAIF OF LONDON.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 258, 31 October 1928, Page 18

A WAIF OF LONDON.

<BJ Bessie Spooner, GtfcWiyft., < age 16.) ( ■i :i A small ragged figt?| glided out pftie shadow* into an" are of .light 'that , streamed forth from~r &iJly (Wated i window. The din caused hythe happy, ■ •urging crowd went by- thls woebegone youth, whose only thoughts: •were those of bitter longing?~Toriyj for that was his name, choked back a sob that shook his spare form % his grimy hands deeper into his pockets, and stared dazzling • window. This smalt wistfuFrifce \Var * crowned with a mop., of . utiruly curly, „ hair, that was partly" ftiddeil light* a by a greasy cap, pulled all ,;akiqh angle *! low down upon his -"dothes- twit £ were torn and threadbare hung, limply * upon him and his irf several places, so th&>t .tjigir former shape and size were ifa+iii&g of t past. The hour was late when at last ' he was roused from his legarthy by the striking of Big Ben chiming the houi:. of midnight and almostmypediateltf the. \ peal of bells the Coining ot ' Chririmfs Dajl .iwrhrfjj was it to Tony? nothing but a jaefe" Xti. footsteps, v and, heavy heart, he turnelTfiftifci the croWded v horoughfare into a -qdtetqr .atroftt an# £o?.V? tU ® n ]y the ffittffled dlflof the iß t ur bed, hU, loneliness. On : inviting tenement houses and frohuwith- a m the shadow of * eivin» I ° f taf Se warehouse and, fiISPJT furtlv « glance to right and left dived down a »m.n ,! n< J ' used as a barlr M «. that was iT to hi. place of #iuge. He groped his way to the far corner;-in the inky darkness and, laying • oa "° old sacks, crisd himself ty sleep In his abject misery. With tk« £m J»ys of dawn Altering through fP win » T <»y stirrod from slcepand, cramped is amy •Jood nP ronrey ltlT be* ruefaßy. Stretching and yawning fce pulled

Lsppw, r mntled world, whiled tW rmernlng by walking up one stretft jand down another humming disHe could smell the cooking and it only orf hunger. > With theyision of aVa teaming turkey in "his mind he started street when a note of warntVjg broke in upon Kfni» ?He- had a momentary glimpse of a biff black, car speeding towards him and then jr jarring went through him. and he sank into f• » • ®he car came to a suitfden stop with a grinding of brakes and* a tall athletic figure in a fur motoring' coat-jumped ont. Tony lay inert upon tho road, his pathetic face the colour sifoV?. that"-. powdAred his chestnut curls. One small frail hand, palm up;*ais as the furboated, stranger stooped and lifted him groata -passed from his quivering lips . . .*A week later a happy pair aat isL-cane chairs on the balcony of Mr. Ergreave's Ihoriio in Sussex and Tony, 3> i? u P «f steaming cofifee, A 6igh' 1 or VcoM&ntment as he pictured hk<, f ptuce ,4ife/afe the adopted son of m?: « i