The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1855-05-23

asked Roger DO you indulge in lamp
light, for it's hardly dark, Mrs. Stone?'
Come in here, aud you'll see! There.
you didn't expect such fire as that. did
you. Johnson?'
Bless you, woman, that | didn't
You're warm as toast in here! How jolly
it is to see stove all of glow like that!
Where did your coal come irom7'
o. said Mrs. Stone, Sydney brought
me three dollars to day; and the children
was all a sh,vering and chattering so on
the s,ingy little wood fire, took i. into my
head that these three dollars should go to
getting US all warm once, if we were never
warm again in our lives. So what did
do but GO and order a quarter OF a ton o
coal; and the young ones have been as
merry as crickets ever since. They're
quite content TO go without their supper
so there's good FIRE for them to cuddIe
down by. Come in; it's free warm
Johnson. As long as the coal lasts.
want everybody to enjoy it that can. You
shall set with US this evening--your room
is SO awful dreary, Jnhnson!'
The frozen tears thawed in the old
mans eyes; but his voice was so choked
that he could not express his thanks
Seating himself in rickety old chair. he
warmed his cold Sims and rubbed his
shrivslsd hands over tha stove; patted the
children's heads; and ended by dividing
the larger portion Of his Loaf among them
reserving bot a scan,y fragment Tor him.
self f=
Mrs. Stone remon strated against this
generosity. But the children seized upon
the food SO eagerly, that the grateful old
man declared. with tears running down
his cheeks. that it did him more good to
| see them eat, than ii would for him to sit
down TO the most bountiful feast.
The meagre meal was soon concluded
when heavy footsteps were heard on the
stairs. The poor woman's heart almos,
ceased to beat. She turned so pale thai
the old man observed her change Of coun-
tenance, even in that dim light.
lis il tather?' whispered the children.
At that moment an angry voice de.
manded with an oath, why she did no,
hold ligh,!'
.Hush' said Mrs. Stone TO the cover,
ing little ones.
She opened the door. and presently 8
shabby, irest.bitten, middle.sged man
came clustering into the room. Ii was the
woman's husband. who. always when he
had money to spend, deserted his family
tor the grog shop, and who. invariably on
finding himself destitute, returned to them
for shelter.
He was a brutal, tyrannical man.
though he had not been always so, il,
sooth--and his appearance was signal
for general trouble and fear. 1t made
poor old Roger Johnson's heart burn
in his bosom to hear Jacob Stone demand
money OF his wife. and curse her because
she had that day spent all their oldest
sons earnings for fuel; and when the un-
feeling father snatched from the hands OF
a sickly child the crust that had been Civ.
en- il TO gnaw. the old man spoke ou, his
ind alton. This led to sharp quarrel
and he was driven with oaihs from the
room. Jacob slammed the door after him;
and the feeble lodger crepi darkling up 10
| his cold and windy attic.
He sighed as he sat there in the gloom.
Oh the invitihg bed. The comfort he
had just tasted made the present desola.
man huddled himself together with the
tattered bed-covering wrapped around
him. aud resting his elbows on his knees
wept and sobbeG like any little child. II
seemed the darkest OF all the dark. dark
hours he yet had known. Always uu,i
now. he had seen some little ray Of hope
when the gloom was thickesi; but in the
present anguish, nothing wss LETT him bu
to die.
! Once the old man started up and cursed
himself for fool He was halffamished
in wir.try garrei; and the reflection tina
ne had given away to the greedy ones o
Jacob Stone nearly The whole of his las
Loaf, fired him with indignation a, his own
folly.
| 81 deserve to starve,' he muliered. The
world is ell sel6shnsss. and he who give.
anything is dull doit-let him suffer
But O, this hunger and cold! have de-
served so much?'
There were others we'll fed and warmed
that night. Roger thought OF them; hs
visited in fancy the houses of the rich; b.
saw happy families with shining faces sit
ting around glowing hearihs. Then b.
wept again; ~ Of now with envy or remorse
He thanked God that there was comfor
in the world. although his lot was TO sui
fer. lie thought of the man who gave hiu
the money that purchased the loaf; Of hin
who lifted him up when he had fallen. ant
spoken kind words to- him; Of the goot
aud patient Mrs. Stone. the mother Of tn,
children he had ted; and Tor all his hun
ger pangs he ielt richly compensated. il
the consciousness of having done on,
seH-forgeuing. charitable ACT. which mad,
him. insspl,e Of his poverty snd rags.
brother to ell the good and noble heart,
that throbbed in human clay. ~ ~
4 The old mans LIMBS meanwhile gres
chill and numb; and he was wondering
il would be possible TOR hiu, TO get warn
il he went to bed. when he heard a stel
on the stair, and presently saw ligh
shining through the wide cracks sroun,
h the door. ~ l a 77.s III
Il 'fIave you gone to bed. Johnson?' :;
! II was Mrs. Stones voice. and tho oil,
man aroused himself to answer.
mo; Il thought Id try a sitting. freez
first said he with sad plavful humor