Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1847-02-03

added to her love for me; and though she was
a Yious woman, and struggled hard to leave
all in the hands of Providence, she actually
wore herself away with thinking what was to
become of me. And though continued (how
vanly Ia quiet, meek-nay, in my own de-
fence ] am bound to confess most coward
| ly boy-though every mans hand was against
me, | remained most passive and unresisting
Cain: yet my meekness and harmessfess avail
ed me nothing against the mountain of preju-
| dice that had been raised up against me; this,
of course, added greatly to her anxiety and
grief in leaving me friendless and unprovided
especially as she had an unbounded horror of
the workhouse, to which Twas destined if had
not attained to an age whenI could do some
thing for myself; and to which was accor-
dinghy sent after the burial, with the scanty
savings she had been able to lay by in my peck
ct and my heart bursting with grief. It was
at some distance from the village, and there |
was to remain until something BETTER could
| be done for me.
The wicked old Mrs. GrIm declared at the
funeral, that my trouble, some and turbulent dis
positi on had brokenmy adopted mothers hear:
s'Hay'n't you observed how down-hearted and
| glum she has looked ever since she took that
boy A heavy day it was for her, poor thing!
|
wouldn't credit me. Poor thing that was
such a fne-lo oking, lusty woman for her time
of life; and these last six years you might have
weighed her with feather ! He has done for
| two now, but his time is coming:" and grum-
bing on the slowly left the burying ground, lea
/ wing all the village convinced that | had been
/ the real, though not ostensible cause, of my
second mothers death; and each fancying he
remembered some peculiar change in her APP
pearance since he had undertaken the charge of
me. Twas very miserable in my new abode:
really and deeply grieved at nv irreparable loss
| | had also to bear the taunts from brutal ma
lures, relative to my supposed share in what
/ was daily and hourly so bitterly lamenting
One day reused by something one of the boys
said to me, q forget now what, but it must have
been something more than usually severe to
have urged so for my timid temper, u struck him
in the face; and he was twice my size, rec
ieved of course, most dreadful beating in re-
turn, and nearly lost an eye. He was a great
tyrant among the younger lads and general he
strutted unmolested and indebted within the
narrow limits of the overseer's kingdom, and
could not wlthot mourning the charge ofwan-
, ton cruelty, attack those who shrunk humbly
away from him: he eagerly caught at the ex-
, cuse nv provocation afforded, to taste once
: more the sweets of vengeance which had slum-
= bered so long for lack of some one daring G.
: nough to injure him. The consequences of
s this; my first act ofprowess, would in any 9TH
S err case have been limited to the black eye and
disfgured lineaments | carried away with me
n from the field of battle: butt was doomed for
: ever to be misconstrued. From the manner in
which had been dishked and distrusted in the
t village and from my own peculiar dispotlon,
e had never mingled much with the other chill
Q dren: and though knew, in the schoolboy's
: code of laws, that to strike, insured blow in
: return: vet (ifI had had time to reflect at all
!. in this instance) | expected to receive no more
). than gave, and was unrepared for my adver-
d sary's savage assault. And this act of mine
e which proceeded more from ignorance than
5 fearlessness of danger, brought on me the un
Il deserved, unexpected, and dangerous honor Of
It being reckoned frebrand 'Fighting Birch
e and "Cain the bruiser, were added to me alread
p lengthy vocabulary of aliases; and some o
n the consequences were yet more nconvenien
It for though can safely assert that do not re
= member ever again striking another blow, ever
r in self-delence: yet did receive more beatings
q and black eyes than the greatest quareller there
= No Young Quixotte within the precincts of thu
: workhouse but thought it incumbent upon hin
TT to begin his warlike career, by stalking turf
10 at Fighting Birch" My black eyes, and tn
- variety of wounds on my wretched limbs, on
y lv attracted the sort of attention granted t.
h the torn nose of ears Of the bull dog. No on
q ever thought of saying, she has been beaten;'
e. but 'he has been ,fghting;" with a look tina
a added, ''you have no right to pity or sympath
in you brought il on Yourself" If suicide b
e indeed acrime 1.-THE which many have doubted
81 nor do intend arguing the point as from wha
have already stated, it may be seen ente
v unwillingly into controversy of every species;
Id but, if it be, then was my cowardice and timi(
tie ity of character no fault or weakness, but
Of bountiful gift from Providence, instinctvcly
n preserve me at the many moments In which
d. was tempted to put an end 20 my almost into
f. cradle existence. How often would wilingl
he have walked forth and hung myself on the fir
o. tree or convenient lamp post met, but that
IS, dared not take so active and uncertain methc
rk of escaping from present evil
tie passed two years away in this, the mos
or debasing position that can exist in civilize
as countrv-far below that even of the most brl
he tailed mendcity; for the beggar-man can ;
as least transport himself, his patches and h
ell matches, where he will; and this most Unite
yer species of independence preserves him from Il
BE humiating degradation of mine, that must ev,
nd belong to state of entire depen646S .whe
" YOU have no real dependence too, or an'institl
les ton, not on an individual. Your patron yc
tn may love, abhor, respect, or despise, accordr
cir to your or his good or bad qualities, and fe
NO that you have a heart and passions: but wi
BE- thinks of struggling with machine as it cru:
m es him? He can only sit down and groan ov
af his broken limbs and the pauper's hopes al
rid wishes are confined to the number of hours
bt- may remain dosing in the sun.
III They now thought of apprentcing me
to some trade: and atength, in the dense atmo
ize phere OF shoemaker's shop, in the neighbour
of ing town, imbibed, with strong smell
": leather,) my first inkling of hope. The end
so parish 'prentice's tolls is indeed a dim fut
n rity; but dim and distant as it is, there is
not goal to which to run; that gained hope
put yond: and hope alone, is encouragement enou,
of ina life whose dawn has been ever clouded.
the After my work for the daV was finished.