Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1855-07-06
The Little Peddlers,


One rainy afternoon in the earliest par,
Of Autumn, heard low knock ntmy back
door, and upon opening It found a pedlcr.
Now podlcrs ara great vcTa.ion to mo ;
they leavo the gaics open, they never have
anything want, and don't like tho faces
that belong to mos; Of them, especially those
Of tho strong men who 50 about with little
packages Of coarse goods, and always
close tho door upon them, saying to my'eli
lazy
This was a little boy, and he was pale and
wet and looked 50 cold forgot he was a
pcdler, and asked him to como in by tho
Ere. thought he appeared rs though ho
expected was going to buy something, Tor
ho commenced opening his tin h9J hut had
no such intention. lie looked up IN my
face very earnestly and ndly, when I told
him To warm himsclfhy tho Gre and did not
wish 70 purchase anything TIoro'o slowly
from his s,a;, and there was something in
his MIR which reprolchod nc, and detained
him 10 inquire why no was out in the rain
He replied
"TAm out every LAY, and can't stay in
fpr li,,lo rain, besides most padlcrs stay
At homo then, and saa soil nora on rainy
day."
"ITow much do you earn in q day >"
"Somotimes two shillinc', sometime ono, ,
and oaca IN 4 whilo g, nothing AL day,
AMI then na'am, am very tired
Hero he gave q quick Dry cough, which
startled nc
How long havo yoa hai that ,'ash''
81 don't know, ma Az
"Do,' i, hurt you1'
"Yc-, ma'Am."
Where docs yoar mother livol"
"In heaven, ma'am, " Said he, annovod
Have you fI;her?'
Yc', ma'am, he il With mother, % he re
piled in tho nmo tone.
Have you any brothers Or sistersl'
81 have little sister, bat she ver. 20
mother ahou, month ago"
What allied hcr2"
She wan,cl 70 20 mother. and -o DO I,
and guess that's why | cough So"
Where do you livc1'
with Mrs Brown, on n t,rcct
Docs she give you any medicine fo' your
c,urh7
Not dortors' mcdicino--sho is too poor,
but .hc makcs something for ne to take
WIN You take something Il I give it %
you'"
W ma'am, thank you; mother took
medicine, and 1t didn't holp her, though sh,
,t would no, s,or my eoagh Gosl day
ma'am."
"wait a minute, " said, " wan, 20 %,
what YOU carry"
II. opened hi' box, and for once found
wha, wanted. Indeed, I didn't think IT
would have ma'trrcd what he hai. lshoald
have wanted it, for tho little pediler ha'
changed in my cyc'--hs had father and
mother in heaven, and 20 had I. How
strange that pcddlcr' never s'em'd like P'o
ple.-human. -ul flled bSir-', before
How thankful be- wa, and how his great
uuken blue eyes looked into miro whom
paid him
. Won don't ask mo to ako cont Ice,
aii ho after hcsia,in- minute, ' thini
you mus, b. very rich"
"Oh, no, I" replied 81 an hr from
that, and tho, things arc worth more q
me now than gave you for them vii
YOU come arain2'
"Ycs, ma'am, IL don't 50 20 no,ho
SON"
Are YOU hungry p
"No ma'am, never feel hungry now
sometimes think mother feeds ino when
sleep, though don't remember it when
am awake only know | don. wish TO ca
nov, since my sister died"
"Did you foel very rad them
81 felt very big in my throat, and tho
I was chokc,l, but didn't cry bit, ;ho1s
I rlt very lonely at night for while ba
I'm glad she's up there now"
"who told you, you were going to die'.
Nobody, but know an PcFAap
r III 60 before Chris.mas
| could not endure that, aad trioi :
make him stay, bat he would run ard ta
Mrs. Brown what good luck he had IN,
/, with. lie babe me good day again oboe'
fully. and wcnt out into the rain, while
could only say,
\ "Goi be with yol my child'
IIo never came again, thoagh | looked 70
i him every day. At length, about Nc.
Yoar's went u tie place he called home
Mrs. Brown was thors, but the litls l'I
grim his weary rcr, were at risi, and ne'
cr more would .i, gentle knock bo hoarl a
tho doors Of thos,, who, Ike myself, forge
the necessity and stern want That often 'ar
about thoss wanderers from hou'o to hous'
and their employment might he far more III
secmly To them than annoying W 10.
UGLY FACTS IuR uClY CusrouER'. A
II III .-.ss.t.