Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1845-11-28

a warm cloak, and snowy apron, and pro-
ceeds to investigate the mysteries Of the
worKhouse. She happens to find at the door
the very man who had conducted Betsey 10
her present abode; and he, unwilling to be
kept from his dinner, by starting any diff
%culties, tells her at once where to find the
child; adding with a wink, "You needn't
say who told you"
The female overlookers Of the pin headers
is not more willing to pay a gossiping visit
than is the old woman at the pauper child's
lodging to receive one. They soon became
very sociable; and after comparing notes,
relating a variety of concurrent anecdotes,
they arrive at the conclusion that there is not
upon earth such another set of plaques and
torrents as beggar-children, nor any class of
respectable persons so ill-paid and oppressed
as those who have the charge Of them; whetli-
er in a workshop or a domestic institutions.
Having settled this, and partaken of ''some-
thing warm" they mount the stairs, enter
the long room, and find little Betsey in a
sound asleep, flushed indeed, and breathing
painfully, but still in what might be called a
luxury of rest, compared with anything she
has known for a long while.
"The lazy little hnssey :" says Mrs Kitty,
roughly pulling away the clothes that shaded
her eyes from the light of an opposite win
dow in that cnrtainless room, ''there's no
IL ing the matter with her, I'll be bound"
The rude jar, the harsh voice, at once wake
the child, and to her terrified sight the appa-
rition of her task-mistress, scowling over her,
is the signal of something worse than either
words or looks. She starts up in her bed,
and sits, trembling and painting, with a broad
stare fixed on the object of her dread.
an ,orfro ,.o,l,rr,lI,, I.;l. III - IL
den,'' remarks the old woman of the house,
"a while ago it was all lack-a-daisy! and
you couldn't lift your head from the bolster;
not you ~"
ats all a sham," observes Mrs. Kitty,
sand she shall smart for it. Indeed, she
ought to catch it on both sides her face, for
she's deceived you, and robbed us. Only
think of our suspecting you for keeping her to
work, and whipping her poor little brother
for not telling what he didn't know, poor
child !"
At hearing this, Betsey bursts into a most
piteous cry; her sobs gradually increase in
violence, till she becomes so c~onvulsed as al
most to alarm the two women who stand
looking at her and at each other, muttering,
I" Whats to be done!' At this moment a
young lad, the parish doctors apprentice,
who had been sent to call in on the slighter
cases, among the paupers, and report, but
not to interfere further, runs up the ladder,
and exclaims /" Who is in a fit here!"
"lt's a fit of passion, SIR" answers Kitty.
The young gentleman feels the pulse, and
shakes his head. "No, tits something Sc
rious, and she must be bled: fetch a basin,
my good woman.' Then taking out his new
case of pocket instruments, he adds, SIN such
an emergency as this, | must moi be so strict
ly attentive to the letter of my directions, as
a life may be lost. However you need not
say anything about it; looking inquiringly at
the old woman; whose grin of acquiescence
shows that she will lose nothing by indulg-
ing the young practitioner in a trial of his
skill ON this insignificant pauper child.
But Kitty has more at stake: she is %resolv-
ed to have Betsey back in the shop, in proof
of her own discernment, and to gain soma
indulgence that she wants, in reward for the
good service so discreetly performed. She
therefore says, Il beg your pardon, sir, but
this girl belongs TO us, and is wanted at
her work. I'm morally sure she is ailing lit
tie or nothing; and | can't agree to her being
bled unless the work-house doctor himself
says It's needful.'
"Well, Pm sure don't care. The child
is i'll and unfit to work, but she is in excel
lent hands here. You may call for a draught
in the evening; till then, my good woman,
keep her quiet, give her cooling drink, and
all that" So saying, he ran of.
"Flne work some of them chaps make
among beggars, trying their hands, when the
master is away" says Kitty, 81 was sorry
TO thwart such a nice young gentleman"
81 never do, if | Can help it," observed the
other. "They are often as clever as their
rnoStorS and IL thou do p,al-a N poiet,I-o ,o,,
and then, among people that amt of no con-
sequence, it helps them to be more skilful
and careful when they COM to practice
openly"
By this time, Betsey had sobbed herselfin-
to a state of insensibility, and lay quite still.
The old woman threw the bed-clothes over
her shoulders again, saying, " There, let her
be till morning, and I'll send her off to you
in working ORDER"
Night arrives, and a cluster of shivering
girls take possession of the cold room. Some
thing has happened to put the old woman out
of temper, and their poor supper is served out
with a double allowance of scolding, while
an inch only Of rush-light is allowed them
to take up stairs. The girls who sleep with
Betsey are inclined to grumble at tie misera-
BILE condition of the bed in which she has been
tossing all day; But finding her more dis
tressed about it than at her own sufforings,
they kindly bid her not 10 mind.
Having gathered a party about her, Betsy
says, VIII you listen to me a bit!" I'd a
own nanny not long ago; and she died,
and think | am going to die too; and | want
to know where nanny is gone to, now she's
dead; so can you tell met"
Various replies were given. One said, 81
suppose she went into the grave" Another,
when o body dies, there's an end to 'em-
the worms eat 'em up" A third remarked,
81 never heard such a rum speech" And a
fourth, " Ghostesses is dead people: they
come, whites, and walk, and frighten folks"
This draws the whole party instinctively