The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1856-09-25

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protected from the inclcmcncy of th,
weather by the broad leafed hat commo,
to the inhabitants Of the country Will,
the naturally shrcwd expression of hi,
couutenancc was still further enlarged
by pair of small eyes as sharp as a
gimlet, and bright as glow worms.
Though small Of stature, his frame ex-
hibted, at upwards of sixty, the vigor
and toughness Of dwarf oak,
Still it was not so much bis own per-
sonal appearance ms that of the enormous
long-cared mastlff that followed him like
his shadow, the more especially distin-
guished the good man from the other
peasants, In hail. rain, snow, or sun
shine, the dog was never further than
about three steps behind his master, and
who ever saw one Of them coming was
sure to behold the other before long.
Daniel was Il founding and supposed
to be love-child. Onc malning, in
the autumn Of 1880, poor widow, who
was gathering fodder for her COW on the
forest Of Troncays, heard the feeble wait
of an infant.
That sounds like human cry, any
how said the good old woman to her
self, as she hastcncd in the direction
whence they proceeded, where she found
a new born babe, in very poor clothing
lying upon heap of fern.
Where there's bit Of bread enough
for one muttered she, there's enougl
for two
And acting on this charitable princi
pie, she took the little stranger home
and brought him up.
Daniel grew up sturdy boy, and wa,
seven years of age when his protcctrcs,
died of fall from a ladder. The very
next day her nearest kinsman came and
took possession Of the cottage, and gar.
den, and COW, aud everything the poor
woman left, and poer Daniel was turned
out to shift for himself
1t was hard case, at his tender years
to be thrown upon the wide world with
out fiend to help him still, bare
footed, barc-headed, and bare armed as
be was, Daniel was net a pretty child
but his animated couutenance and hi,
misioruucs touched the hearts OF the
good folks to whom he applied aud he
was often entrusted with q drove OF
turkeys or flock Of sheep, or pigs, as
the case might be. THIN, by the way
Eof wages, the house wives would put a
rye cake into his wallet and gil his
gourd with some small wiso; and when
the cold weather came on they would
rrisc a little subscription to buy him a
pair of wooden shoes and rabbit skin cap.
At night he was allowed to sleep in some
hay-loit, or on bundle of straw in the
stable,
After all, many children are worse
off than am would Daniel say to him
self-his hard fortune having made him
quite a young philosopher.
BY the time he was nine years old
one day, as he was gathering wild apples
in a wood, he saw a shaggy creature
lying at the foot Of tree, which hC
imagined to be a wolf. Accordingly hC
put himself on the defensive by raising
his stick, but on advancing a few step,
further, he perceived the supposed vol
was an enormous dog, though emaciatcc
and apparently dying of hunger anC
fatigue, as he lay painting with his tongue
lolllng out. To complete bis pitiabl,
state, the poor animal seemed to show
with almost human sagacity, that one o.
his paws was wounded by thorn.
Daniel and the dog eyed each other
and these two out casts seemed drawn
together by the bonds of sympathy.
The dog seemed to say, Il am a
vagrant, like yourself; dc become ny
MASTER
The boy seemed to reply, | am poor
and lorlorn, like you; 30 do become my
friend and com paaon.'
In another moment that thorn was
carefully extracted, to the dogs great
relief, and Daniel poured few drops ol
water from his gourd down the animals
parched threat.
, AS | was going to cat these wild
apples, can do without my bread. Sc
here, take this for your breakfast said