New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-22
Amy. She is very good gn, Amy. Sd

,ily hsbuated TO her az they all the rest OF
tieI condition. He fanced that although they had be-
fore them every day, the means ofcomparson between
her ar oDe another and Themselves they regarded her
ss being in Der necessary place a. holding posuOh
toward them al which belonged TO her, like her name
OF her age. He fanced that they viewed her not as
having r.en away from the prison atmosphere, but rs
sppertaibing to il; being vaguely what they had
right TO expect, and nothing more.
Her uncle sumed bis breakfast, and was muncbinS
toast sopped in coffee, Obvious Of his guest wnen the
third bs1 rarg That Amy, be said, and went
down to let her in leaving the visitor with as vvd
picture on bis mind Of bis begrimed hands, dt-worn
face, and decayed figure, as If be were stA dropping
in biz chair ,. -, -,
With the usual timid manner Her lips were little
part,d, as if her heart beat faster than usual.
Nj Clennam, Amy said her uncle, has been ez-
II to;k the liberty of sending you message"
al received the message, sr.
"Are you going to my mothers this morning l
thin rot for il 10 past your usual hour"
"Not to-day sir. i ain not wanted today"
own YOU allow me TO walk little way in what
ever direction you may be goingl | can then speak
10 you as we walk both without OBTAINING you here,
and without intmdng longer here mysslf."
She looked embarrassed, but said if be pleased. He
made a protense Of having msaid his walklng-stck,
10 give ber time to set the bedstead ght, to answer
Ler sisters impatient knock at the WALL and to cay
wo,d softly 70 her uncle Then be found il, and they
went downstairs; she first, he following, the uncle
standing at the stairhead, and probably forgetting
tom BE- fore they lad reached the ground floor.
Mr.. Crpples's pupil, who were by this time coming
10 school desisted from their morning recreation Of
cutting one another with bags and books TO stare with
all the ewes they had at stranger who had been 70
zee Dirty Dick. They bore the trying spectacle IN
silence, until the mysterious visitor was at safe dis
tance; when they burst into pebbles and yels, and
Likewise into reving dances, and in all respects buried
The pipe Of peace with many savage ceremonies,
that if Mr. Crpples had been tue chief Of the Cripple
waybOO tribe with the war-paint on, they could
L., 70 4hafra adj
IN the midst Of this homage, Mr. Arthur Cennam Of
feIed lis to Little Dorrit, and Little Dorrt took
it. "Wl you 90 by the Iron Bridge, said he where
there ia an escape from the noise Of the street ~ Little
Dorrt answered. if he pleased and presently ventured
10 hope that he would not mind" Dir. Cnppess boy9,
for she had herself received her education, such as IT
was in Mr.. CTpIles's evening academy lie returned,
with the best Will in the word, that Mr.. Crppless
bows were forgiven out of the bottom Of his soul.
Thus did CIipplcs uncOnsciousy become a master Of
the ceremonies between them, and bring them more
naturally together than Beau Nash might have done if
they had lived in his golden days. and he had aighted
from bis coach and six for the purpose.
The morning remained squaly, and the streets were
mserably muddy but no rain fell a. they walked to-
ward the Iron Bridge. The little creature seemed so
young in his eyes, that there were moments when he
found bimsef thinking Of her. if not speaking to her,
ar if she were child. Perhaps be seemed as old in
her eyes as she seemed young in his.
% am sOny to hear you were 80 inconvenience
last night, sir, TO be locked in. 1t very unfor
tunHte"
1t was nothing, he returned. He had had very good
bed.
ooh yesw she said quickly; "shc believed there
were excellent beds at the cOhee-house." He noticed
that the coffee house quite majestic hotel to her,
and that she treasured its reputation.
IL believe it is very expensive, said Little Dort,
but my father has told me that quite beautiful din
ners may be got there. And wine," she added TIM
idly.
"Were you ever there ~
"Oh no Only into the Kitchen, to fetch hot
water.
To think of growing up with kind of awe upon
to the luxuries OF that superb establishment the
MaIshalsea hotel
81 asked you last night" said Clennom, al how you
had become acquainted with my mother Did you
ever hear her name before she sent for youl"
"No, Fir.
"Do YOU think your father ever didl'
"No, SIR
in them (sLe was scared when that encounter took
place, and shrunk away again. that he felt 1t necessary
to say:
ihave a reason for asking, which cannot very
well explain; but you must no account, suppose II
to be OF nature to you the least alarm or anx-
iety. Quite the reverse. And you think that at no
time of your fathers life my name Of Clennam
ever familiar to himl'
He felt, from the tone in which she spoke, that she
glanciDg up at him with those parted lips; there
fore he looked before him, rather than make her heart
beat quicker still by embarrassing her afresh
was quiet after the roaring streets, as though
had been open country. The wind blew roughly, the
wet squalls rafting past them, skimIning the
pools on the road and pavement and raining them
down into the river. The clouds raced furiously in
the lead-cocred ky, the smoke and mist raced after
them the dark tide ran fierce and strong IN the same
direction Little DorTt seemed the least the quetest
and weakest Of Heavens creatures
&" Let me put you in coach, said Arthur Clcnnam,
very nearly adding "my poor child.
She huniedly declined, saying that wet or dry made
little difference to her. she used to 60 about in all
weahers. lie knew il to be so, and touched with
more pity; thinking of the slight figure at his side,
making its nightly way through the damp, dark, bois
ferrous streets, TO such place of rest.
You spoke so feelingy to me last night sir, and
found aferward that YOU had been generous 10 my
father, that could not resist your message if it was
only TO thank you; especially as | wished very much
to say to YOU" she hesated and trembed, and tears
roee in her eyes, but did not fall.
"TLat hope You viii not misunderstood my father.
Don't Judge him, you would Judge Others outside
the gates. He has been there so long never saw
him outside, but can understand that he must have
grown different in some things since"
"My thoughts viii never be unjust or harsh toward
him, believe me-"
Not" she said, with prouder air, as the misgiv-
ing evidently crept upon her that che might seem to
be abandoning him, mot that he has anything to be
ashamed of for himself that have anything TO be
ashamed of for him. lie only requires to be under
stood. only ask for him that his life may be fairly
remembered. AL that ne sald was quite true IL all
happened just he related it. lie is very much re-
spected. Everybody who comes in is glad to know
him. lie Is more courted than any one else. He is
far more thought of than the Marshal is"
II ever pride innocent, it was innocent in Lit
tie Don't when she grew boastfu of her father.
1T is often said that his manners are true gentle
mans, and quite study see none like them in that
place but he Is admitted to be superior to all the rest
This is quite as much why they make him presents as
because they know him TO be needy. He is not to be
blamed for being in need, poor love. Who could be