The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-11-20

man Is Augning toward him, hugging himself,
as IL wee; he then stoops and hugs Charley ;
after WI ach, he slaps him on the shoulder, tell.
ing mn with an oath, that the pride of the
hiffran Stables is fallen, and Lady Jane 1.-THE
beautiff gray mare) is his-then, henceforth,
ana forEsyer! The old man laughs very badly
winks 6'ne eye, and says he plays according to
Hoyle; Old Rye plays a game of his own ma.
King, q ID according to that has won.
Wan ell says that is lie, and the old man
shall sssalier it; and he appeals to the wooden.
legged man to say if he has not played and
won ia rly. The arbiter is against both, but
chiefly against the old man; upon which, War
dell evcomes enraged, and runs through all
forms 4 profanity with an awful familiarity
breaks a chair to pieces in mad gesticulation,
and In the end kicks the old man out of doors,
and tsSs his late partner that there is hole
IN the wall, through which he may poke his
woode ,tleg, to the tune of particular short
meter.
1--we guests having been thus disposed of, he
turns the broken chair over the crate, and
ranges along the hearth black bottle; two
green glass tumblers; an earthen dish, contain
ing b. it dozen dried behring's; some mouldy
chess y and gingerbread which he invites
Chsrl , to "pitch into" setting the exam.
pie bJ lifting one of the behring's on the point
of his pen-knife.
TIL youth, however, seemed not inclined for
such feast, and turned away his head, as the
smok of broiling fish and toasting cheese as
cende together.
Nv hat the h-ll makes you so lively tonight,
parse !, and what's reason you don't take to
the p Ovender? Can't you illuminate my dark
apprs 1ension, or hain't you got your mouth
piece with your"
Wi bout lifting his head, Charley says he
does aot feel well and perhaps, to say some
thing he inquiries by what chance Mr.. Forbs
lost |, IS fingers.
"H the chance of getting into row, and
the Glance of being walloped, as he deserved
to be and of having 'em bit off by some pretty
toler' BILE strong teeth-teeth that had had a
good deal of practice in that sort of Job work
afore v And Mr.. Wardell complacently sliced
ging rbread and herring, as he disclosed this
fact.
If your ear had been very near to Charley's
hidd N face, you might have heard him say, in
undo fbreath, ooh Lord"
Wsrdell did not hear it, nor did he see that
Char tey began to loathe the life into which he
had ttallen, and would gladly climb up out of
1T, il any kind friend would stoop down and
shoV him the way; he did not see this, but he
saw that Charley was tired, and about to 90
HON !; and if he had been little more hard
enee a little more wicked, he would have let
him go; but conscience was not quite dead in
him and he felt uncomfortable at the prospect
of b ing alone.
- don't, Charley" he said, earnestly, and
pull ng him back to his seat as he rose "don't
leay fellow prey to his own melancholy re-
fec. IONS. Stay till grace, after meat, and I'll
go, co."
"pon't David; don't talk So" said Charley,
mo' ing toward the door, and with such entreaty
in IS tone as went down to the moral nature,
yet alive, under all the rubbish of that young
maj IS character.
40 stop, Charley" repeated he again; I'm
I III Bs, miserable sinner, the Lord knows but
son sthihg that would not burn up; but don't
knt H."
harley says nothing; he don't know what
to ay, but stands at the door with his hands in
his pockeis, and the young man goes on ~
dor t know but l feel that / am seasoning
fas4 that fact. I'll swear, / mean to do
BET err"
charley comes little nearer the fire.
ort to gone after Chat; wonder how
sh' got home; but Peter Pious, or whatever
the preachers name is, was glad of the chance
to 20 with her. l know that, and that's why l
die not GO; and then them blasted old loafers
ke me here. Well, I'm done with 'em both
III glad of that; " and pushing the herrings
ar ! cheese aside with his foot, he motioned
Cl arley to sit down. He hesitated, saying it
VI late.
Wardell continued, ENORMOUSLY, " 1t was too
BID I'll go right home and kiss Chatty, for
size is waiting for me. tell you, Charley, she
il the best girl in the world, passing over the
n Jnsense she's got into her head about the
church,
Charley smiled now, and sat down, saying,
"fWho is Chaty2 your sisterl' for he never
ard of her before.
"Why, yes; havn't you seen my sister,
Charity Wardel2 I'd been clean gone long
a 70, but for her; she is the last uncut cord be-
t feen me and the ID"
Charley thinks of his sister, and says he shall
4, home Saturday; and then he adds interro-
. atively, "your folks don't live about here?"
"Well, all the folks I've got live just over
{ lie hill yonder-quite near, yet completely
8 nut out from this valley of dry bones, hope"
Ind he adds, as if ashamed of the serious tone
| g has been using, 1 was an orphan at an
! arly age; Chats all the folks I've got. Bless
py soul, it seems like yesterday when we were
!, hildren together, and now I'm twenty-five;
that is not so old by good many years.
lon't know how many" He went on, as if
Institution, but pretty fair little one-horse
cam, after all. / mean to lock up, after this,
precisely at ten O'Clock. If it hadn't been
or them loafers-blame their hides I'D a
gone after Chat. She'll forgive me, though,
bless her souln
He looked up, as if surprised to see Charley,
and said, You have had good examples you
have been raised right, know. How happens
it that your lines have fallen in this neck of
woods ?"
Charley says he don't know; he used to think
he had haed time be used to think he did
not have clothes good enough, nor so much
money as he ought to have. He don't say he
had hard time, as he had, poor boy, but he
says his folks are as good, honest folks as can
be found anywhere.
swell, things are as they is, and they can't
be any iser Suppose we break up, to meet to-
morrow evening at early candie-ight-no in
tervening providence. Seems to me ] never
saw this old town so still and so dark wish
it was morning" And David Wardell put up
the shutters, blew out the lard-lamp, and locked
the door behind himself and his young friend.
The lights were mostly gone now, except at
the Lion and the Bulls Head, or here and there
in some cellar where the dice were still rafting
and through the snow, still coming down III
u8keS, tnc lFieuus plckeu tntn "dy atouHu eiopst
and through muddy weeds, and from stone to
stone-David Wardell giving what he called his
experience as they went.
A feeling kindred to remorse had been ava
kened that night in his bosom, and the darkness
seemed to hold and press it down into his heart
as they went along. Perhaps he was trying to
find some excuse for what he knew to be q bad
life, when he said, If our folks had given me
a little more liberty when was young, don't
believe I'd a took so much now but did not
dare to say my life was my own-specialy Sun
days. / was not allowed to pick flower nor a
berry, to say nothing of swinging under the