The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1856-11-14
From LIE illustrated.
The Little 0utcast.

"Mayn't stay ma'am? I'll do anything
you give me; cut wood, 20 after water, and
do all your crrands."
The troubled eyes Of the speaker were
filed with tears. II was q lad that stood at
the outer door, pleading with kindly look
ing woman, who still seemed to doubt the
reality of his good intentions.
The cottage sat by itself on bleak moor,
or what in Scotland would be called such.
The time was near the latter part Of No
yember. and fierce wind ratified the boughs
of the two naked trees near the house, and
tled with shiyering sound into the narrow
doorway, as if seeking for warmth ut the
blazing fire within. Fr.
NCw and then snow fake touched, with
its soft chill, the cheek Of the listener. or
whitened the angry redness of the poor
boys bcnumbed hands.
The woman was evidently unwilling to
grant the child's request; and the peculiar
look stamped upon his features would have
suggested to any mind an idea Of depravity
far beyond his years.
But her w,man's heart could not resist
the sorrow in those large gray eyes, or ap-
parently heartfelt distress his words suggest
cd.
"Come in at any rate, till tho good man
comes home; there, sit down by the fire;
you look perished with tho cold, and she
drew up rude chair to the warmest corner;
then suspiciously glnncing at the child every
little while, she con tinucd setting the table
for supper.
Day after day pa ssed, and yet the boy
begged to be kept "only till tomorrow :" so
the kind couple con cluded, after due consid'
Grafton, that as long as he was docile and
worked 30 heartily, they would take care OF
him.
One day in the middle Of winter, q ped
dler, long accu stoned to trade at the cottage,
made his appearance, and readily disposed
Of his goods, ,.s ifho had been waited Tor.
"You have boy out here splitting WOOD
| see," he said, pointing to the yard signih'
cantly.
"Yes-you know him?"
al have seen him." replied the peddler
evasiyely,
"And where-who is heT'
"a Jail bird - and the peddler swung
his pa ok over his shoulder "that boy, young
as he looks, / saw in court myself, and
hea ri his sentcnce-ten months. He's
or .rd one. You'd do well to look kecriully
after him."
Oh! there was something 50 horrible in
the wo Jail. The poor woman trcmoled
Is she laid away her purchase; nor could
she rest till she had called the boy in and
assured him that she knew that dark part OF
hs history. s-..
Ashamed and distressed tho child hung
down his head, his cheeks bursting with the
no, blood; his lips quivered, and anguish
,,. n,;r,sa n. ,y;aly upon his forehead Us
,fa hurien of concealed guilt had rolled of /;
IL may us we'll go to ruin at once; there's
=, nss in irving % do better-everybody
hates and despises mc; nobody cares about
It'll -. ~ s,;a the woman. who had
,..u.. ,,....;.. -. distance ho.
w 80. - ,o,, ., 90 AZ ,opnv
w.. IN, ,,..o, whs,e ras vour
.no,hcrg Where was"
"oh."exclaimed the boy with burst Of
-risf that was terribl. to behold, ooh! l
han, had no mother ever since was a baby.
| frd only mothcr,' he continued, his all.
suish growing more vehement, and the tears
gushing out from his strange eyes, al
wouldn', ave been bound out, and then
kicked. and cuffed, and laid on with whips.
I woulan', been s,ucy, and got knocked
own and then run away, and then stole