﻿176 PICTORIAL MISCELLANY. 



They carried her father out from before her face ; a-nd she heard 

 the earth as it rattled down upon the coffin ; she saw them as they 

 rounded the sods over the grave ; and oh, it was dreadful to hear 

 her sob " My father ! my dear father ! come back again, father ! 

 Don't be dead any longer ! There is nobody will love Laura now ! " 



She went back to her home, and there stood her papa's easy- 

 chair; but there was no father there, and she sat down close beside 

 it on the floor, and began to cry. Pompey came into the room, and 

 began to rub his head back and forth against her, and licked her 

 little hands, as though trying to comfort her ; and Laura always loved 

 him after that night better than before. 



But they did not leave her alone. Poverty was added to her sor- 

 row ; for in one night all her father's estate was swept away by fire. 

 -All the cherished things of home were sold at public sale only 

 Pompey remained to console Laura in her loneliness ! But she had 

 no longer a home. After a little time, a place was found for her 

 with a hard-faced milliner ; first, as a little errand-girl, and after that 

 as an apprentice. Her mistress objected to taking Pompey ; she 

 said " she could not afford to keep dogs ! a good-for-nothing, lazy 

 thing !' : Then poor Laura cried bitterly "Do let me keep poor 

 Pompey ! - -he is my only friend ! don't be so cruel as to take him 

 away ! ' ; Then a friend came forward and interceded for Laura, 

 and she was allowed to keep Pompey ; and after that, every day, 

 Laura and Pompey might be seen trudging about the streets of the 

 city, loaded down by the weight of bundles. 



But it was a cold atmosphere for Laura, so unlike her home, with 

 her dear, kind father, that the harsh words which her mistress gave 

 her stiffened about her heart, and half benumbed it. It was only in 

 the free air, with Pompey trotting by her side, that she breathed 

 again. Many a long talk she used to have with him, about her 

 father, and the bright, beautiful heaven, far above the stars, where 

 God lived, and the angels, and all good people when they died ! 



As Laura grew older, she grew very lovely; and her mistress 

 grew envious of her extreme beauty, and prest heavy burdens upon 

 her ; and the poor girl was obliged to plod about the city, weary and 

 foot-sore, and she had no friend to shield her from unkindness. By 

 and by, sickness overtook her; and then the harsh hands grew 



