Litchfield enquirer., 1856-02-14

generosity. But the children seized upor
 the food 30 eagerly. that the grateful old
 man declared, with tears running down his
 cheeks, that il did him more good to SC.
 them eat than for him to sit down and ca
 most LountifuI feast.
 l The meagre meal was soon concluded
 when heavy footsteps were heard upon the stairs. The poor woman's heart almos
 ceased to heat. She turned so pale tha
 the old .." observed her change of eoun tenance. ven in that dim light.
 "h fs,her," whispered the children.
 At that moment an angry voice demand
 ed, with an oath, why she did not hold . light.
 Hush." said Mrs. Stone to the cover.
 ing little ones
 She opened the door. and presently a
 shabby, frost-bii.en middle aged man came clustering into the room It was the wo-
 mans husband, who, always when he had
 moaey to spend, deserted his family for the
 grog shop, and who returned to them for | shelter. He was brutal ,yrsnnical man, though he had not always been so in soo.h. and his appearance was the signal for general trouble and fear. It made poor old Roger Johnson's heart hurn in his bosom 10 hear Jacob Stone demand money of his wife 1 and curse her because she had that day | spent all their eldest sons earnings for fuel; and when the unfeeling father snatch. ed fromstIe hands of sickly child tn. 1 crust that had been given it to gnsw, the old man spoke out his indignation. This , led to sharp quarrel, and he was driven with paths from the room.
 Jacob slammed the door after him. and f the ieehle lodger crept darkling up to his cold and windy attic. He sighed as he sa, there in the gloom on the uninviting bed The conior, he had just tasted made the present desolalion more bitter by its con l irast. ...-. The old man huddled himself together | with the tat,rred bed covering wrapped around him. and resting his elbows on his knees. wept and sobbed like child. IL seemed the darkest of all the dark. dark hours he had yet known. Always till now he had some little ray of hope when the gloom was thickest. hut in the present an. guish nothing was left him but 10 die.
 Once the old man started up, and cursed himself for fool He was half famished in wintry garrett; and ihe reflection that he had given away 10 the greedy ones of Jacob Stone nearly the whole of his las, loaf. fired him with indignation a, his own folly. .I deserve to starve," he mutie red.- (. The world is all selAshness. and he who gives anything is dull dol,--let him sui. fer Bu, o. this hunger and cold Have l deserved so much ?"
 ~tt,. Fl that night Roger thought of them; he saw happy famili with smiling faces sit ting around glowing hearths Then ne wept again-not now with envy or remorse. He thanked God that there was comfort in inc world. though his lot was to suffer - He thought of the man who gave him ,hs money that purchased the loaf; of him who lifted him up when he had fallen, ard spoken kind words 10 him of the good and patient Mrs. Stone, ihe mother of the children Le had fed; and for all his hungry bangs h. felt richly compensated. in the consciousness of having done one sell. for getting. charitable act, whit h made him, in spite ef his poverty and rags, a brother to all the good and noble hearts that lhrobbed in humanclay.
 The old mans limbs meanwhile grew chill and numb-and he was wondering if i, would he possible for him to get warm if he went to bed. wben he heard step 1 on the stairs, and presently saw light l shining through the wide crack around the door.
 Have you gone to bed, Johnson I"
 "No-i though. I'd try sitting freeze first" said he, witt sad, playful humor.- |" Any thing wan,inet"
 l "Yes." replied ihe woman, "there is a man down stairs wishes 10 sea you"
 "To see m-7' echoed the as,onishsd lodgrr, starting up. "You didn't mean
 me I" Mrs. Stone did mean him, indeed-and
 he has,ened to shake the coverlid from his
 shoulders and accompany her down stairs.
 All was quiet in her room, Jacob having fallen asleep by the stove, supplied by the fire. The caller was waiting in the dark entry way below, and the woman held the
 lamp while Roger wen, down 10 speak with
 him.
 The old man was tremulous with vague
 apprehension that something was goiag to happen 10 him-nor was this fear entirely
 dissipated when in the person who took his
 hand and addressed hun with kindly tones.
 he recognized the man who had so lately
 helped him to regain his footing ia the
 slippery street ..~....s
 sI was afraid I should not find yna. '' said the visitor-s' but from the time l eff 1 you, your words, sold Roger Jehnsoa,
 around the corner. third door up the alley,
 kept ringing in my ears, and l was finally compel ed to come back and look for you.' I "God bless you, sir" arsiculaied the
 shivering old man. . This is an honor
 don'. know how ] have dessrved-yos must have made mistake" | !. No. at all l thought yoa nigh, bs very poor and in need of assistance. !. True. trae. am. poor enough. butt Ii Roees's voice failed him. and he 'begas to shake again. as with the ague. 'I You are cold" said his new ftiend.- !" Come. leesA step into yondsr shop and talk over mai,ers."
 | Roger hesils,ed.
 T "1h~y turn mo ont. air. when go ther, , to get wsful.s
 II = - .s