Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1857-11-26
Adventures Of a Tin Pail.


have never be- darker with NE than now
For SIX long weeks have occupied my niche
IN the closet, my masters hand never once car
rcssng me. Here, as tie hours 90 by, brood
over the past, and dream not hopefully, bu,
desparingly of the future Everything hat
have experienced and known comes before me
how, as the eoIorngs OF a picture from which
the veil that shrouddd it is gradually with
drawn. Shall | tell you the story winch
weaves itself into form as one by one the events
of other days bare themselves t. view !?
My owner was Il Carp inter Fifteen years
ago there Was a marriage ii. the street where
was given rtI, and shortly thereafter there
came lnto the shop where | was upon the shelf
young man, with pleasant face and CHEEKY
voice. Il want TN pail" said he, "a small
one" Truman, proprietor of the place looked
along the shelves until his eyes fell upon me.
Here,' SAID he, is what you want. a good
honest, substantial pail" Il Will take IT,
SAID the young man, and thus he came to be
my owner. g He carried Inc to his home, a
neat coy place, wnerc fair young girl, with
a smile upon her face, we.coMed us, saying to
my master. What love OF pail . She
took me i'll her hand, and tolIled me as If
had pccn some ANIMATE thing, and her touch
thrilled me, as it has done thousand times
since then.
From that day l was a fayorite with the
young hou>ckccpcr. Every morning Anlue's
hand washed and wiped me until my face
shone Like her own dear eyes, ana tIen put
away IN my depths many choice bits Tor her
husbands Gttlier, folding all in Il White snowy
napkin. Then, kts>Iny his little wife, NY mas
,er would take me by the hand and bear me
away with HIM to his snop, wntrv, putting me
safely III corner, he would go Joyluly to work.
MY master was not one OF those VINO NOPE
with soicnn faces over tine performance OF
duty. W hat he had to DO he do cheerluIiy,
Singing snatrles OF old songs as nc toiled and
Whispering pleasant ancics to his heart as the
hours ran on | could see that thoughts of
the Pheasant home he had lett behind him
We're always with my master, cheering and en-
cour4 glng htnl, aud | lave often noticed ii smile
| upon his face, even when lie was most fatIyurd.
! Perhaps 1t was the thought OF the far lace
that he had kissed lii the morning, that at III
| tervas frightened thus his countenance. AS
soon us noon came, my master, putting off his
Odd cap and apron. and Washing his face and
hands would hit me from my perch, and pro-
coed to discuss the bountles hidden away un
pectc1 dainty revealed itse,t, a fond look would
steal lnto ms eyes, and s'lcthng ike, Bless
hcr little heart - wOuu drop rom his lips.
Incn, When his r. past was over, putting ne
away again. he would 90 to work. stall with
joyful manner, While |. looking down upon INN
would mrdltatc upon the revelations of the
drifting hours
Night cane AID slowing away his tools and
brushing of his beech, NY master, SEEING m'
ny the hand with eager steps, would hurry
nom ward a:'d | vcnturc to say that none OF
TIL mauy tn pals surg ng along Broad Street
felt prouicr than l. or had IA more cordial wei
come on reaching iHc lone threshold. For
| there always, my mistress, stood awaiting us,
ana when | was i'ut away, sltttng down 10 Tie
evening m al, boz" master anu IllstlvsS would
chat Pleasantly Oh tnt days cvcut>, aud tue
evening slipped away, listening to them,
would fall asleep, and to me, u tin pail, night
brought rest and dreams, as to those whose
servant | Was.
In experiences Ike these, two years passed
away, each adding something to the fanny
store. One summer evening as master aud |
entered the house door, a feeble wall greeted
us, and in 4 littl. while sitting IN my place, |
heard a whisper, 9 1t is a daughter the lnl-
age OF the mothcr.' On the morrow, when
my master went away to his work, bearing NE
with him, | saw he Was very happy N his pa
tsrnity. And afterwards, when Il bundle OF
white drapery, with Il tiny red face, pecpug
through it, was offered to his arms as we came
IN one evening from the days toll, heard his
| lips give utterance to the Happiness which had
come to hin-" God is very good and | am
very happy
Time swept 10y, aud stu daily l accompa
MED my master IN his out-yonys and incun-
inys. The little Annie had learned to pratt!9
in her own quaint way, and had become very
dear to master, mistress, and HE. Their hap
pincSS was perfect, but shallow came upon
him at last. The times grew du, and for Il
time | was ut away upon the closet shelf, my
master being out OF work. For II month or SO
ne did not eNper.enc" the effects o! the business
cmbarraSsneEtS, but after Il while his purse
was exhausted, and | saw Il shade upon his
face as he went about the house. Still he
was very kud and would often look at me
with tender eNpr, sSiOn in his eyes. But
there was a greater evil than the absence of
employment in store for my master. Little
Annic-thc lamb that had wandered into his
fold and fingered there, an angel presence
suddenly fell sick, aud at noon OF one fair au-
tunn day. died in the mothers arms. Then
was my master thoroughly overcome. Then,
for the first time, dcsparIng uttcrances broke
tr' m his lips. Then so .ow that would not
be comtorted folded him IN it's embrace, and
from his bruised heart, rebellion against Gods
DEGREES lifted up its odous face. |, who had
known so much of my master, was not asham-
ed to pity him, and longed for the time when
peace should return to our house. 1t was
many months ere 1t did SO. Not unt the
tones OF the prattling voice had ceased to vi
brate through his wounded heart-not until
the prints Of her little feet were worn away