Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-12-25

] AM III NGRN

!, vas cold night, clear as bell, but
l.'. lily cold. Every breath of the north
w.s WAS like a knife, and it had n sharp,
s.i' way Of cutting one s breath off as the
l'.. reached down INTO the lungs. and You
l.t j.. poking about in 'pe cells Of hat del
i.t'a urraug ment. 1t was about ten
o't K. broadway above Tenth Stree "'"s
Co.. "a, and UnIJn Place ives as still as a
t..,,..ry grave -o,d. There was no sign of
Inc IA motion, rs we came around the cor
DER Of Eleventh Street, and saw Grace
Ctue.h standing Ike a spectre in the star
l..f. and as We turned the corner a gust
al v.ld inserted itself under the fold Of our
F.. an coax, and brought US up with u
y.:-.duce.
/, cook some seconds to adjust matters,
anl the time this WAS completed. there
wla another character in motion on the
'.,r nent.
Z. vas a man That is to say, it was
81 l. had once been Il man but IA close in
tl.. ion Of that face left it doubtful wheth-
or Fac was in reality any humanity let: in
lil. 1t VAS ale, thin countenauce,
th. would have been Gcndish in it's express
s."n 81 pain. hut lor the relief Of an eye
t..t had about it not little OF wonauy
-....u,s and beauty. The man was perhaps
ia..r yeas OF aye had once been tall, but
n.l5 LOW b'lli WIN some IOdu, ono might
~. guess what, and the lines OF his features
wcry~t harsh no. unyrHcetul. 1t was, in
fact, ono of those faces that is susceptible
ol pressing the deepest, or the brightest
feelings on which shadow and sunshine fits
alternately. 1t was long since sunshine
ltt been on it, that WAS plain. The lines
yi re and grief were visible now.
IL had been standing near the wall Of
house, perhaps in doorway, where lie
v.. invisible, but advanced now, and as
the cloak was adjusted, he laid his thin.
t2Hy fingers on the breast Of it, as if he
would bar further progress, and in husky
voice demanded
May speak to you y
Human nature couldn't refuse to say,
'.pe4k on. lie spoke these words
Il am hungry
Iaere was not much in that. 1t was not
an unusual incident, but there was some
'h!ng strange, startling, In meeting man
W.ti such a face and such eyes, under q
light in New York. and at that time Of
night, and to hear him say that he WAS
Langry,
Where ia your home y
lone =
/: was the answer-full and complete
Z 1t word Of words had no meaning to
here was cellar not far distant, where
n .syisteak and loaf of bread applied the
lH-aediats wants of the poor fellow, and
whlts he ate we talked with him, and when
H. had finished, we parted with him at the
r, he to wander on in the cold night, and
We 70 fulfill the evenings engagements in
brilliant assembly where music and dan
r' made the night fly swiftly and Joy
t4-y.
lie mans Story was simple, truthful,
"at the story Of many men in this great
city, every one Of those cold winter nights
was briefly thus
lie was from the country, where in early
ll.u he had been we'll to do in the world
iul had pleasant home. lie could, if he
would, but alas for him, it was agony when
p, did, remember tho golden fruit in the
orchard, in the autumn, the bright, fash
lns, sparkling. leaplng earth-fre in the
water nights, the coy corner and the best
uloyed Of all faces, the face OF hi- mother,
l.ag since gone TO God. And there were
',4er memories, that he barely hinted at
but did not tell us Of, lie shu idered as if
NlLh cold when he spoke Of them, and
.llnged the subject But what country
by could grow to manhood without them.
lie remembered the glorious evenings at
to huskings and the appe-parings, and
Ilae assemblies Oi the young he remem-
cred the corner behind the hall.door
NIgre the coats hung, under which he
Da 1ght the lace of-who was she that he
Used 50 gailY, and that waited there So
willingly for the touch of his lips on her
a cheek
She was very young very gentle, very
lair; country maiden without thought Of
sorrow, without deceit or guile. And in
the swift short years OF boyhood and oil
youth. he loved her with surprising love
Aad then she lay on his breast awhile, his
living and beloved wife, and then-herC
Is lust all we know about it.
Are you married .
! have been.
Have you children -
No.
ID it not terrible to think of il, that tht
tlng can be verify true that there is wan
GTIng all night long, 10 the cold and lone
some streets oi tins great city, man il
whose memory sllll remains the picture Of q
hoIne and young wife, gentle and Lowell,
woman, who lies now in the church-yarC
up country, While he goes wretchedly VI
and down the world, starving aud diving
l. must seem as il she could not sleep ca Inn
ly IN her grave, she whose delicate fngeri
have so often been on his forehead and il
ms dark HAIR, now that those tangled mass
es bang over his haggard countenance, anC
tucse temples are thin and sunken from
starvation. How can she rest when tn,
t)dy that she was accustomed to olasp il
Asr White arms, lies on the pavement in Oh,