Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1856-06-26
EV ENING STAR.
THE 0UTCAsTs DEATH.

If any one can read the following without
drop of moisture in the eye, their hearts are
made of sterner stuff than our own. 1t is a
death scene, from Bleak House
Poor JOe, a vagabond, residing in Tom
all alone's drifting about in his rags, filth,
and ignorance, after having become unable to
sweep street-crossings, is at length taken by
the hand by a benevolent young physician
and placed in a comfortable bed in Mr. Georges
pistol gallery, where he fingers n few days
and dies of the effect of the starvation and ex-
posure he has suffered. He has had the mis-.
fortune to be the means of communicating the
small pOx to a young lady who took compass
sion on his sick and helpless condition, and
this is the principal weight upon his mind in
his last hours His breath draws heavy as a
cart, to use his own words. and he is soon 90
ing
+" Joe is very glad TO see his old friend and
says, when they arc left alone, that he takes
it uncommon kind as Mr.. Snagsby should come
so far out of his way on accounts of such as
him. Mr.. Snagsby, touched by the spectacle
before him, Immediately lays upon the table
half crown, that magic balm of his for all
kinds of wounds.
And how do you find yourself, my poor
lad Z" inquiries the stationer, with his cough
of sympathy. .. -
81 am in luck, Mr.. Snsgsby, 1 am" re-
| turns Joe, and don't want for nothink I'm
l.
do it, sir -
The stationer softly lays down another half
crown, and asks him what it is that he is sorry
for having done
Dir. Snagsby," saysJoe, 81 went and give
illness to the lady as wos and yit as warn
the other LADY, and none of EN- never says
nOthlnk to me for having done it, on accounts
of their being ser good, and my having been s
| uniortnet The lady come herself and see me
| yesday, end she ses,-" All, Joe," she ses,
= We thought we'd lost you, Joe :" she ses
| And she sits down a smilin' so quiet, and don't
| pass word nor yit look upon me for having
| done it, she don't, and I turns agin the wall L
| dos, Mr.. Snassby. And Mr.. Jarnders, / see
| him forced 20 turn away mis- own self And
| Mr. Woodcot, he como TO give me somethink
| to ease me, wOt he allus a doin' On day and
| night, and wen he comes bendin over me
and a speakin' up so bold, see his tears a
| fallin, Mr. Snagsby.
The sOftened statiOner deposits another half
crown on the table. Nothing less than a repe-
titlon of this infallible remedy will relieve his
| feelings.
"WOt 1 was thinkin' on, Mr. Snagsby,"
proceeds Joe, " was, as you wOs able to write
| very large, p 'praps!"
Yes, Joe, please GOd," returns the sta
| toner.
"EncommOn precious large, p'praps ?" says
Joe with eagerness.
Yes, my poor boy"
Joe laughs with pleasure.
WOt l was thinkin' on then, Mr.. Snagsby,
wos that wen l wos moved on as fur as ever L
| could go, and L couldn't be moved no furder
wether you might be so good p'praps as to
write out very large so that sny one could see
it anywhere, so that / wos very truly hearty
| sorry that L done it, and that L never went
! fur to do it, and that though L didn't know
| nothink at all, knowed of Mr. Woodcot once
| cried over it, and was allus grieved over it,
and that l hoped as he would be able to for
| give me in his mind. If the writin' could be
! made TO say it very large, he might
'' 1t shall say so Joe, very large
Joe laughs again. .....
| Thankee, Mr.. Snagsby. It's very kind
| of you, sir, and it makes me feel more CON-
| fbler nor l wos afOre.''
The meek little statiOner, with a broken
and unfinished cough, slips his fourth half
| crown-he has never been So close to a case
requiring so maryland is fain to depart
And Joe and he, upon this little earth, shall
| never meet more. No more.
The cart so hard to draw its journeys end,
and drags over stony ground. All round the
block it labOrs up the broken steps, shattered
and worn. Net many times can the sun rise,
| and behold 1t still upon its weary road.
Phil SquOd, with his smoky gunpowder Wis
| age, at once acts as nurse and works as armo-
| rer at his little table in a corner often look
| ing round, and, with a nod of his green baize
| cap, and an encouraging elevation Of his one
| eyebrow Hold up, my boy hold up"
| There, too, is Mr.. Jarndyce many a time, and
| allen WOodcourt always; both thinking much
how strangely fate has entangled this rough
| Outcast in web of very different lives
| There, too, the trooper is a very frequent Wis.
| itOr; filling the doorway with his athletic
| figure, and, from his superiority of life and
strength, seeming to shed down temporary
| vigOr upon Joe, who never fails To speak more
| robustly in answer to his cheerful words
joe is in a sleepy stupOr to-day, and Alltn
| WOOdcOurt newly arrived, stands by him,
| looking down upon his wasted form After
| while he seats himself upon the bedside, with
his face towards him, just as he sat in the law
| yer's room-and touches his chest and heart
| The cart had very nearly given up, but labor
| on it a little more.
The trooper stands in the doorway, still and
| silent. Phil has stopped in low chinking
| noise, with his hammer in his hand Mr.
Woodcourt looks round with that grave, pro-
| tesSiOnal interest and attention on his face,
and glancing significantly at the trooper, signs
| to Phil to carry his table out When the ham
| mcr is next used there will be a speck of rust
| upon it.
| "Well: Joe, what's the matter! Don't be
| frightened" >"
| 81 thought" said Joe, who has started and
| Is looking round, 60 thought was In Tom
all alone again. Amt ther nobody here but
you, Mr. Harcourt?"
"Nobody." .'- "
| "And then ain t back to Tom all -aIons's,
am l, sir?' .... ...-
| mo"
| "JOe closes his eyes muttering-I'm very
| thankful !" ts
After watching him closely for little while,
Allen puts his mouth very near his ear, and
| says to him in low, distinct voice
Joe, did you ever know prayer"
| "Never knowd nothink, sir"
| ''Not so much as one short prayer!''
"No sir. Nothink at ALL Mr.. Chadbands
! he WIS a prayin wonst at Mr.. Snagby's, and
| | heered him, but he sounded as if he was
| speaking to hisself and not to me. He prayed
| q lot, but couldn't make nOthink on it. Diff
| ferent times there was other gentlemen come
| down to Tom all-alone's a prayin, but they
| mostly sed as the tother ones prayed wrong,
and all mostly sounded to be taikin to THAR
| selves, or a passing blame on the t'Others, and
| not talkin' to u.s. who never knOwd nothink.
l never knowd what it was all about
| 1t takes him long time to say this and
II r.