Litchfield enquirer., 1853-01-20
From tie Olive Branch.
The Little ONtcaSt.

water and d" all your errards.'
The troubled eyes Of the speaker were
filed with tears. 1t was lad that
stood a: the outer door. pleading with
kIndIy>looking woman, who still seemed
TO doubt The reality Of his good inten.
tons. z .
The cottage sat by itself on bleah
moor, or what in Scotland would have
been called such. The time was nea.
the Ia, ter end Of September. and fierce
wind satlled the boughs Of the only two
naked trees neAt the house, and fled with
"a shivs'ing sound into the MARI CIV door,
way, as 1t seeking for warmth ~ the bla-
zsng tise within.
NV AT d then snowflake touched
with its soft chill the cheek Of the lis
tpRer, or whitened the angry rsdness Oh
The poor boys benumbed hands.
The woman WAS evidrnsly 10th to
grant the b., s request. and the peculiar
look stamped upon his features would
have suggested 10 any mind an idea OF
depravi,y Gar beyond his years.
BuL her woman's- heart could not re-
sist The sorrow in those large. but by No
means handsome grey eyes. ....
Come in. Ut any rate, till the good
man comes home.. There. sit down by
The f'e ;. you look perisLing with cold ;
and she drew rude chair up 10 the
warmest corners then. suspiciously
glancing at the child from the corners Ct
ner eyes. she continued setting the Ia
ble for supper.
Presently came the tramp Of heavy
shoes; the door swung opea with "a
quick jerk, and the good, man present.
ID himself. wsa,ied with labor.
A look ofinlslligcnce passed between
his wife and himself; he too SCAN
ned the boys face with an expression
not evincing satisfaction {; but, neve, the.
Iess. made him come to the table, and
enjoyed the zest with which he dispatch.
ed his suaper.
Day after day passed. and yet the
boy begged, TO be kept only till 10 NOR.
ow SO the good coupe, after due con-
Iteration. concluded that az long as he
vas SO docile, and. worked SO heartily
hey would retain him.
One day IN the middle Of the winter,
'pedIar. long accustomed 10 trade al
he cottage. made his appearance. and
disposed Of his goods readily, as if he
mad been waited Tor.
You have boy out there. splitting
wood. 1 see.' he said. pointing to the
gard.
Yes; do you know him ?
i have seen him. replied the pedlar
evasively.
And whereof Who is no !? what is
he?'
"A Jail bird , and the pedlar swung
his pack owe. his shoulder: that boy.
Young us he hooks. saw in myself. and
hca.d his scnirnce--ten months. He's
a hard one. You'd do we'll 10 look care
fullv after him. ....
Ga! there was something so horrible
in the word jAil-lhe poor woman tren-
bled rs she laid away her purchases nor
could she be easy ill she called the boy
in. and assu.el him that CHE knew that
dulk part Of his history.
Ashamed. distessel. the child hung
down his head his chez Ks seemed burst
ing with the hot blood his lip quiver>
I'd. and anguish WAS painted as vivIdly
upon his forehead rs il the wotd were
branded into the flesh.
Welt he nmtlered. his whole frame
r.laxius as If a burden Of guilt or by
had suddenly rolled otf. l may as well
20 to .uin al oncc--the'c is NO u>s in my
I,ying TO d. belter--eve'y body hates
and despi.es mf--nobody ea'es aboat
mel may as well go to ruin at once.
Tell me. said the woman. who stood
IF far energh for fight. If that should
De necessary, how came 20" 10 go :"
young TO that dreadful place? Wher'
vas vour Gnotiler--wnere 2
.On.' exclaimed the bog. with burs
II gri~f thai Was terrible 10 behold, On
[ hais.', no. mother! Oh! l bain't no
mother ever SINGS 1 was baby. Il Id
only had mothsr, he continued, his
anguish growing vehement. and the tear
gtishing out from his g'ev eyes. Il
wou 'dnr ha" been bound out. and kicked
and sutfrd, and laid on TO with Whips
| wouldn's have been saucy. and go
knocked down. and run away. and then
stole because ! Was hungry. Oh 4
hain't got no mothsr-I hain't got nj
mothsr--I havn't had no mother evel
since ! was q baby.
The strength was oil gene from ths
poor boy. and be sank on lis knees. sob
bing great choking sobs.. and rubbing
the hot tears away with his poor knuck
les. And did that woman stand thei'
unmoved ? Did she boldly bid him paci
up and be off, the jail-bird'a
No. no she had been. mother. and
though all her children slept under th'
cold sod in yOnder church yard. she wa
o mother still.
She went up 10 the poor boy not 9
hasten him away, but 10 lay her finger