Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-03-06

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ment replying, gently shook it. The rags be-
gan to be slowly stirred within, and by little
and little q head was unshrouded. The head
of young woman of three and twenty, as l
should Judge; gaunt with want, and foul with
dirt but not naturally ugly.
"Tell u.s." said l. stopping down. /" Why
are you laying here?"
+" Because can't get into the Workhouse."
She spoke in faint, dull way, and had no
curiosity or interest left. She looked dreamily
at the black sky and the falling rain, but never
looked at me or my companion. sa
"Were you here last night I!
eyes. All last night. And the night afore
too"
"Do you know any of these others!"
81 know her next but one She was here
last night, and she told me she came out Of
Essex l don't know no more of her."
"You were here all last nj ght, but you have
not been here all day."
"No. Not all day"
"Where have you been all day."
"About the streets"
"What have you had to eat!"
Nothing"
"Come!" said +. Think little. You
are tired and have been asleep, and don't quite
consider what you are saying to us. You have
had something to eat to-day. Come Think
of i'll"
"No havn't. Nothing but such bits as l
could pick up about the market. Why, look
at mel"
She barred her neck, and covered it up
again.
eff you had shilling to get some supper
and lodging, should you know where to get
it,"
Yes. I could do that
"For Gods sake get it then
Iput the money into her hand, and she feebly
rose up and went away. She never thanked
me, never looked at me-melted away into the
miserable night, in the strangest manner ever
saw. l have seen man.. strange things, but
not one that has left deeper impression on my
memory than the dull impassive way in which
that worn out heap of misery, took that piece
of money, and was lost
One by one, spoke to all the fve In every
one interest and curiosity were as extinct as il
the first They were all dull and languid. NJ
one made any sort Of profession or complaint
no one cared to look at me no one thanked me
When came to the third, supposed she saw
that my companion and glanced, with new
horror upon US, at the two last, who had drop
ped against each other in their sleep, and were
laying like broken images. She said, she be
lieved they were young sisters. These were the
only words that were originated among thu
FIVE.
And now let me close this terrible accoun
with redeeming and beautiful trait of tn
poor. When we came out of the Workhouse
we had gone across the road to public house
finding ourselves without silver, to get chang
for a sovereign. l held the money in my hant
while I was speaking to the five apparitions.
Our being so engaged, attracted the attention o
many people of the very poor sort usual to tina
place; as we leaned over the mounds of rags
they eagerly leaned over us to see and hear
what had in my hand, and what l said, ant
what did, must have been plain to nearly al
the concourse. When the last of the five ha,
got up and faded away, the spectators openet
to let us pass; and not one of them, by word
or look, or gesture, begged of us. Many of tn
observant faces were quick enough to know tina
it would have been relief to us to have 90
rid of the money with any hope of doing goo
with it, But, there was feeling among thel
all, that their necessities were not to be place
by the side of such spectacle and they opene
a way for us in profound silence, and let L
y go.
My companion wrote to me the next day, th'
the five ragged bundles had been upon his be
'r all night. | debated how to add our testimon
e to that of many other persons who from tin
to time are impslled to write to the newspaper
by having come upon some shameful and shoe
ing sight OF this description. | resolved
r, write in these pages and exact account of VIII
& we had seen, but to what until after Christina
to in order that there might be no heat or haste.
he | know that the unreasonable disciples of
re reasonable school, demented disciples who pu
It arithmetic and political economy beyond {
bounds Of sense (not to speak of such wea
1e ness as bumanity,) and hold them to be all-sr
to ficent for every case can easily prove that su
ae things ought to be, and that no man has a
business to mind them. Without disparagi
,lf those indispensable sciences in their sanity
utterly renounce and abominate them in tn
is insanity; and i address people with resp'
We for the spirit of the New Testament, who
mind such things, and who think them I'M
10. nous in our streets.