New-York daily tribune., 1856-07-17
OLD TIFF.

from MIS- b. H. srowEs new Anti Hvery novel In the
psess Of Me.srs. Philips Sampson 4 Go. Of BostOn).
OLD TIFF.
"I say, Til, do you think he will come to-
night"
"Laxs, laws, Missis how can Tiff tell Is
been gain out do do. Don't sec nor hear
nothin'."
It's 20 lonesome so lonesome and the
nights 70 long,
And the speaker. an emacisted, feeble little
woIuan, tHrned herself uneasily on the ragged
pallet where she was lying and twirling her slen-
der fingers nervOusly, gazed up at the rough, un-
plastered beams above.
The room was of the cOarsest and rudest cast.
The hut was framed of rough pine logs filled be-
tween the crevces with mud and straw; the floor
made of rough split planks unevenly jonted to-
pether; the window was formed by some single
paDes arranged in row where gap had been
made in one of the logs. At one end was rude
chimney of sticks, where SmOdered fire OF pine
cones and brushwOOd, covered with little coat OF
white ashes. On the mantle ever it was shelf,
which displayed sundry vials, cracked teapot and
tumbler, some Notwithstanding packages, tur
KEYS wing, much abridged and d-faced by frequent
usage, some bundles of dry herbs, and lastly, q
sayiy painted mug Of coarse crockery- ware con-
tanning bunch of Wild flowers On pegs, driven
into the logs. were arranged different articles of
female attire and divers little coats and dresses.
which belonged to smaller wearers With now and
then soiltd and coarse articles Of man's apparel.
The woman, who lay upon q coarse chat pallet
in the corner, was one who once might have been
pretty. Her skin was fair her hair soft aud curl
ing, her eyes Of beautiful blue her hands thin
and transparent as pearl. But the deep. dark
circles under the eyes the thin, white lips, the
sttenuated limbs the hurried breashng, and the
burning spots in the check, told that whatever
she might have been, she was now not long for
this world.
Beside her bed was sitting an old negro, in
whose close curling wool age had begun to sprn-
BE lecks of white. His cOuntenance presented,
physically, one of the most uncOmely specimens Of
negro features; and would have been positively
frightful, had it not been redeemed by an express
sion of cheerful kindness which beamed from it,
His face was of ebony blackness, with wide, up
turned nose mouth of pOrten'Ous size, guarded
by clumsy lips, revealing teeth which shark
might have envied. The only fine feature was his
large, black eyes, which, at the present, were
concealed by huge pair of plated spectaces,
placed very low upon his nose, and through which
he was directing his sight upon childs stocking,
that he was busily darning At his foot WAS a
rude cradle, made of gum-tree log followed out
into trough, and wadded BY various old frag-
ments of flannel, in which slept very young
infant Another child of about three years Of sge,
was sitting on the negros knee busily playing
with some pine cones and m0sses.
The figure of the old negro Was low and stOopng
and he wore pinned round his shoulders, a half
handkerchief or shawl of red flannel, arranged
much as an old woman would have arranged it.
One or two needles, with coarse, black thread
dangling TO the M were stuck in on his shoulder;
and, as he busy Qarned on the little stocking, he
kept up kind of droning interWixture of chanting
and talking to the child on his knee.
$50, no, Teddy !-bub dar my man sit
still !-cause yer ma 8 SICK ana sister g gone for
medicine. Oar, Tiff II singt his little man.
Christ was born in Bethlehem,
Christ " horn in Bethlehem,
And ill a manger LAID
Take car dar dat ar needle scratch yer little
fpgers.-pOor little fingers! All, be still, now !!
play wild yer pretty tings, and see Whist yer pa IL
bring ye!"
40 dear me well !" said the woman on the
"Bress dc Lerd, no, Mssis, sid Tiff, laying
down the stocking, aud holding the child to him
with ole hand, while the other was busy in pat
ting and arranging the bed. clothes. NO use in
givin' up Why, Lord bress you, Misss, we III be
all up right agin in few days. Work has been
kinder pressin, lately, and chlns clothes ant
quite so 'speckable; but den Is doin' heaps O.
mendiu'. See dat ar! " said he holding up slip
of red flannel, resplendent with u black patch,
"dat ar hole won't 20 no furder-and it does we'll
enough for Teddy to wear rOllin round dc do, and
such like times, to save his bettermOst. And de
way Use put de yarn in desc yer stockings ant
slow. Den SO laid out to take stitch in Teddy 9
shoes; and dat ar hole in de kveret, dat ar II be
stOpped fore morning. o, let me alone he /!
he he -Ye did mt keep Tiff for nothing, Missls-
ho. no. hO!" And the black face seemed really
10 become unctuous with the oil Of glSdness, as
Tiff proceeded in his work of consolation.
80, Tif Tiff! you re good creature! But
YOU don't know Here I've been lying alone day
after day, and he's off nobody knows where And
when he comes, it II be only day, and ne so; and
all be does don amount to any thing, all miserable
rubbish brought nome and traded of for other rub
bsh. o, what fool was for being married! U,
dear. girls little know what marriage is
thought it was so dreadful to be an old maid, and
a pretty thing to get married But, o, the pain,
and worry, and sickness, and suffering we gone
through always wandering from place to place,
never settled; ODe thing going after another
WORRYING, watching weary--aDd all for nothing
Cor am worn out, and shall die! !"
80, Lord, no." said Tiff, earnestly. "Lor,
Ti'll make We some tea, aud give it TO ye, ye poor
lamb It's drefiul hard. so is; but times II mend
and niassa II come round and be more settled, like
ard Teddy will grow up and help his ma; and IN
sure dere is Mt pearter young un dan DIS yer
puppet" said be, turning fondly to the trough
where the little fat red mass OF incipent humanity
was beginning to throw up two small fists, and
to utter sundry email squeahs, 70 intimate his
desire to come into notice.
"Lor, now" said he, adrotly depositing Teddy
on the floor, and taking up the baby, whom he re-
garded fondly through bis great spectacles;
"stre'ch away, my pretty stretch away ho-e-ho :
Lor, if he has mt got his mammys eye, for Oil dis
wori. All, brave See him, Missis!" said he lay
ing the little bundle on the bed by her. "Did ye