The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-02-19
From the American Traveller.
THE UNKNOWN.
A TRUE STORY.

daylight was fast fading from the sky, on
a cold and lowering evening in November,
when poor woman leading little boy by
the hand, rang at the door of handsome
house, in the outskirts of the pleasant town
OF w.
The girl who answered the bell, soon ret.
urned and told the lady of the house, that
poor woman was at the door, begging
nights lodging.
The lady cast troubled look at the dead
leaves, whirlng in eddies along the streets,
and then at the dark clouds, drifting together
overhead, and sighed. Her husband had
nervous dislike to admitting unknown persons
nto his house, and often charged his family
not TO suffer any such 10 pass his threshold.
She there fore, arose with heavy heart, and
went to the door where the stanger stood
holding the hand of a. pale, sad-looking little
boy, about six years of age. The woman
detected and care-worn seemed ready TO sink
with fatigue. The lady kindly enquired in
| to her situation, and heard the following &C
count L. ssass -.
Several years ago she had emigrated to the
West with her husband and FIVE children, in
hopes OF lettering their condition Their
hopes had been OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES had
entered their cabin-the husband and father
was carriedofb by one of the fevers ofthe place
and the children one by one had followed
the poor feeble boy which she heldby the
lhand alone remained. When all was over,
she sold the little property which remained,
and with her boy began, on foot, their mel
ancholy journey back to their native place,at
Cape Ann. That evening, for the first time,
she found herselfobliged to ask charity, but
it was SO hard TO bring her feelings to it, that
she had passed through the whole town with
without feeling courage 10 stop at door, I'M
It'll she made her first application at that house
l-"But," said she we do not waut food, nor
clothes, nor money, we only ask shelter for
the night"
The lady felt that this was case in
which she ought 10 risk the displeasure of
her husband, rather than send the stranger
away. Accordingly, she led them into the
the house. and while the bed was preparing
she urged them TO eat, but they both refused
food, and as soon as their bed was ready
they retired 10 it, and soon fell into rest
less sleep.
When the master of the house returned
and heard what had happened, he exclaimed,
angrily aat. ~ -sa
"They shall not stay bere-my father
would never harbor any Migrants, neither
will L."
"But, my dear,'' said the lady, ''they are
now asleep-you cannot send them away
now-It is very dark and what hurt can they
do. here?'' s'eas
"They will get up when we are asleep
and rob the house, and be off before we know
anything about it. 1t is all pretence TO get
inside of the house-but they must be up
and off, 1f@ fss -si-sfa.. - So
"O,pray do not turn them out this DARK, cold
night" said the lady. off you are afraid of
their robbing the house, l will situp and
watch them; but they are worn out and una
BILE to 60 any farther"
''We will will soon see how that ISL said
he, and going into the small room where
they slept, he called out, in sentorian
voice,
"Come, getup and go oh-you cannot stay
here-L cannot have you here"
The woman raised her eyes, with a look
of silent despair, but the little boy, with
nervous agitation, painfully different from the
motions of happy, healthy child,sprang from
his bed and clasped his thin hands together
fell on his. knees and cried out, in shrill,
mplorng tone,
80, sir! don't turn us out this dark night
we are tired almost to death. o, do let US
stay till day light!''
The gentlemen relented, at the appeal,
and turning 10 his wife, said
off you choose to give up your night'srest
for the sake of their staying, | have no OBJ
jections, but you must strictly watch them all
night
The lady willingly consented, and sooth-
ing the little boy,sent him back to bed. She
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