Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1857-06-20
Miscellaneous
From Chambers journal.
UP A COURT,

known aud though I had studied assiduously,
and felt very confident in my own capabilities for
the so-called higher walks Of art, yet, as the pub
lie at that time showed no particular admiration
of my productions, / found it convenient to aban-
don for q time my ambitious dreams, and apply
myself to portrait-yainting, in order to procure
daily bread. | soon obtained a tolerablo amount
Of miscellaneous patronage, and the constant sue
eession Of sitters of every grade made my oceupa-
tion an amusing one.
was about to cease from my labors one Satur-
day afternoon, when a low knock at the door at
traoted my attention. Come in y | cried and
the door opening, a man entered, whose soiled
moloskin dress, s~prinkled with cotton fakes, be-
spoke him a factory hand
"Beg pardon for disturbin' yo'," said my visit
tor 'but aw COON to see if yod q bit Of a job
for me ?"
"What sort Of a job
'Why, it's n little lad o'mine as is i'll, an we
thinkin as we could like to have his portrait ta'en
WI them colored chalk5, if yo'd be so good as to
do it. You'd ha' to COON to our house, cause
he's bedfast out we'd be quite willin' to yay
summat moor than tn usual charge for tn extra
trouble as yo'd hev.'
90, III do it with pleasure" said 1. "But
when do you wish me to Gomez"
"Why, now, if yo' can" said my new patron
''for y' seen we han but one place, an it's not
allus fit tor n gentleman to 90 into but of q Sat
urday afternoon it's clyeaned up an quite tidy
an Willie d be finely pleased to sit, if yo' could
COON wi ne now"
l assented Mt sonco, packed up what l required
and we sailed forth. "You are employed in q
mill ] suppose" said l, as we walked on.
GAY, aw'm a spinner at Wotton's. We stop'n
sooner of a Saturday, an 50 aw took tn opportu-
gity o. coomin'."
land what is tho matter with your little
hoy?"
"Why, aw'm fear'd he's in q consumption. He
geet his back hurt when he wur a little un, an
he's never looked up SIM Poor thing he's worn
away till he's nowt but skin an bone, and has a
terrible caugh, as wolPy shakes him to pieces
But he's allus lively, though he cannot stir of
his little bed an he's as merry as cricket when
no sees me coomin' whoam at meet, specially if he
spies a new book stckin' out o my jacket-pocket
lie likes readin,' and aw buy him a book when
awe a spare shillin.' But here's Grimes Court
We nun turn up here, if yo' pleas'n."
Turning out of the dingy street we had beer
traversing, we entered a gloomy little court, con
tanning much dirt and many children; where thu
heat from the closely-packed houses, combining
with the natural warmth of the air, produced M
atmosphere like that of n bakers oven. The con
tributions of the inhabitants, in the shape of rot
ten vegetables, ashes, and dirty water formed
confused and odorous heap in the center Of thu
court and among these ancient relics q wretched
MISUNDERSTANDING hen was digging with th'
zeal of an antiquary.
"Why is this rubbish suffered to lie here ?" sal,
l: ''the scent from it must be both offensive anC
injuries. Are there no receptacles for these mat
tiers? no sewers to receive this filthy water I"
There's q sewer, but its choked up an whel
we TENN only watth er down, it breyks througl
into that cellar at tn corner, an then tn owt
mon as lives in it grumbles', cause it runs on t
his shelf an mars his bit % meyt. So we'ro lk
to TEEN it down tn middle o the court, an let i
go where it will. As for tn ashes, an 'tato-pil
Inns, an SIGH like, wen nowhere else to put 'em
for we can not burn 'em."
"Haye you no yard behind your house ?"
mo TIL cottages as they build'n now are mos.
lu set hack tO EAyn room nm hrIpRq Thprn'
but two places in 'ern, one above, an one below
80 we're like to put tn ~victuals an tn Goals unde
TIL stairs. They think us poor folk neod M
breathin'-room."
1t seemed to have been cleaning-day at all tn,
houses the women, in clean caps and aprons
were setting the tea-things, while their husbands
most of them pale-faced operatives, lounged out
side enjoying their Saturday-evening's leisure.
A pleasant-looking, neatly dressed woman me
us at the door Of the house before which my con
ductor halted, and with u smile and a courtesy in
vited me to enter. The room, though small, an,
crowded with furniture, was extre mely clean, an
as neatly arranged as the heterogeneous nature c
its contents would permit. An old clock, with
dim, absent looking face, licked merrily in on
corner, and on the chest Of drawers opposite tn
door were a number of books, a stag's horn, ar
a stuffed owl, which squinted with one of his glas
eyes, and stood on his legs with the air of q biz
who was more than half-seas over.
as that Mr.. Worthington, father?" said a small
weak voice.
SAY, this is him, Willie" said my companio,
going toward the window, beside which | now pc
cieved a small bed, and in it n little deformed bo,
lie was prOpped rp with pillows, and held out h
thin hand with a smile as / approached. The pa
face, the transparent skin, the large, bright Gag,
eyes, and parched lips of the little patient, to-
hut too plainly the nature of his disease. ii
mother was still busy with bis toilet, or, as 81
phrased it, ''snoddin' him up a bit :" so, taking
seat beside him, l arranged my paper and pencil
while the good woman brushed his hair ar
smoothed tho collar of his night.dress.
There, aw think he'll do now, John-will'I
he ?" said she, addressing her husband, who ha
watched her operations with great interest.
"Thod's made him look grandely wcel ,"answel
ed John IAN so now. Mr.. Worthington, we
leave Willie an yo' to keep house, while my wifi
an me goes to tn market"
The worthy couple departed and commence,
my sketch. feeling rather doubtful whether
could reproduce on paper the little, wan, halfin
fantine, ~half-aged face that looked up at me will
a strange quiet smile.
Are you not weary sometimes, Willie, with
lying here constantly" 1 inquired.
Sometimes" he answered, "but not often
there's always somethin' to look at you see
either tn childer outside, or tn old hen, or tn
donkey-man as sells blackin'. Once" continued
Willie, growing confidential, 'there was q rea
Punch an judy anne into tn court, an tn mar
as was with 1T saw me through th' window, anC
asked mother if | was bedrdden an when she
told him | was, he brought Punch an Judy close
TO tn window, an let me watch 'em ever such
while an he said he'd come again some time
"Ilave you some plants there, Willie ?" said l.
pointing to two black jugs, filed with soil, il
which some small brown stumps were visible.
YES they're r%ose-trees as mother set for me
She says they're dead but there may be a little
bit OF 'em alive somewhere, an so / water Fem
every day still; An see, fathers made me a gar.
den in tn window here" added he, proudly ex6ib.
ting a large plate, covered with a piece of we
flannel, ON which mustard-seed had been strewn
The seed, s~prouting forth vigorously, mad covered
~, ,l", SURFACE OF the plate with bright-green vegeta
uon. Isn't it nice 2" said he, looking up witt
sparkling eyes. Sometimes | put nv eves close
10 II, an, look through between the stalks, am ther
can almost fancy it's a great forest an ever,
nlsie stain a pig tree, an me rablin' about amonS
"Have you read Robinson CrusoePu
Eyes, many a time," be answered. sr ool.
I've these books to :" and he drew q corrIo =