Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1850-12-27

William. II Is hard tor YOU to DC onhgo" W
, 90 out for wood 80 late"
"oh, I can stand ia Besides, you know
| wan, to work all day fsr Mr. Bangs, so that
= he will pay me fall wages. Can't work
as we'll as yuu Aud YOU are working now
You scw, or do something ols'i, from morning
: until nighi-rll late =, night You arc work
, ING yOur ewes oG,, mother
D Th, poor widow answered. only with
smile sad smile. for she was thinking tha,
an her cxerious were NJ, sithcicn, to pro-
vide food and clothing for her family. VIII
liam as Obligcdt IN work when he should have
been at school, and Ellen vas driven to task
her delioa,e frame, too youss -, ior labor.
4 gentle knock at the door called the a,ien-
ton Of the l,,le group.
lit IS the wind" cried Mary. "lt Is
Knocking a, the windows aud door all the
day."
William has,cncd to open the door. j gus,
Of Wind and a stranger entered. William
shu, the door, replaced the old garment, over
the threshold and offered the new conner a
seat near the hearth.
The children regarded tie stranger with as
much wonder as ci,ilny would allow them to
bg,ray. while the widow seemed no, hule
interested IN his appearance. He was a hand
somc Young nan scarcely cot Uf hrs teens,
tall. vell.madc, with dark ha,r, and eyes Of
piercing blacsness. His drcss appeared de-
,.rucd less ior show than comfort, and he
wore a black CLOAK wrapped closely about hrs
person.
II have been bclaIed,' said the youth, IN
a clear. musical yoicc, with an easy dignity
Of manner .' and am no, sufficiently ac-
guaiutcd with the rvad To pursue nay Nay
through the iorcs, a, night. Can | presume
upon your hospitality Tor morscl OF food and
shelter Tor the night"
My means are humble answered ihe
widow. e. bot VIA, NV house affords, never
We, refused stranger. Ii you Will st by
our tire. aud pariake OF such food Is have 10
r,cSyou are a thousand times welcome
The stranger droppcd Ihc cloak from hi'
shoulders, and gave hrs hat to William, say
ing
Su,h cheerful hospitality Is dclIgh,iul ;
I could no, leave YOU, NV Kind woman, You
could afford mc neither food nor Ere. \
,rr-c oi your klndurs, would UaLc nc hap
py living on ycur Goor tonight
Mrs. Du,tan gave Ellen q significant look,
,.l ,,,,L..-. ---.s.,..4 o.. '--l-- .--.---.----
Doe read, girl commenced clearing Poriion
,f,bs table uron which the dun candle Ma
burning. and spread cloth upon It. The
stranger followed her With admirug cyo-, as.
she brourh, forth from a ,ldg5,ard leaf and
few slice, of bacon and made other Preplr-
alton, iur his msal.
II can make no apology iur the wretrhcd
meal | Oler sou, said the widow. You
mus, know We are poor
"a ,uiEc,cn, apology iOr everything re,
.pondrd ,ic youth. Bu' am used TO humble
fare. I have sccu the time " ucu ! would have
considered crus, OF bread an cyin'agau'
luxury"
The widow regarded the youth With deep
interest. ard the childrcu looked At him curi-
ouslv. ,
You have bSen unfortunate, then said
,hc widow.
..Yc,-l have seen misfortune, answered
the youu, man, as be- drew h., chair to 'ho
.aJIc. Not OF late years,-vhea J was
considerably Younger than ! am now.
e" You mus, have been young TO suffer ~
Madam, Iwas but fourteen. was un-
acouaru,cd with l4bor, aud / had no friends
=. No rrlat.yesr'
.ouly sis,er--and an uncle Who was ua-
.iud. Ny parents were both daad.'
Your story interests me, SIR
"Ah, 1t is only simple story Of life but
As love to remember the past, Will tell you
more. Amer our ialhcr'. dsaih-our mother
had then been dead more than a year my
sister and went To live with an uncle who
vas our guardian, Who had AHA, hItlc prop
er,y our parents lel us, under his cOu'Tol.--
lis trea,men, Of as, las dependent relatives,
VI, uncomfortable. lie would have made us
his slaves. had not lhe spin, ofmy hiher AMI
mated his children. For myself | cared for 1t
ale was hardy and cOuld endure hat when
saw my SISTER, who vas younger than /, aud
whom would have protected with NV life,
treated with cruelty and oppression, II was
too much iur my limited patience. My uncle
put an end to my patience one day by sinking
nv poor sister IN INV prcseBce. Naturally
passionate, | had at that lIIue no control over
nv anger. struck the tyrani as II he had
had been a dog Imagine his rage when he
,au the spiril Of rebellion IN me think he
would have torn me to pieces, had not my
sister rushed between Us, and shielded me
with her arms As Was, he locked US up
IN the cellar where he threatened TO Keep Us
on bread and water until our spirits were
, crushed.
, .As soon as We were left alone, my sister
threw herself into my arms, and begged me
! To yietd TO INV uncle, for she feared he would
a khl me. | quieled her Oars as well as
could. and Immediately commenced making
= preparations To escape. ] saoeeeded without
. much difK.ulry in removing one Of the win
dows OF the cellar and when night came on
: told Mary that We mus, hy. Ia that dismal
+ cellar, with the fear OF an unele's vengeance
p before US, she was ready 10 do anything ]