Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-03-10


And so shall Aunt Prudence said little
Mary. what shall | buy for Aunt Pru-
=
Cant you think of somebody replied the
Aunt, ito whom you might make a New
y ears present that might be ~usetull There
are a great many people who hayen'teven the
comforts Of life; much less its Injuries
There are hundreds Of poor children who
never think OF toys: and for whom New
cars day comes and goes, without bring
ing a present Of any kind
Mrs. Grant came into the room at this mo-
ment; when Aunt Prudence put her finger up
on her lip, and the children understood her
to mean by it, that they were to say nothing
about New Years presents to their Mother,
until she had an opportunity TO speak with
them further on the subject; which opportu-
nifty soon occurred.
Not far from where Mr.. Grant, the father
Of these children, resided, lived a poor man,
named Barker, who from sickness, had not
been able to do any work for many months.
He had four children. The two oldest, Will
liam and Jane, were only ten and twelve
years of age; and lletty and Philip were
much younger. Since her fathers sickness,
Jane, had got herself a place in a family TO
look after some children, for which she re-
ceived a dollar a week. This, with about
two dollars a week, which the mother earned
by sewing, was all the family had TO live up
on.
New Years day came with 4 sober face
TO the inmates of poor Mr.. Bankers comfort
less home. The children looked for no pre-
SCENTS; for even a full supply OF nourishing
food was lacking, and their clothes were now
worn almost to tatters.
For breakfast they had some milk and wa
ter, and a dish of fried potatoes. Hunger
made these sweet 10 their taste, and they ate
with a keen relish. After the table was clear
ed away, and the room swept up, Mrs. Bar
ker sat down TO her sewing-there was no
holiday for her-and Mr.. Barker took a book,
and as he lay upon his bed, gave each of the
children a lesson.
i wish they would let Jane come home to
day. he said, after he had given The lessons.
1T is New Years, and they might give the
poor child a few hours holiday
As he finished speaking, the door opened
md Jane came in. The smile that half a
woke upon her fathers lips died away, ds he
tears were in her eyes, and glistened up
On the cheeks of his child.
Jane, DEAR lie said, tenderly, 'what is the
natter? 2 as the child came hastily across the
the moment she closed the door, and
down upon "a chair 10y the bed, hid
her face among the clothes and sobbed.
Mrs. Barker threw aside her work and
came and laid her rand gently on the neck
OF her daughter, repeating what the father
had said. with yet a more earnest and tender
expression.
Jane, dear, what is the matter?'
But it was some time before Jane was a.
BILE to express her grief. At last, putting her
hand in her pocket, she took out a dollar, her
last weeks wages, and handing it TO her
mother. said in broken accents,
They've sent me home, mother
'Why, dear!' asked Mrs. Barker.
Because my clothes are so poor, and my
shoes are all worn out so, that they say I'm
not fit TO be seen in a decent body's house.
And the child wept and sobbed again.
Poor MIR. Barker caught his breath sever
al times like a person who strives to conceal
the emotion that nearly overmasters him; and
Mrs. Barker, unable TO contain her feelings,
laid her head down upon James shoulder to
hide her tears. The little ones understan-
ding that all this was an expression of pain
and grief, gathered, weeping, about their
mother.
weakness on her MARI. was NOT rirht raised
herself nm and said with a voica as s,e,dv
as She coulJ command
snon,, 80 il g. Lo,,, lana IL r;ubrr
vou a noir If shoes Win his doll,r and I
will alier Won one of NV old f,ocks n dav,
60 ,ba, Won ran ro hack to.mnrrow ~IooLinr
mite smart,
Bat Won want the dollar. mother in the
| family replied lane. looking nm and drvinr
ber tears, '.It Won, do rnr me ~ snenI w. ali
for , nair or shoes,
.You must have shoes. Won know. nv
child. Those von have are all worn ONT y
| W. c,n,, ovnec, noania 10 Loon ron ;f Won
| have mt decent rcloibcs. So we Will INV
Won tho shoas a,5 Fms, ,ho, .aniIa III,
helm ms ret aIonT, If we nsa vonr dnIJar in
tbe f,mi5y ,his Seot Won 1000 oarn nSann
A1 80 NAANA ~ "a - NV