Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1854-12-08

sitive spirit, which had grown sore II
its harsh contact with a selfish world
In one thing Mrs. Winstan had
guessed wrong; he had no mother in thi:
world, but was cared for in some small
measure by boisterous, drinking father
and rough, but we'll meaning sister.
i Dorothy, the sister, came out to receive
him, soon after the carriage stepped at
their dwclling-a tumbling-down block in
the dirtiest street of the suburbs She
lifted him out in her strong, red arms,
thanked the lady for her kindness, in a
loud, shrill tone, and then stood to watch
the horses as they trotted away.
"Oh, Dolly I" moaned the boy, "please
carry me up stairs'"
eyes, yes, you silly child this is what
you get by going to such places! How
long, l wonder, before you will learn that
you are not like other folks, and can't t
60 amongst 'em ?"
"Not like other folks p repeated poor
little Hugh, when his sister had tucked
him up carefully in his warm attic, and
gone down to prepare wash for his sprained
wrist. He forgot for a moment his bodi-
ly pain, in the pain which shot through
his heart at these careless words. "Not
like other folks! no indeed, I an not
But how am to blame for it? l didn't t
make myself! Why did God make me
SO ?"
He raised the blanket from his face,
and peered into the darkness with kind
Of superstitious fear at the question he
had involuntarily asked, for be bad not
forgotten what his dead mother had taught
him : that God was good, and that be did
everything for the best.
81 don't know what We shall do with
Hugh, to keep him out Of harms way"
said his father the next morning. ale
has such an intolerable curiosity to see
all that is going on in the world, tha. le'll
get his neck broken among these city boys.
I'll send him to my sisters cousin in the
country, to learn shoemaker's trade"
:The best trade in the world for such as
he," replied Dolly. And so, as soon as
the sprained wrist was strong again, little
Hugh was packed of to country cobbler's
close leather-perfumcd shop.
1t was neS thing to him to be impri.
soned from morning until night, waxing
ends, whiting pegs, or driving them into
the tough soles of shoes new or old. Not
kind word ever fell on the poer boys
ear. II he did his work faithfully, he re-
ceived no word or look Of encouragement
If he fell to musing a, he sometimes did,
he was roughly aroused by shake, and
growl to the effect that he dn't earn the
salt to his vic,uals "should like to know
what he expected to do In the world ?"
Que Saturday, Hugh had the Unusual
privilege Of half holiday. With The vii
lage boys he could not 50 to play, for they
had once driven him from their green,
with shouts Of scornful laughter So he
turned down shaded lane, that led to a
dark pine wood. Through the heart Of
this wood stole still stream of cool wa
ter. Upon mossy knoll, on its bank,
Hugh threw himself down to cherish sad
thoughts.
"To be shoemaker all my days, and
stay in stived-up shop" thought be, 81
can't bear it ! But what else can l do
Who cares for me! Who is there that
does not laugh at me! wish l was dead |
so do"
He laid his pale check on the soft moss
and watered it with bitter tears. As be
raised his eyes at length, they lighted on
. clear blossom Of the fringed gentian. As
he took the flower in his hand, it seemed
to him a, though its fringed blue eye looked
lovingly into his, saying, "God made me!'
"God made you-yes made you sweet
and beautiful, but how did he make mes'
reasoned the bewildered boy, whose rebel.
lious feelings had by no means left him.
Still he looked fxcdly into the flower.
81 don't laugh at your hunched shoul-
ders, Hugh" 1t seemed to him again to be
saying softly.
"No-yoa don't and if there was one
living blue eye that looked as kind as
yours"-he stopped, and thought for a
of little Lila and her mother.
''But that was only PITY even kind people
can never love me- Iwonder if the angels
in heaven will love me a! My mother will,
know" and his lips trembled "But l
am afraid never shall be fit to 60 to her,
if this naughty feeling stays in my heart!
can't help it either. 1t must be God
made me for something, as we'll as this
dear little flower! Yes, be gave me a
'oul-the little girl said that! Perhap.
my soul can do something in this world,
though my body is poor and crooked. TH
'ry" = .. -..
And with these little magic words, Hugh
,npon - ,,c f,o-s IL. kcolI hu&touoJ tha