Columbia gazette., 1853-11-12
MISCELLANY Y.
A TOUCHING TALE.
THE FAC TOBY BOY.
By HARRIET MARr1NEAu.

t BY HARRIET MARTINEAU.
M IF
9 In the middle of dark night, Joel, a
boy Of nine years old, heard his name
, called by voice which, through his
sleep, seemed miles away. Joel had
t been tired enough when he went to bed,
and yet he had not gone to sleep for
some time; his heart beat so at the idea
of his mother being very ill. He well
remembered his fathers death, and his
mothers illness now revived some feel
lngs which he had almost forgotten.-
Ills bed was merely some clothes spread
on the floor, and covered with a rug;
but he could not mind that; and he could
have gone to sleep at once but for the
fear that had come over him. When
he did sleep, his sleep was sound; so
that his mothers feeble voice calling
him seemed like call from miles 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 beat
ing heart seemed to stop when he saw
his mothers face. He seemed hardly
to know whether it was his mother or
not.
Shall I CALI
Call nobody, my dear. Come her,. 5,
He laid his check to hers.
Mother, you are dyIg,' ne mur-
INJURED.
yes, love, I am dyicg. It is no use
calling any one. these little ones,
JOEL
Il will taxa care Of them, mother
i Yea, rly child! How should that be:'
i WHY not.' said the bey, raising him
self and standing at his best height
G.1ook at me, mother. I can work. l
: promise you-'
His mother could not lift her hand,
but she moved finger in way which
checked him.
rrun,lsc nurnrng that win be too
hard afterward, she said.
f 1 promise to try, then,' be said, that
little sister shall live at home, and new
S er 50 to the workhouse.' He spoke
cheerfully, though the candle light gilt
] tered in the two streams Of tears on his
checks. sWe can 60 on living here;
and we shall be So
s 1t would not do. The sense of their
coming desoiation rushed over him in a
a way too terrible to be borne. He hid
his face beside her, murmuriLg o moth
: er! motherp
His mothor found strength to move
c her hand now. She stroaked his head
with trembling touch, which he SEEM
ed to feel as long as he lived She
could not say much hmors.4She-teld hin,
0 she had no fear of them. They would
be taken care of. She advised him not
to wake the little ones, who were sound
asleep on the other side of her, and
begged him to lie down when she should
be gone.
This was the last thing she said
The candle was very low; but before it
went out, she was gone. Joel had al
l ways done what his mother wished; but
he could not obey her in the last thing
she had said. He lighted another can
die when the first went out; and sat
thinking, till the gray dawn began to
show through the window.
t When he called the neighbors, they
were astonished at his quietness He
t had taken up the children, and dressed
them, and made the room tidy, and
lighted the fire, before he told any body
t what had happened. And when he
opened the door, his lisssslls5 lliisssslls5 sister was in
his arms. She was two years old, and
8 could walk, of course; but she ll,ed be-
ing in Joel's arms. Poor Willysas the
most confounded. He stood nth his
u pinafore at his mouth, staring atthb bed,
and wondering that his mother slay so
: still. id
IF the neighbors were astoniAed at
u Joel that morning, they might j more
: so at some things they saw ait herwardd.
but theyxere not. Every thinf ieemeai
done Sc naturally; 81 cid the boy Evidently
considered what he had to do 50 much a
matter of course, that less senstion was
excited then about psny smalle 4 things.
After the funeral vas over, Joel tied
up a:i his -r.s.otner's clothes. Hacarried
s .e ae bundle on one arm, and bis sister
II on the other. He would not have like
n ed to take money for what he had seer
) his mother wear; but he changed then
,e away for new and strong clothes for the
t. child. He did not seem to want any
u help. He went to the factory the mex
morning as usual, after washing ant