The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-11-27


were no more drops to take, and arm in arm
they sailed forth, and singing, with all their
might,
"Nslly was a lady-last nigh, she died.
they pitched and Numbered and zig-zagged their
way down the street. The cool, clear air sober.
ed their brains little directly, and tempered
their mrth to a less boisterous key. The gene
raj hilarity was at its height now, and the bells,
and the laughter, and the merry talking and
singing of the sleigh riders, as they glided by
each other, still, however, kept their spirits at
the top wave, and was naturally provocative of
desire for similar enjoyment.
81 say, my son." said David, speaking ear
nestly, and holding his fiery cigar between two
fingers the while, "Pve got en- idee."
"Not uncommon to your prolific BRAIN" re-
piled Charley; shut what is it?"
81 amt got it up yet" David said give
got the foundation laid, and the sleepers on
you just now hold on for q short period, and
I'll have the wall up and the roof on"
$50 ahead," said Charley, but don't pile it
up too Steep"
al can't work it out exactly" said Wardell,
with puzzled air, 81 bat the cream of the
thing is this-to get the gray mare out of old
Hiffraf's stable, and make him believe We have
run away with her; and, by the king Of spades,
if there she don't stand, and that same splen-
morningl Let's jump in, and make a pleasant
trip to town."
"But he must know it was u.s." interposed
Charley, else all the fun will be lost"
"Work thou, my busy brain, as the Psalm
list Gays" and Wardell put his hand to his fore
head for moment, and added, joyousy, 81
have /" and pulling Charley by the arm,
they turned into side street, and directly de-
scended flight of dark steps into cellar.
The damp, unwholesome atmosphere and the
choking steam that met them as they showed
open the creaking door, caused them for
moment to stagger back but there was no re-
peling such enthusiasm possessed Wardell,
and another moment they stood within the mis-
cradle lodging of the knifegrinder.
What! Judge, you off your under-pin-
corner of the room, where, on a heap of bris-
ties, covered with an almost black blanket, the
knife-grinder lay.
Saint you in condition to do me little
service, now? Come, old fellow, try to rouse
yourself up"
The old man lifted his head from the doubled
woolly sheepskin that made his pillow, and an
nounced, in q tone which at soberer moment
David would have better understood, that he
would get up to serve him, if it was the last
thing he ever did; and he lifted himself on one
elbow, and listened, with open mouth and gilt
tering eyes, to the young mans proposition,
which was, that he, Mr.. Forbs, should go at
once to Billy Black, and tell him he had seen
David Wardell, half an hour previously, or
more, driving off his gray mare at the top of
her speed.
While the arrangement was going forward,
Charley leaned against the upholstered wall,
and surveyed the appointments and inhabit-
ants of the place. On one side was large
fire place, where a kettle and two or three
iron pots were steaming over weak fire, made
of hoop-poles and coopers' shavings and bones
and leaning against the jambs, or lying along
the floor before them, were eight or ten chill
dren, dressed in ragged petticoats and trow-
sers, and with locks that lay matted, and looked
heavy, like dead hair-some of whom were
holding their bare feet to the fire, while others
gnawed at the pigs ears and tails which they
held in their black, oawey fingers, and which
they had apparently stolen from the kettle and
pots aforementioned
Charley thought of the air of the hay fields
that he had fed on when a child, and turned
away his face. In one place woman was
washing in a leaking tub, that stood unsteadily
on a broken chair and beside long shelf,
garnished with hogs heads, stood another wo-
man, preparing one of them for the kettle, by
singeing the remaining bristles with paper
torch while yet another, with face as wrin.
killed. as it could be, and as white and express
soness as death, sat by talow candle, sew
ing on coarse shirt, her bony fingers feeling
half the time for the needle, and her head sha-
king across and across her crooked seam. The
candle served another worker, az well as her,
self-a pale, sickly looking youth, who was ma
king shoes. Near them stood a small wooden
box, in which baby, three months old, per-
L. Id - Il L
to keep it warm, or from uneasily working
wooden chests stood here and there, heaped
with bundles and crockery, indicating that
they were used both for beds and tables.
While Charley thus stood, dumb with horror
and amazement, he was joined by the sick
man and his fun seeking friend, and clouds of
steam, and burning bones, sleeping baby, and
dead alive old woman, were left behind them.
David hurried forward, eager to put his plan
in execution, while Charley fell behind, and
helped the old man up the steps, saying, as he
did so,
am sorry you are sick"
"Keep your sorrer for YOURSELF" answered
Forbs. amt sick, h-ll of head ache,
that's ALL"
Charley said no more, and all three walked
in silence, the sick man stopping once or twice,
anu ioduinB against ZIG wall, I'LL CHey came
near the Riffraf stable, where the gray mare
was still standing.
snow, you understand perfectly what you've
got to do?" said Wardell, leaping into the
sleigh, and taking the reins.
Perfectly" answered Forbs, stopping
against the wall, and putting his hand to his
forehead.
"There," said Charley, lingering moment,
ago to the apothecary's, and get something
for your head"
"COme, what are you doing2" called War
dell.
"Nothing," answered Charley, and button
ing his coat over the pocket from which he
had taken dollar for the knife grinder, he
jumped into the sleigh, aud, with shout and
hurrah, the companions drove hurriedly away.
When they were gone, Forbs crept toward
the nearest lamp, to assure himself it was really
dollar Charley had given him and when the
fact was established, there seemed to be
contention in his mind, for he walked irreso-
lutely backward and forward for some time.
At length, observing lump of stone that
lay beside his path, he turned it aside, slipped
the money beneath it, and walked hastily away;
but in few minutes he returned again. 1t
took a long time for him to earn dollar, and
why should he throw one away? and, besides,
Charley had never injured him. He took up
the piece Of gold, and cat doYn on the stone,
now leaning his head on his hand, and now
bathing it with snow. At last he seemed salts.
fed with himself, for there came to his face an
awful smile, and, slowly lifting himself up, he
made his way to the RiHraff stable.
TO BE CONTINUED