The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-06-20
The Little Stranger.

no man ever enjoyed JOKE more than DIR.
Byron. He had a vast fund Of humor and
every day wit, and with children particular
ly he loved TO chat Familiarity, and draw
them out. AS he was one day passing into
the house he was accosted by very little
boy, who asked him if hc wanted any sauce,
meaning vegetables.
The doctor inquired If such tiny thing
was a Inarketman. NO sir, my father"
was the prompt answer. The doctor said,
bring me in some squashes,' and passed
into the house sending out the change.
In few moments the child returned,
bringing back part of the change. The
doctor told him he was welcome to il, but
the child would not take it, saying his father
----ii LI----- I-:....
Such a singular manner in child attract
cd his attention, and lac began to examine
the child attentivey. He was evidently
poor his Jacket was pierced and patched
with almost every kind of cloth, and his
trowsers darned with SO many colOrs it was
difficult to tell the original fabric, but scru-
pulously neat and clean withal. The boy
very quietly endured the scrutiny OF the
doctor, while holding him at arms length
and examining his face.
At length he said: You seem nice lit
tie boy; won't you come and live with me
aud be a doctor:' Yes SIR said the
child. spoken like man." said the doc
tor, pat;ing his head as he dismissed him.
\ few weeks passed on, when one day
Jim came to say that there was little boy
with bundle down stairs waiting to see
the doctor, and would not tell his business
to any one else Send him up" was the
answer; and in few moments lie recos-
nzed the boy Of the squaShes, (but no
haII He
dressed in new, tho coarse suit Of clothes
his hair very nicely combed, his shoes bru sh-
ed up, and a little bundle tied in home
spun checked handk rchief on his arm.
Deliberately taking off his hat, and laying
it down with his bundle, he walked up TO
the doctor. saying, a. have come, sir"
"Come for what, my child:'
"To live with YOU, and be a doctor" said
the child, with the utmost naivete.
The first impulse of the doctor was to
laugh immoderately, but the impurturable
gravity of the little thing rather sobered
! him as he recalled his former conversation,
and he avowed he needed no addition to his
family.
did your father consent to you comins:"
he asked.
"Yes, SIR"
"What did he say"
81 told him YOU wanted me to come and
! live with YOU and be a doctor; and he said
you was a very good man, and might come
| as soon as my clothes were ready"
! land your mother, what did she say
"She said DIR. Byron would do just what
he said he would. God had provided for
me. And I have on new suit Of clothes,
he added, surveying himself, land here is
another in the bundle" undoing the kerr
chief and displaying them, with two little
shirts white as snow, and a couple of neat
check aprons, SO carefully folded 1t was
plain none bat mother would have done IL.
The sensibities of the doctor were ava
kened to see the unbounded trust with which
that poor couple had bestowed their child
upon him, and such child! His cogita-
tions were not long.-iIe thought of Moses
| in the bulrushes abandoned to Providence
and above all ne thought of the child that
was carried into Egypt, and that divine Sa-
vior who had said blessed be little child
!" and he called for the wife of his bo'
som, saying, "Susan, dear, | think we pray
in church that God will have mercy upon
all little children?" "To be sure we do,
said the wondering wife, land what then p
one such little child receiveth me?' Take
and from this hour this good couple recciv
| ed him to their hearts and homes.
1t did not then occur to them that this
little creature, thus throw upon their chari
ty was destined to be their staff and stay in
declining age, protector to their daughter
and more a son to themselves. All this wa.
then unrevealed; but they cheerfully re-
ceived the child they believed Providence
had committed to their care; and if benef
cence was ever rewarded it was in this in
stance.-Parlor Magazine.