Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1851-05-17
140
Alisfellaneous.
The Factory Boy.
nY HARRIET MARTiNEAu.


so at the idea Of his mother being very ILL.,
Tie well remembered his fathers death, nnt
his mothers illness now revived some feel
ings which he had almost forgotten. Hi
bed was merely some clothes spread on ih'
foor, and covered with n rag but he did no
mind that; aud could have gone to sleep n
once but for the fear that had come owe
him. When he did sleep, his sleep wal
sounds so that his mothers feeble voice
calling him seemed like call from mile,
away.
In minute Joel was up and wide awake
Light the CANDLE he could Just hear the
voice say.
He lighted the candle, and his beating
heart seemed TO stop when he saw his moth
cr's face. lie seemed hardly to know whc,h
or it was mother or no.
'Shull CALI
Call robody, my dear. Come here.'-
. lie laid his check TO hers.
Mother, you nre dying he murmured
Yes, love, am dying. II is no use call.
ing any one These little ones, JOEL
u will take care of them, mother.'
You, my child How could that bep
Why not? said the boy, raising HIMSELF
and standing at his best height. Look at
me, mother. ! can work. | promise you.-'
His mother could not lift her hand, but she
moved finger in way which checked him.
Promise nothing that may be too hard
aferward,' she said.
promise TO try, them he said; that lit
tie sister shall live at home, and never 20 TO
the workhouse.' lie spoke cheerfuly, though
the candle-light gltfered in the two streams
of tears on his cheeks. We can 90 on liv-
ting here; aud we shall be So
10 ....I. 4
ing desolation rushed over him in way too
terrible TO be borne. He bid his face beside
her, murmuring, o mother mother!'
His mother found strength to move her
hand now. She strokcd his head with
trembling touch, which he seemed to feel as
long as he lived. She could not say much
more. She told him she had no fear for any
OF them. They would be taken care Of
She advised him not to waken the little |
ones who were sound asleep on the other |
s'le of her, and begged him to lie down
himself till daylight, aud try TO sleep, when |
she should be gone.
This was the last thing she said. The
candle was very low; but before it went out
slle was gone. Joel had always done what
his mother wished; but he could not obey
her in the last thing she had said. He light
cd another candle when the first went out;
and sat thinking till the grey dawn began to
show through the window.
When he called his neighbors, they were
astonished at his quietness. He had taken
up the children, and dressed them, and made |
the room tidy, and lighted the fire, before he
told any body what had happened. And |
when he opened the door, his little sister |
was IN his arms. She was two wears old, |
and could walk, Of course; hut she liked be- |
ing in Joefs arms. Poor Willy was the
most confounded. lie stood with his pima
fore at his mouth, staring at the bed, and
wondering that his mother lay so STILL
II the neighbors were astonished at Joel
that morning, they might be more so at some
things they saw afterward; but they were
not. Everything seemed done so naturally;
and the boy evidently considered what he
had TO do SO much matter of course, that
less sensation was excited than about many
smaller things.
After the funeral was over, Joel tied up
all his mothers clothes. lie carried the
bundle on one arm, and his sister on the
other. lie would not have liked to take
money for what he had seen his mother
wear but he changed them away for new
and strong clothes for the child. lie did not
seem to want any help. He went TO the
factory the next morning rs usual, after
washing and dressing lhe children, and get
ting a breakfast of bread-and-milk with them.
There was no fire; and he put every knife,
and other dangerous things on high shelf
and gave them some triiles to play with, and
promised to come aud play with them at
dinuer-time. And he did play. He played
heartily with the little one, and MS if he en-
joyed il, every day at the noon hour. MANY
a merry laugh the neighbors heard from the
room when three children were together /;
and the lnngh was often Joels.
How he learned to manage, and especial
)y 10 cook, nobody knew; and lie could
himself have told little more than he wanted
TO see how people did it, and looked accord
ingly, at every opportunity. He certainly
fed the children we'll and himself too. He
knew that every thing depended on his
strength being kept up. His sister sat on his
knee TO be fed I'LL she could feed herself
He was sorry TO give it up but he said she
must learn TO behave. So he smoothed her
hair, and washed her fhce before dinner, and
showed her how 10 fold her hands while
he said grace. lie took as mnch pains to
train her TO good manners at table as if he
had been governess, teaching little baby.
While she remained a BABY he slept In
that she nigh. have room, and not be dis
urbed; and when she ceased to be baby,
he silently made new arrangements. lie
denied himself hat, which he much want
cd, in order 10 buy a considerable quantity
Of coarse dark calico, which, with his own
hands be made into a curtain, and slnng up
scross a part of the room; thus shutting off
about third part of il. Here he contriyed
TO make up little bed for his sister; and
he was not satisfied ill she had basin and
jug, and piece Of soap of her own. Here
nobody but himself was to intrude upon her
without leave; and, indeed, he always made
her understand that he came only to take
care of her. Il was not only that William
was not to see her undressed. A neighbor
or two now aud then liled the latch. with
oui knocking. One of these one day, heard
something rom behind the curtain, which
made her call her huahand silantIv ~ u,.