Washington telegraph., 1850-10-16
FROM DICKENS "HOUSEHOLD
I -.l SO WORDS.r

Mr,, IiarcOurt DrOWn, Of -v Hall--
was plodding his way home to his hotel
from ramble in the suburbs of London;
and having made bold attempt at ga
short cut soon found himself lost in a
maze of squalid streets, leading one into
the other, and apparently leading no
where else He inquired his way in vain
From the first person he received "a
coarse jest; from another, look of va
cant stupidity; third eyed him with
dogged silence. He stepped with one
| foot into several wrstohel -littlo shops,
but the people really seemed to know
nothing beyond the next street or alley,
except one man. dealer in tripe, of a
strange earthly color who called over bis
shoulder. "Oh you are miles out of your
way: The only exception to the gen.
eral indifference rudeness and stupidity,
was thin sallow checked man, who had
a fixed smile Oh his face, and spoke in
rather an abject, criEging tone of obse.
| qulousness, and even walked up one
street and down a second to show Mr.
Brown the way. But it soon became
evident that he knew nothing about the
| matter, and he sunk away with the same
| unmeaning smile,
In this state of affairs Mr. Brown but
toned up his coat and manfully resolved
to work his way out of his filthy locality
by walking straight forward.
Tfudging onward at smart pace the
worthy gentleman presently heard the
sound OF sobbing and crying and behind
the boards of shed at the side of a
ruined hovel he saw girl of some nine
or ten years of age, clasping and unclasp-
ing her hands in paroxysm of grief ape
prehension. HOh, what SjtaII | do?-
what shalt dot sobbed the child
She started with terror as Mr. Brown
apprOached and hid her head in the folds
of hei little apron; but upon being assured
by the mile voice of Mr.. Brown that he
had no thopght of hurting her, she ven-
turei to look up. She had soft blue eyes
flaxen hair of silvery glossiness. pretty
features; and Notwithstanding the stain
of tears down cheek which had
smear of brick dust upon it had most
innocent and prepossessing face.
What is the matter, my little girl"
enquired Mr.. Brown,
Ihe child turned one shoulder half
marks of blows from whip or stick.
sWhat crnel wretch has done this?"
asked Mr. Brown. ''Tell me, child; tell
me Directly
1T was mother" sobbed the child.
fAh-l'm sorry to hear this. Perhaps
you have been naughty!"
"Yes sir" answered the child.
Poor child" calculated Mr.. Brown,
"bn; you'll not oe naughty again. What
was your offence. Come tell me?''
81 shook it, sir; oh yes, it's quite true:
| did shake it very much
What did you shake inquired Mr..
Brown"
II shook the doll, sir.''
''The doll. Oh, you mean yop shook
the baby; that was certainly naughty of
you,' said Mr. Brown.
'No, sir it was not the baby | shook
it was the doll; and I'm afraid to 60
home; mother will be sure to beat me
again"
An impulse Of benevoience led Mr.,
Browns hand to search for his purse.
Had he tried the wrong pocket His purse
was on the other side. No. i. was not
it must be in the inner pocket. Where
IS Nj. Browns purse? 1t is not in any
of his pockets! He tries them all over
again And his pocket book! chiefly of
memorandums, but also having few
bank notes. This is gone, too-and his
silk handkerchief-bo his handker
chiefs-alSo bis silyer-gilt snuff box, filled
with rappee only five minutes before he
left the hotel this morning-he was GER
tain he had it when lie came out-but it
is certainly gone. Every single thing he
had in his pocket was gone.
The child alsu-rnow she is gone. Mr.,
Brown looks around him, and yonder ne
sees the poor child flying with frequent
looks behind of terror,--and now shrlll
and frightfpl voice causes him TO start. |
Turning in thai direction; the sudden
flight of the little girl is immediate ex-
planned. Over the rubbish and refuse,
at a swift, wild pace, courses and fieid-
ish woman, with savage eye and open
mouth, her cheeks hollow, her bust pro-
jecting, her thin hair flying like bit Of
diseased mane over her naked shoulder;
she has stick i'll her hand, with which
she constantly threatens the flying child,
whom her exertions follow yet more
swiftly than her feet.
MIR. Brown remained watching them |
till they were out of sight. He once
more searched all his pockets, but they
were all empty. He called to mind the
man with the fixed smile on his hollow
cadayeE9as cheek, and several other faces
Of mea &ghom be had casually noticed in
the course of the last half hour, thinking
what pity it was that something could
not be done for them. He now began
to think it was a very great pity that
something had pot 9Iseddy been done for
them or with them, for they Nad certain