Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1850-10-02
MISC l. A N Y.
rFrom Dickens Household Wordsl
rrc,rSrss REDEEMED---A TALE OF A LONDON
DUST-HEAP.

IN murky morning in November, wind northeast,
,oor ld vo,nan with wuoden le. was struggling a
,;n,t the tul pusts of the bitter breeze along stony
zpzag road full Of deep and irregular cartrus Her rag
gsd ns,,icos, was blue and her wretched nose
,c WAS in her left hand which assisted her 10 dig and
hobbe her way along and in her .oher hand supported
.,so beneath her withered arm large rusty, iron
.i,ye Dust and fine ashes filled up all the wrinkles in
he, face and Of these there prodgous number for
shc was eighty three years DID, Her name was Peg Dot
ting
About quarter of a mile distant, having long ditch
and brokendown fence as foreground there against
The mudGedgray sky, huge dust-heap Of dirty
eoor-beng in fact one Of those immense mounds OF Gin
es ashes and other empyiugs from dustholes and bns'
which have conferred celebrity certain suburban neigh
bohoods Of great city Toward this dusky mountain old
Peg Dulting was making her way.
Advancing toward the dust heap BY an opposite path We
~ narrow and just reclaimed from the mud by thick lay
or Of freshly broken ins, there came at the same time
CATER Doubeyea with his bOnebag sIung over his shoui
der The rags Of his uered in the eaSt-wlnd, which
also whsed keenly round his almost rimess hat, and
troubled his one eye he other eye, having met with an
accident last week. he had covered neatly with an oyster
she'll which was kept in its place by string at each sde
fastened through hole He used no staff to help hun a
long though his body was nearly bent double that his
face was constantly turned to the earlh like that Of four
footed creature He was ninety seven years OF age.
As these two patriarcha abores approached the great
us,heap dscordant voice haooed to them from the top
of Sroken wall II was meant as greeting of the morn
ing and proceeded from little Jam Clinker, poor deiorm-
cd lad, whuse back had been broken when child his
muse and chin were much large for the rest Of his iace
and he had lost nearly all his teeth from premature decay
But he had an eye cleaning with intelligence and e,and
nm expression at once patient and hopeful He had balanced
his misshapen frame the top Of the old wall which
one shrveled leo dangled il the weight OF hob nall
ed boot that covered foot large enough for Powman
In addition to his mornings salutatOn of his two aged
friends, he shouted in tone of triumph and self
graduation in which he felt assured Of their sympathy
1.-TWO white skins, and tor'shell- l-un."
II NAV be requisite that little Jem Clinker be
cnped to the deadcat department Of the dust heap and
aow announced that przeO three SKINS in superior cond
lion, had rewarded him for being first in the field He was
enjoying seat on the wall in order to recover himself from
the excitement of his good fortune
At the base OF the great dustheap the two old people
NOW me, their Young Priend-a sort of greagrandson by
mutual adopion-and they at once JOneu Tue party VINO
had by this tine assembled usual snd were already busy
at their several occupations.
But besides al these anoiher individual, belonging to
very different class formed part Of The scene, though ap
pearnq only on its outskirts canal ran along at the rear
of The heap and on the banks its opposite soe $40"
,ly wandered bywith hands casped and hanging DOW" "
front of him. aud eyes bent vacanty upon his hands-e
foOrn figure Of man in very shabby greatcoat, which
had evidently once belonged lin the position OF gen
tleman And gentleman it slili beonged-but in tclat
poson scholar, man Of wit. of high sentiment, OF
refinement, aud good fortune vllhal-now by sudden
"rn of law" bereil of the last only and finding that
OF the res for which Having the ortune he had been
much admired enabled him to gain livelihood. His title
deeds had been lost sOeu and he was bereI Of every
thing he pussessed. He had talents, and such as would
have been poflaby available had he known how to use
them for this purpose but he did not he was nsdi-
.scted he made uitless efforts his want OF experience;
and he now starving As he passed the great dust
heap he gave vague melancholy gaze that way and
then looked wsuy into the canal And ne continued 10
look into the canal as he slowly moved along, l ne was
cut Uf sight.
dusi-heap Of this kind often worth thousands of
rounds. The presen! very large and very vaua
ps Il wse r, s.. large hill, and being in the vicni'y