Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1852-12-31
THE L1TELE 0CCCAST
By MRS. DENI5ON.

"Mayn'tI stay, mA'am! III do anything you
give mc-cul wood, 90 after water, ana 60 all
your cTauds."
The troubled eyes Of the speaker were filed
with tears 1t was q lad that stood at the outer
door pleading with kindly looking woman who
sIl seemed 10 doubt the reality OF his good lntcn
tons
Tie cottage sat by itself on bleak moor, or
wha! in Scotland would have been called such
The time was near the latter end of September,
and fierce wnl RATED the bows OF The only
rWo naked trees near tie house, and flew with
sAiverinE sound into the doorway. as il seeking
tor warmth at the blazing fire within.
Nuw aud then a snow flake touched with IS
sof, chill. the cheek of the listener, or whitcnod
the angry redncss Of the poor boys benumbed
hands
The woman was evidently 10th to grant the
Loy's request, and the peculiar look stamped up
cd his features would have suggested to any
mind an ID u Of deprayily far beyond his years
But her woman, heart could not 'siol the
sorrow in those large, but by no means handsome
grey eyes.
Come in at any rate till Ire good man comes
home; there, sit DOWN by the fire; you look per-
I,hjng with cold, and she dew rude chair mp
to the warmest corner; then su~Piciousy CLAN
cling at the child from the corners OF her eyes,
She continued sotting the table for supper.
Presently came the tramp of heavy shoes;
he door was thrown open with quick Jerk and
the good man" presented himself, wcarIgd with
labor
a look of intelli .ycncc passed between him and
his wife; he too scanned the boy face with an
expire ssion not cv'nyIag satisfaction, but, neve-
tdcless, made bin come to the table, and then en-
joycd the zest with which he dispatched his sup
per,
Day after DAY passed, and yetthe boy begged
to be kept "ouiy til tomorrow ; so the good
couple, after due consideration, concluded that
As long as lie was 81 doc.lc, and worked 20 hear
lily they would retain him.
One day in the middle oftha winter, pcddIer,
long accustomed to trade at the cottage, made his
appearance, and disposed of his goods a4lIy as
il he had been looked for.
"Iou have a boy out there, splitting wood,
see he said pointing to the yard
"les; do you know lin -
'Ihaye seen HIM, replied the peddicr cyasiye-
".
and whcre--who is he what is he p
a Jail bird : and the pedder swung his pack
over his shoulder; "thot boy, young as he looks,
| saw in Jail myself, and heard his scutence-'tcn
months; he's hard one. louddo well to look
kecrtuly after HIM"
On, there was something so horrible in the
word jajI-the poor woman trembed as she lad
away her purchases nor could she be easy TIL
she called the boy in. and assured him that she
knew that dark part Of his his tory.
Ashamed, distressed, the child hung down bis
head lis cheeks seemed bursting with the hot
blood; his lips quivcrcd and anguish vas painted
as wildly upon his forehead as if the word was
branded into his flesh.
"Weu," he muttered, his whole frame relaxing
as if burden Of guilt or joy had suddenly To!!
ID eff, II may as we'll 90 10 ruin at onct-thcre'
no use in my tryin' to do better-eyerybody hates
and despisss me-no5ody cares abou, me-lmay
as we'll go to ruin at onci."
Tell HE" said the woman who stood off far
enough for flight if that should be necessary,
chow came YOU to 90 50 long to that dreadful
place? Where was your mother
oh - exclaimed the boy, with burst Of grief,
that was terrible to behold oh! Ihajnt had no
mother ever since was baby. IT'D only hal
a mother" he continued his anguish growing
vehement, and the tears gushing out from his
strengthening grey eyes, III wouldn't a been
bound out, and kicked and cutfrd, and laid on TO
with whips. wouldn't a been saucy, and got
knocked down, and run away, and then stole be
cause was hungry. Oh! han't got no moth
er-l haiu't got 10 mo,her-l haven't had no
mother since was a baby"
The strength was all gone from the poor boy,
and he sank on his knees, sobhing great choking
sobs. and rubbing the hot tears away wiki his poor
knuckles. And did that woman stand there I'M
moved Did she codIy bid him pack up and be
of--the jail-bird'
Ne, no. she had been a mother, and though
all her children slept under the cold sod in the
churchyard. she was mother still.
She went up TO that poor boy, not 10 hasten
him away, bat 10 lay her fingers kindly, softly on
his head 10 tell him to lock up, and henceiorth
find in her mother Yes; she even put her
arm about the neck of that poor forsaken, deser-
led child; She poured from her mothers heart,
sweet womanly words, words of counsel and
tenderness,