Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1854-02-10
MISCELLANF.
[From Chambers Edinburgh Journal.
MATCHES.
A NEW YORK STORY.


"Bla2king blacking matches ~ cried a
little irt-begrimmed imp, popping his head
in as he opened the door Of the rcading-roUnl
of the Universe Hotel and as, whenever the
tympanum is touched by the aboy. sounds,
there is sympathetic cord acting like Il bell
pull upon the cjuculatory organs, which for
ccs them to say no, Il chorus around sang out
unisono, and with precision our drilled and
paid choruses at the Opera have never attain
ed yet No, We don't want any" Mr.. Jc-
rome Green, an easy, good-naturrd gentle
man, who was in town tor the holidays, was
resting in an armchair, making us'', however
Of only its two hinder logs, his own feet be-
ing IrDppcd upon the window-sill, and sung
out with the rest: ''No, do not want any,
The little fellow, VIII" had an intelligent rut
melancholy face, WAS just going t. Nt..dr. v
himself from the gorgcously decorated F. ~,
when M. iccn. halrC.i"a t" turn his i''"'
to the door. caught sight of muddy little
foot quite blue with the pinching cold-tlat
is to say, that part OF it which was not black
with incrustations and rccollectiug that he
had actually been annoyed during tie last
week by the want of il match in his bedroom
cried :. lalloo do want some matches,
though, little shaver how do you II them Z!
" Eghtcen-pcnce il dozen, WAS the ready
reply; and they don't SMELL
don't they = said Mr., Green, and thought
to himself, " that is more than ! can say OF
you, my young friend - but he kept the
thought to himself being rather eccentric,
and not wishing to hurt the match-tUy 5
feelings.
All this timcMr Green had held the bundle
of boxes pcnsivcly in his hand. as if he thought
to get ut their intrinsic value by weighing
them. Eightecn-pcncc dozen, aud they
don't SMELL repeated the boy, blowing his
little chilled hands. Still Mr.. Green did not
speak, for his mind WAS far away in some hy-
pothctical match factory, calculating the I'M
matches to sell ut eighteen pence u dozen, and
not smell
A" Warranted to keep and burn froely,'
broke in the boy who put his best foot for
ward, beginning to think his chance OF II sale
growing slim.
Z" But do not want Dozen" our gentle
man said, ropsing himself; - AIN sure hall
the quantity is enough to set me on fire "A
dozen times. Give me Il couple of boxes
here is sixpcnce for you - and rendering the
boy SHILLING, asked for the change,
The boy s countenance, which had begun to
brighten, fell again he had no change, he
had not sold anything that morning.
" Never mind, said easy Mr. Green ''you
can bring it me tomorrow you will find INT
here at about this hour. What is your maine
The boy told him Peter, departing ioyfully
with professions Of promptitude; and Mr.
Green got up to sanntcr away, when his
friend Smart, who had been silent specta-
tor of the scene. left of contemplating his
boot, tips, and called after him - say, Jer-
ry, what made you give that boy IA shilling
ior two boxes They are dear enough a
sixpencc."
" gave him only sixpencc," replied oul
easy friend : " he is to bring the change to
morrow"
surely YOU do not expect to see that bo.
again I"
Il positively do" wa. the quiet reply.
- bet you hat YOU don't"
Done" and - DONE followed in quicb
succession and the friends parted
| We were standing that afternoon at tho
corner Of y street, with the same feelings q
fOrlornness that take hold of some unfortu
nate overland pilgrim to California when h,
comes to a rapid stream, the Mormons in pos
session of the ferry, the fare asked five dol
lars, and the gentleman having spent his last
efigy of our glorious eagle done in gold a
the ferry Of the day previous: or with the
feelings OF Il very young man at II party, who
stands i'll IA knot OF other very young men, ant
is'dying to 60 up to that splendid girl Miss
Pcacock only Miss Peacock sits ut the Other
end of the room, and the very young maj
would have to traverse IL howling desert t.
get to her, which he dare not do ior his life
There we stood. staring across impasSabl,
Broadway, with number of other indvid-
uals, whose breasts were filed with the sam,
wishes which agitated our own. We all
wanted to cross Broadway, and accumulate IA,
little mud and break as few ribs as possible
On the other shore stood our countcrrafts
lifting thoir umlEellas to heaven, and pre-
senting true picture Of l!ls they woulC
have given anything to stand where we stood
and we as eagerly desired to lie where they
Were. All in vain. Kipp & Brown, Broad
way and 49th street, Tompkins square am
New YoIk } all rolled by like the roaring anc
relentless waves Of the SEA coming up 4