Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1853-07-06
From the Boston Olive Branch.
THE LITTLE BLIND GIRL.
By MINNIE MINOT.

who throng the dirty lanes and obscure
courts of this populous city. AS they
trip gaily to school. wrapped in warm
cloaks, and with bright, rosy cheeks and
sparkling eyes defy the biting blast and
keen frost Of winter, they do not pause to
no,ice the pinched hungry faces aud scan
ty clothing of the children of poverty. who
stand shiS ering. and gazing wistfully after
them.
In narrow, cheerlesss street, where
the glad Sunbeams never come. which was
inhabited solely by emiSrants and very
poor people, lived wa~herwoman. who
was Obliged to leave her home every day
To earn little to keep herself and her chill
drru from starving. She had Il large IA
mily, who were all able to help them
selves. excepting one. a little girl about
six years old. who was entirely blind. and
Jamie. the next Oldest, stayed at home to
take c re of her.
Ills mother could not afford to have
him idle. and though he was a small boy
he coulI weave baskets very expertly ;;
and all day long would he sit with his
sister AMI work away, and give her ii few
willow twiss to keep her busy. and when
she put them together. although he knew
it was all wrong, lie would say nothing.
and the poor child would laugh and clap
her little hands, at the idea Uf helping her
brother.
1t was tourhing to witnesses his devo-
ton. for he would place her block (fur
Two large blocks supplied the place of
cricktrs. in the sunulest spot. and on We
ry cold days take OFT his ragged Jacket
and wrap it roun her little blue teet,
nor seem to notice anything about him
self, AZ long as she was comfortable.
Sometimes, when he was ou. OF work,
he would take his baskets. and 20 away,
and be gone several hours to get some
more materials, and she would sit very
solrowtully at the window, waiting for
him 10 return; and when the patter of his
bare feet was heard ON the pavement she
would start, and an expression of Joy
would play over her wan features, aui
throwing her thin arms around his neck,
she would almost SO into exta les.
One day he started as usual. and Nell
sealed herself dejectedly to wait for his
return. She wuull open the W indow
IL ltttle and place her ear to a crack, and
listen anxiouSly. Al last she heard him
although he WAS halfway down the court
for her hearing was very acute. and she
could dii.iuguish sounds much better
than those who can ser,-and feeling her
way to the door stepped out to meet him
with glad smile, cry ing, Dear Jamie.
know chat it is you y but her foot slip
ped. and she fell heavily upon the hard
pavement, striking her head upon the door
step.
She did not move or attempt to rise.
and Jamie, with II bitter crv. lif,ed her
head, and called loudly for her to speak.
But no sound came from the pale lips,
and Il dark stream trickled down the
white face, from Il cut on the temple, over
the little ragged apron, and the thin.
wasted hands fell, nevertheless, by her
side. that had been eagerly stretched out
moment before to embrace Jamie; the
Si4htlesS eyes closed, and the little blind
.Irl was dead.
The poor boy sat moaning and weep
ing, and the whrmheartrd Irish woman
who lived in the next room came out.
and lU his entteaties that she would wake
Nelly up, only answered by shaking her
head, anL while the tears rolled over
form OF the dead child in her arms and
bore it into the house.
Jamie had never before seen a dead
body, AMI could not comprehend that Nell
wouli never speak TO him again. or sit by
uIm while he worked.
The mother lo,eL the chill. but could
not mourn for it aS IT it had been II strong
and healthy one. for she knew that il il
had lived. much suffering aud privation
would have been hers; but tive poor bro
er did not think OF these things. but sat
by the little corpse. wailin5 and mourning
and refusing to be comIottcd.
A rude. roIsh man. the undertaken
for the poor, came, and putting her in a
plain pine coffin, proceeded To take it away
Without any further ceremony, for the
mother had no money to spare to have a
funeral; but Jamie clun To it and begged
him not To take ii; but was at last cunyin-
ced that it WAS best, and he followed af-
ter with AN ovelfluwin ing heart.
When they reached the pauper burial
place, the man was going TO lower it has
tlly, for he had no time to spare for peo
pie who could not afford TO pay him; but
even his hard heart was softene |. and he
unscrewed the ll so that Jamie could
take a. farewell glance at the beIOs ell face
At every rude jar it received in its de-
scent. and when the heavy cIods fell up
on it, Jamie would burst out afresh AMI
beg him to ''take care
When the little grave was done. and
the frozen earth heaped upon it. the poor
brother threw himself upon it. and sob
bed ani walled SO that the undertaken,
who felt a softer feeling than he had ev-
er telt before tugyius at his heart-strings.
Tor he had grown calIouS to the misery
OF Others raised him up and tried to get
HIM away. speaking such words of com
folt as he could think of.