ou here?'

"'I will tell you, sir. I was working out with a lady. I had to get up
early and go to bed late, and I never had rest. She worked me always;
and, finally, because I could not do everything, she beat me--she beat
me like a dog, and I ran away; I could not bear it.'

"The manner of this was wonderfully passionate and eloquent.

"'But I thought you were arrested for being near a place of bad
character,' said I.

"'I am going to tell you, sir. The next day I and my father went to get
some clothes I left there, and the lady wouldn't give them up; and what
could we do? What can the poor do? My father is a poor old man, who
picks rags in the streets, and I have never picked rags yet. He said, "I
don't want you to be a rag-picker. You are not a child now--people will
look at you--you will come to harm." And I said, "No, father, I will
help you. We must do something now, I am out of place;" and so I went
out. I picked all day, and didn't make much, and I was cold and hungry.
Towards night, a gentleman met me--a very fine, well-dressed gentleman,
an American, and he said, "Will you go home with me!" and I said, "No."
He said, "I will give you twenty shillings," and I told him I would go.
And the next morning I was taken up outside by the officer.'

"'Poor girl!' said some one, 'had you forgotten your mother? and what a
sin it was!'

"'No, sir, I did remember her. She had no clothes, and I had no shoes;
and I have only this (she shivered in her thin dress), and winter is
coming on. I know what making money is, sir. I am only fourteen, but I
am old enough. I have had to take care of myself ever since I was ten
years old, and I have never had a cent given me. It may be a sin, sir
(and the tears rained down her cheeks, which she did not try to wipe
away). I do not ask you to forgive it. Men can't forgive, but God will
forgive. I know about men.

"'The rich do such things and worse, and no one says anything against
them. But I, sir--_I am poor!_ (This she said with a tone which struck
the very heart-strings.) I have never had any one to take care of me.
Many is the day I have gone hungry from morning till night, because I
did not dare spend a cent or two, the only ones I had. Oh, I have wished
sometimes so to die! Why does not God kill me!'

"She was choked by her sobs. We let her calm herself a moment, and then
told her our plan of finding her a good home, where she could make an
honest living. She was mistrustful