The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-04-04

100 II was curious " 1QOtncr OF this
gular child, surely she must be something supe
rior-an intelligent aud feeble woman broker
down by misfortune, md at last compelled tC
separate from her offspring. These thought.
were in my mind the last thing rs went to sleep
! that night
1t wanted two days. of Wednesday, and wen
| in search of Johnny's mother. | had the addres.
in one of those streets where misery paws Il higl
price for the privilege of existing and after find
ing my way up two flights of dirty stairs to the
attic, | found a passage through sundry wood
tubs, half full of dirty water, two or three un
washed kettles and broken stove that furnished
the outer garret-and knocked at a rickety door
| through which the sound of low faggv sort of a
voice came, as if some one were mutterinG &C
| himself within The voice was lifted in anSwe.
to my Knock and l entered little hole of !
room containing pile of rags in one corner, q
broken table, on which was 4 bottle, tea-cuI
and some fragments of "cold victuals." On di-
lapidated old chest sat blOated, slp-shod wo.
man, seemingly with no garment on but a rag
ged gown and more than half intoxicated, tho
it was quite early in the morning. A little boy
of three years old, perhaps sat near the fireplace
almost without clothes, and playing with some
dirty shavings that Uttered the hearth.
! Could this woman be the mother of little John
ny-that meek and sweet faced child / could
| hardly ask the questiOn-yef so it wasl When
l told her Of the child, and gave his simple mess
age, she got up from the chest and began cur
tesying TO the ground over and over again
mumbling out her thanks that the Likes Of me-
should come to see her. and uttering series OF
disgusting and half Ineligible excuses for the
state of her room and dress.
To my inquiries if she would 90 to see her sick
child on the following Wednesday, she gave me
to understand that she thoughta great deal OF
Johnny-that she would like to see him of all
things, only she had 10 money to pay for ride
in the stage, and no time TO wash her dress
then she fell to weeping, and left her in a fit of
maudlin lamentations over the erils of her fate,
which terminated as went out in burst of those
vulgar blessings that are so rerolting in the
mouths of the ve-all because had promised
to pay her stage fare, and supply her with a
clean dresss, if she would promise to be in a
condition TO 90 and see her child on Wednes-
day.
And this was the mother OF little Johnny this
woman-so vile, so utterly debasel! Her inc
briatc kisses had warmed his infancy. in her
loathsome bosom that pale child lad slept
went home heart sick and shocked beyond
measure poor little Johnny-hc had now be-
ccme more than ever an object OF compassion.
What heart he must have TO pine for the sight
OfSuch mother us that / could now under
stand the blush that lay on that poor check, and
the faiering of his voice when she was mentioned.
He was ashamed of the drunken mother that he
loved so much.
On Wednesday sent early to know if the
woman was ready to visit her dying child. She
was so intoxicated that it was impossible TO OBJ
tain definite answer from her
| went up to the hospital alone. Johnny was
sitting out by the piazza, crouched all in heap,
with the sunshine falling brightly around him !;
his fine eye lighted up when he saw me, and his
face bcamed with the most beautiful smile | ever
saw : he looked eagerly down the walk as lex
pecting some one to follow me.
"She could not come, my child" | said, an
swefing the look: ''your mother was not well p
He fixed those large. earnest eyes on me for
moment. Then they dropped to the earth, and
l could see tears swelling under the lids.
"She will come very soon though" | said:
filed with pity for his disappointment, and per-
petratng an harmless fraud. l gave him couple
Of oranges rs if from her His face frightened.
lie took the oranges, held them few minutes,
and then crept round Il wing of the building
where couple of little huncll-backed cripples
were standing, and gave one to each.
Il don't care so very much for oranges" he
said. coming back with a smile on his lips, and
crouching down on the inf again land no one
ever brings ne'a anything. They arc orphans,
you know"
Doctor said Johnny that day, as my brother
was passing through the ward, shave you some
paper and pen and ink, should like very
much &c write letter TO my mother" This was
singular request from a child of eight years old.
and it quite startled the doctor-but he ordered
the writing materials for the boy, and offered to
have table sent, but he drew a stool up 10 his
cot, and turning tin pan bottom up on the bed,
began his letter on that.
1t was touching epistlc, we'll written, and pa
thctic in its manifestations of earnest affection
He spoke of his comforts. of the care and kind
ness extended TO him, and begged her TO come
very, r0y soon. lie should watch for her now
every day-shc need not wait till she had money
TO buy something for him. he did not care for
that, all he wanted was to see her. During the
whole week that woman was never sober enough
TO read or understand the purport OF this plead
ing letter.
Johnny was in a consumption. The doctor told
me this on my next visit; and, as the burn on
his back healed. the hectic fever and racking |
cough grew worse. For little time, while the
Autumn sun was warm and golden, the poor lit |
tic fellow might be found in the open AR with his
shadowy limbs gathered under him, and that sad,
patient smile forever on his lips. He never
complained, and yet never spoke of getting well.
fulness every little attention acknowledged with
a smile so sweet and patient enough to give
heart-ache TO the most hardened. | never saw
him that he did not ask for his mother
Il have waited" he SAID, after weeks had gone
by, and he was growing more feeble every day ::
u have waiteG long, expecting her every day,
that sometimes | seem to get discouraged. Per
haps she is staying away because she has no
money to buy things for me" he would say, "but
she needn't wait for that. l don't care much for
nice things Besides, l haven't breath 10 eat
them. Tell her this-tell her all l want in the
wide world is to see her and aunty and Joseph"
did tell her! Again and again went to
that squalid garnet. | informed the woman that
her child was dying, that a few weeks must end
his life. urged entreated, persuaded al
ways to brain so clouded with drink that it
seemed incapable of remembering for ten min
ltes any thing might say She promised TO
be ready each time, but never kept her promise,
Dr. seemed TO remember that she had made one. {
At length when the boy was so feeble that he
was obliged TO be brought from the wards in the {
luns ofhis nurse, and was still pleading for a ,
sight of his wretched parent l resolved to make
'ne more effort. So very early in the morning :
tent the woman word not to 90 out. for at ten l /;
should call for her, with clean dress which she .
vas to wear on visit to her child.