Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1847-04-09
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the True Democrat.
The Mailer Boy

Onr readers will remember ELLIHU Bur-
RETT's account. which we published, of a
! Nailer's establishment, near Birmingham
and they doubtless felt particular interest in
the case of the boy, 10 or ii years old, who
had worked at the anvil ever since he was
old enough 10 stand upon a block beside it.
A more recent letter gives an interesting ac-
count of a second visit 10 the same place, on
an GRAND of charity and humanity. The
first touching narrative, it seems, stirred up
the sympathies of the youth in New Eng
land who read Mr.. Burritt's paper, and on
the lst Of last December they sent out a con-
trlbution Of Fifty Dollars to be applied TO
the education of the Mailer Boy. MIR. Bur
ritt acknowledges the receipt OF the money,
and goes on TO say:
81 saw it clear that the little fellow was
to be Tmt 10 school that his hammer was 10
be silent on the anvil for the space of one
cold winter; and that tie young folks in A.
meTica would foot the bill. And | was de-
termined that this should be a Christmas gift
to him, that he and his young American ben
~efactors might enjoy it together. So two
days before Christmas ! started from Bir-
mingham on foot to carry the present to him.
1t was a bright frosty morning, and after a
walk OF twelve miles ! came in sight of the
little brick cottage of the mailer by the way
side. ] approached it with mingled emotions
of soliciiude. Perhaps it had been vacated
by the poor man and his family, and some
other mailer had taken his place. Perhaps
the hand that spares neither rich nor poor had
been there, and ! should miss the boy at the
anvil. | stopped once OF twice to listen.-
The windows were open, but all was STILL
There was no clicking Of hammers, nor puff
fling Of bellows 10 indicate that the mailer
family were still its occupants. ! began to
fear that they were gone, and my Imagination
ran rapidly over a hundred casualties and
changes which might have come upon them.
The same gate was open that invited me TO
enter last summer; and as ] passed through
it, | met a woman who said the mailer was at
dinner in the family apartment of the build
ing. She went in before me, and the next
moment | was in the midst of the circle of
my old acquaintance, who had Just arisen
from the table and were sitting around the
hre. My sudden appearance in their midst,
seemed TO cause as much pleasure as surprise.
The father arose and welcomed me with the
h~eartiest expressions of good will. Little
josiah, the hero of my story, came forward
tlmidly with a sunny token of recognition
Frightening up his large black eyes. The
mother, a tidy, interesting looking woman,
In a clean white cap, added hel welcome, and
! sat down with them, with Josiah standing
between my knees, and told them my story
how some children in America had interest.
ed themselves in their boy-how they had
thought Of him on their way to school, and
talked of him on their way home, and in the
parlor, the kitchen and the cottage-how they
had contributed their pennies, which they
had saved or earned, to send Josiah 10 school,
TO learn TO read the testament, and how | had
come TO bring them and 10 ask if the boy
could be spared from the anvil. | glanced
round upon the group Of children, whose ca.
ger eyes indicated that they partially com-
pretended my errand, and then at a couple OF
sides OF bacon suspended over my head
The naller's eyes followed my own, and as
they reciprocally rested on the bacon, he
commenced his reply from that end Of the
subject.
Tie said il was true that many were worse
of than he, and many were the comforts he
had that thousands ofthe poor knew nothing
OF. Here he glanced afIectionately at his
children; but my eye brought him back TO
The bacon, and so he went on, apparently un-
der a new impression of his resources of
comfort. lie had, he said, to sell some of
his goous' TO buy the pig when very small,
ana mad iugged along with some difficulty
10 iced and fatten him into a respectable size.
hes' he was a very clever pig; nor was that
all; the mailing business had become better,
ny a hsit-penny a thousand, than when was
WIN Them IN the summer, and Josiah could
now earn ninePence a day. lie wanted to
sehd all his children TO school if they could
not read they would be poor if they should
come 10 own parks and carriages. lie coult
not bear to see them growing up with n,
books In their hands. lie worked lone a
the anvil, as it was and he was WILLING I
work longer and harder, 10 pay the school
master for teaching his children TO read
Our readers will fnd the account of til
Mailer boy alluded TO by the Democrat,
The 65th No. Of the Bugle, under The captio
Of " Severe toll of English operatives"