Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-04-14
miscellaneous.
POOR CHILDREN.

I had often seen Bob and Minnie in my walks.
I had often felt as if 1 would like to speak to them,
but had not the right, and could not find a motive.
Besides, they seemed quite enough for each other,
and l did not feel that | was essential to them. AT
length, after a summers absence in the country, l
encountered Bob, looking so changed that ] stopped
instinctively, for | saw that he had not forgotten
me. After some talk, 1 said, as l have recorded in
the opening Of my book,
And so your name is Bob; that means Robert.
Robert what?"
There amt no Robert about it. My name is
Bob"
"Well, what is your fathers name ?"
81 never had any father; | was sea born"
| tried not to smile-I think-indeed | am CON
fdent | did not smile outwardly. for l did not see
the little, quaint, old image of a man before me,
but a soul full of dull intimations, over-written
with strange, incomprehensihle characters, which
p~erplexed and oppressed poor Bob nightly.
And where is your mother ?"
L never had any mother | tell you | was sea-
born. The folks took me ashore, and I've been
q comm up ever since. But what | want to find
out is, about meetin's and %prayin's. don't know
nothin'. Ard she's a dyin', you see. | know it.
feel it. There's a little blue vein across her nose,
and it grows bluer and bluer and this here ring
is too big for any one Of her fingers now--and |
got a rose tree. and named one little bud Minnie,
and | said, if that bud blows out into a rose, Min
ME will get well if it doesn't, Minnie will die.
Last night the bud dropped off dead"
anu Nlb pun NV hlDtu LIE Cdh liC W l
the sleeve of his ragged coat.
Let me go and see Minnie 1t may be I can
cure her."
mo you don't. 1 want to learn about the
prayin', and then can do it all myself. Which
is the best meetin'-the Trinity or the Broad
way?'
~ do not understand you"
81 mean the Trinity Church, or the Broadway
Theatre. I've been to both of 'em, and to the
Cathedral, aud Bowery, and Chatham, and all
them places and | like the Bowery best"
why, Bob! they are not the least alike; the
Broadway is for amusement, and the Trinity is a
place for prayer"
d" They over DO it there. Makes a fellow feel
all of a gloom"
Bob did not clearly understand the difference
between a theatre and a church. What he wanted
was aid for the spirit, and he did not know to which
he should apply. Besides, his habits of life had
been such US to enGender n natural distrust, and
his love for Minnie led him to suppose that if any
body was admitted into his confidence. somehow
she would be lured away from him. The boy over
estimated human fellowship. Pm heavy here,
heavy here" and poor Bob laid his dirty hand upon
a rag of a shirt that hardly hid his little bony
easement for q big heart.
bob, let Inc 90 and pray with Minnie, and
perhaps | can ease her and | will help you. and
teach you both"
" tell you, ye don't come it. Don't ! know how
the folks do? I'm a little Teller, but | tell We what
they don't take me and Minnie and Dady off to the
Island while I'm Bob"
There was a family, indeed. "Who is Minnie
and Dady ?" 1 asked.
why, they's my children, to be sure,' said the
boy, drawing up his little bones, and planting 4
pair Of oyer-grown feet firmly, said feet Slipping
here and there in an old pair of shoes, a world to,
large.
Your children! how came they yours? Where
are their parents Z"
Never had any-never wanted any. Mimi,
had a mother. but she's drownded. Them that,
got no mothers is jist as well. What with tn,
drinkin' ADD the sinnin', they doesn't do much fn
children, only To beat 'en, and make 'em beg ant
steal. | takes two of 'em, | does"
YOU are a noble bQy-a great-hearted boy
Bob"
THAT'S it. / feel it n beatin', and a beatin'
when l hear the great whips crack upon the pOo1
horses and when | hear poor children, what want,
bread, cryin', and cryin', it beats harder, harder
And when l heard Dady a sereamin in the lot, anc
tte wind BLOWN cold, and the folks ai goin' by,
ran Toe, batny heart went hump, thumpL IkReN
Ionght TO go back and SO 4 did, aud fetched hen
'aiong' and me and BroSen%ack took care Of hei
INNINGS brokeD-bGck, you know. Sometimes
coulc'nt gel the bread, for doesn't always make
the money; and once went tS a man What live,
az ore u the blg houses. They'd got a baby boa
rs hIge at Dady, and SO ( went and told aim I'd
gut a bnby outside in the cd car, and l wanted
sonaHtaifIg fer il 60 eat But he didn't give nothing
Sc | rang TO a good many doSrs; and st last
didn't Eing z, bus ] walked right in, ard l took som,
bread rigos oEf % t0s Eit1AseR afore their eyes
aud Ths2 they cried thiefl ihiefs and TIE star
wsre seen eAisis' Asre aad al shoat after Bob
bur they didn't eoteh him- Bot good bye, Minnie
dying and all the prayer 1 know is. Oh Lord
lard thg kihe&em osose.'"
: A0E. fhis prayer 9f poor Bob's Tas far nor,
significant than he connzipeA. 1t ia the greai
prayer for tho pS9r; feT Ibsh Els Kingdom Of Ia,
ESOFd Sbali came. msR wIli No gnSre tara a deaf eal
- human EAnIs. As 1 thought this, Bob disap
pearei dovH . d1xk alley. and | lost SIGHT Of him.
BnE I eauit nSs bGnish him from uny mind "Do