Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-12-17
THE BEGGAR.
A TRUE TALE.

One cold, windy morning, the last Sun
day Of December, lS49, half-naked mar
ksceked timidly at the basement door of &
6ne substantial mansion in the city Of Bos
.on. Though the weather was bitter even
flor the season, the young man had no clo'
thiag, but pair OF ragged pants, and the
tEsmslas OF q flannel shirt, which exposed
is4ssslss chest iE many large rents
But in spite Of his tat,ered apparel and eri.
dent fatigue, as he leaned heavily upon the
railing oil the basement stairs, critical OBJ.
server could not fail TO notice a conscious
air Of dignity and the marked traces of cul.
uvation and refinement in his pale, hs ggar1
| countensnce.
The door WAS speedily opened, and dis
closed large, comfortably furnished room,
with its glowing CRATE OF anthracite; efore
which was placed luxuriously furnished
breakfast-lable. A fashionably ettred
young man. in broche dressing g ,wn, snd
velvet slippers, was reclining in sort oi
fautesel, busily reading the morning papers
The beautiful young wife had fingered at
the table, giving to the servant in waiting
her orders ior the household matters of the
day, when the timid rap at the door attract
ed her atte ntion. She commanded it to be
opened; but the young master of the man.
sion replied that it was quite useless, being
no one but some thievish beggar; but the
symRtthies Of Mrs. haywood enlisted a,
once,
"Ccme in to the fire. SAID the young
wi'esimpulsively, ''before you perish!'
Tie mendicaat, without exhibiting any
surprise al such unusual treatmen, of a
street beggar, slowly entered the r'om,-
manifes'ing painful weakness at every
step sOn his entrance, Mr.. Haywood. with
a disFeased air, gathered up his papers and
left the apartment. The compassionate la
dy un.isely olaced the half-fruzen man near
the IRE, while she prepared bowl of frag-
rant cpfee-which, with abundant food, was
PLACED before hin. But noticing the abrupt
departure Of her husband, Mrs. haywood,
with dciouded countenance, left the room,
whispering to the servant to remain until
the stranger should leave.
Shssfan hastily up the richly mounted
s:aircaSe. and paused before the entrance
of sa1sil labratory and medical librsry, and
occupsa solely by her husband, who was a
physician and practical chemist. She op'
ed the 3por and entered the room. Mr.. May
wood 4es sitting at table with his head
rest;na his hands, apparently in deep
fthoogs h :!
Edward" said the young wife, gently
t uching his arm, 81 fear have disp!eased
you; but The man looked SO wretched, ]
could not bear to drive him away" and her
sweet voice trem5led as she added-"You
know take the sacrament to-day"
"Dear Mary" replied the really fond hus-
band, 81 appreciate your motives. know
it is pure goodness of heart which leads you
to disobey me, bu, still must insist upon
hy former commands, that no beggar shall
ever be permitted to enter the house. Ii is
for your safety that insist upon it. How
deeply you might be imposed on in my re
quent absence from home shuCder to think
The man that is now betow may be but a
burglar in disguise, and already in your ab-
sence taking impressions in wax of the di'-
ferent keyholes in tine room So as to enter
some night at his leisure. Your limited ex-
perence Of city life, makes it difficult for
you to credit SO much depravily. 1t is no
charity to street oeggars, it only encourages
vice, dearest"
sit may be so," responded Mrs. haywood
"but it seems licked not to relieve suffer
ing, aud when even the person has behaved
badiy-and we know it. But | will prom
Use you not to ask another beggar into the
house"
| At this moment the str'ant -apped yio-
lently at the door. crying out that the beg.
gar was dying.
"Come, Edward, your skill can save him
I know" said his wi:e, Fastening from the
room.
The Doctor did not refuse this appeal to
his professional vanity, for he Immediately
followed his wife's flying footsteps, as she
descended TO the basement. They found the
mendicaut lying pale and unconscious upon
the carpet where he had slipped in his weak
ness from the chair where Mrs. Haywood
had seated him.
"He is handsome fe How" muttered the
doctor, as he bent over him TO ascertain The
state OF his pulse.
And well he might say SO. The GLOSSY
locks of raven hair had ful!en away from
broad white ior.:rad; his closed eyelid.
were bordered by long raven ashes, which
lay like sIken fringe upon his pale bron-
zed cheeks, while a delicate aquiline nose
and square massive, chin displayed mo /
el OF manly beauty.
"Is he dead!" aske The young wife snx
iously.
"Oh, no! 1t is only faintlng ct, indu
ccd by the sudden change of temperature
and perhaps the first stage of starvation,
replied the doctor sympathiaingIy. He hat
forgotten for the moment his cold maximl
of prud, ncs a added: "He must be carriet
to room without fire, and placed in a com
Portable bed"
The coachman was called in to assist il
lifting The athletic stranger, who was Sc l
carried to a room in the chambers, wher
the doctor administered with his own hand
strong doses of port wine sahgaree. Th'
young man soon became conscious, but al
conversation was forbade him, and he sunl
quietly to sleep.
"He is doing well, let him rest as long a
he can; shou d he awake in our absence
give him beef tea and toast and libitum.'-
said the doctor PROFESSIONALLY, as he lett tn
room.
In less than ar hour afterwards Docto
Haywood and his lovely wife entered tn
church of the "Most HOIy Trinity"
Amid the hundreds o. the fair danes tha
entered its broad portals, dressed with u!
the taste and maguiicencs that abundan
wealth could procure. not one rivaled il
grace and beauty, the orphan bride Of tn
rich physician. Her tail, graceful. figure wa
roted in violet silk, that only heightene