Tribune and telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1855-1856, 1856-07-31
L 7 T T e AG MES:
OR THE LUXURY OF DOING coon

/
shaking the ashes into the CRATE near which he was
sitting, he threw himself back YEARLY in his chair
Why, TO enjoy life, and indulge in day dreams
said his friend, who had been breakfasting with him
at his hotel. ,Whatian idea, for a man born under
your lucky STAR enjoying income of FIVE thous
and year, and no one to support but himself Here
You can sit the long day through reading the last
new novel, or watching the graceful smoke -wreaths
of your cigar and weaving airy fancies from the
loom of imagination; while /, poor wretch that am
must bear the curse pronounced upon all the sons
of Adam, and obtain my bread by the sweat of my
brow, in the daily drudgery of bookkeeping In your
situation, should be perfectly happy
And yet, believe me, your are the happiest man
of the two. And let me tell you,' turning to him
with more than his usual seriousness never to envy
one, however Independent in his circumstances, who
mas no ostenslble occupation. have often thought
that should have known more of content if / had
been compelled to earn my daily bread constant
sense OF one uselessness in this world is depressing
and renders life almost burden
But you can pass your time as you please
Yes, but one weares of ones self Where there
is necessity of exeron the leisure moments for re-
creation have zest but assure you the hours
drag heavily where one has his whole time for pleas
ure.
oh, that ever a man should complain of that =
said his friend, rising and laughing heartily but
my hour is come
You do not understand all tho phases of human
nature yet sad Craven returning his smile; and
with cordial shake Of the hand they parted at the
door.
Please, sir buy some Of my cigar lighters said
tmid little girl at his elbow, they are only three
cents Dozen, and she held up basket, filled with
packages of dozen, EACH of bright colored papers
rolled into graceful taperng torch shaped lighters.
lie turned towards the child, and the fragile little
creature, so scantily clad that chill wnry day
the little bare hands, blue and trembling with the
cold and above all the pale wan face, from which
pair of sweet blue eyes looked out upon world TO
her. SO sud and cherries, touched his heart.
lie drew her towards the fire, and then took up a
package, and dropped two bright half dollars into
the basket of the child She looked at them for Il
moment, raised her little modest tmd face to him,
with gaze of wonder, and then, if her gratitude
had no words to express itself, she sunk down and
clasplng his knees, burst iuto a food of tears
My poor child said he with astonlshment, while
his own eyes We're moist with emotion, what have
done do not be grateful for so little.
He raised her, and drew her once more towards the
fire TO warm her shivering limbs, and when she be-
came calmer, he said, Tell me, why you cry, my
poor child z
Oh, sir, we are all so hungry mother and little
brothers are almost dying for bread, and it seems as
if-as If, God had touched your heart for us
lie dashed away tear without speaking and then
Questioned her more infinitely. 1t was the first time
she had engaged in her present occupation, and she
had been. through all that cold morning, walking
the streets with her basket her arm, and had sold
but one package of her papers. Nobody needed
her, as they hurried on intent on business or pleas
ure The little, tmd shrinking child was overlook
ed and mono knew her anguish as she thought OF
her suffering mother, now too i'll to work. and the
little brothers, too young to beg At last she
ventured into the hotel where the door stood open,
and she sure she said, that her Heavenly Ia
ther had sent her there. Mother was crying when
she came away, but she would not cry any
more By still further inquiries he learned that her
father had died six months since, with slow typhus
fever; that shortly after his burial her mother was
taken i'll with the same disease. When she recover
ed 80 to be able 10 sit up, the money all gone
for the If expenses i'll sickness and one article after
,,otl,o lind oil IN hoy
now in state of utter restitution. For want
of proper, nourishment her mother recovered worry
slowly, and now, she had only strength enough T.
cut and roll up these little papers, which the child
Of ten years old was sent out to dispose Of
| What Il rush of remorseful feeling came over the
listener as ho heard not without tears these
full details related with childish and affecting sim
plicy He recalled with bitterness his wasted hours
when he might have been relieving distress, and the
wasted money which had been expended il lido and
selfish Qualifications Charles Craven was not cold
or heartless; he was young, thoughtless, and hav
ing never penetrated into the ahOdes of poverty he
had never witnessed and therefore could not realize
the suf1erings of extreme restitution Now his heart
was touched, and deeply and he hesitated not
to obey at once its generous impulses
In few minutes, the little girl with her basket of
cigar lighters on her arm, hurrying along
through the hustle of Broadway by the side of tho
elegant and fushionably dressed young man, who
had wondered All hour before, for what purpose he
had been born The almost shoeless little feet
tripping back more lightly than they came to show
her benelactor the way to her wretched home.
We will stop here moment he said, as they ar
rived III front OF a store where wooden articles
for sale; and when they issued forth the little
cold hands were covered with pair of warm nit
tens, two pair more in her basket for her little
brothers,-wGrm hose for each and some for mother;
and the happiness of the child SO manifest that
his own heart grew the lighter for it. Then came
shoe store and the childish feet battered more noisi
ly than before.
Next they entered bakery where, after supply
ooll1 l.. lid
basket to follow for the sufferers but he could not
speak for the gathering tears when the little crea
turs whose fearful eyes glisened at the sight of food
and who was evidently suffering the pangs of hun
ger, refused to taste crumb until she reached home
because mother and little brothers were so hungry.
After various turnngs and windings, they arrived
finally at narrow alley and he followed the happy
child into dark and contracted doorway and up
two flights of broken and trembling stairs, to low
in the attic He paused outside the door, while
she rushed in, exclaimng Neutrality-suspicious., moth |
er such good gentleman as | have found and lie |
heard the kiss she imprinted on her mothers check,
and the chnk of the two half dollars they fell in
to her hand. He heard the sudden, but feeble ex-
My child, who gave you theseP and af |
ter the little ones reply, u sob if heart were
breaking. Don't cry don't cry! dear mother, You |
wi IL make hn sorry is he here darling Ask him
to come in, my child Surprised at the tone-for it |
was the voice of one who had better days-in |
that abode Of misery he entered; but no stood hor
ror srickened appalled, at the scene before him. SO
Of the power of utterGnce.
Upon low, miserable bed in ono corner, proppcd |
mp by broken chair, partially concealed by Oh old
coverhd was the wasted figure OF woman, appar-
emily OF middle age, with features so pnched by
hunger as to give her almost the appearance Of u
breathing corpse. Upon the comfortless bed lay the
strips OF collored paper which had been given to her
children and which she had hardly strength twist
together, while the hands themselves so thin and
ieshless seemed scarcely those Of living creature,
Two little boys, one apparently OF two the other
If four years, lay, the across the feet of the
mothers bed, the other upon tho floor sleeping
rom his exhaustion but seeming lifeess, attenu-
lted were they: and their features sharpened
~ starvation that II seemed as if age had already
stamped itself upon the forms Of childhood.
On another eide of the low room was an open
ire place, with few ombers just perceptible; not
! chair, not table, not an indication ui anything
sustam:ite nothing to redeem the cherries abode
rom an aspect of utter misery aud desoation. He
lad read OF poverty-he had heard Of Indebtedness,
nut never had his eye hehed or his heart conceiv-
ID anything like this There nothing to disgust
he more sensitive, for everything was kept scrupu-
ously clean by the jealous child whose efforts had
,een untiring, but there was every thing to pain
ceiling heart. He stood like petrfed. and was
ilent, though his heart full to overlooking.
You are not accustomed To scenes like this, ST,
aid the poor sufferer perceiving his emotion, and
fear it is painful 10 you His lip quiyered, and he
lad difficulty 10 command his voice, he said
'refy. you must have suffered much
God knows how much sir, and as she turned ,
side her face, he saw the trembling lip and start
ny tears.
There was something in the accent and manner
n both mother and child which spoke Of better
avs.
How long, he asked, have you been in this abode
f wrefchedness'
Only one week: the landlord finding that had {
disposed of everything. and that be would be un- ;
bic 10 obtain his rent, dismissed US from bis house
u one OF the scverest days of the season and sent
IS here. Could / have obtained sufiieiency Of !
al az