Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1857-11-13
TIE LITTLE STRANGER

Though man OF very strict principles, no
man ever enjoyed joke more than DIR.
Byron. lie had vast fund of humor and
everybody wit, and with children particu-
larly, he loved to chat familiarly and draw
them out AS he was one day passing into
the house he was accosted by a very little
boy, who asked him if lie wanted any sauce
meaning vegetables.
The doctor inquired if such a tiny thing
was a. markstan answef No. 5octdT r'ssj ssij
Bring me in some squashes, and passing
into the house sending out the change.
In a few mirutes the child returned
bringing back part of the change. The doc.
tor told him he was welcome to it but the
child would not take it, saying his father
would blame him.
Such singular manners in child attrac-
ted his attention, and he began to examine
the child attentively. He was evidently
poor, his little jacket was pieced and patch
ed with almost orory hind of cloth. and, his
trowsers darned with SO many .ulor- II .,ao
difficult to toll the original fabric, but
scrupulously neat and clean withal The
boy very quietly endured the scruteny Of
the doctor, while hol4ing him at arms
length and examining his face.
At length he said You seem nice
little boy won't you como and live with
me, and be a doctor ~
eyes, sir" said the child. 'Spoken like
a man. said the doctor ,patting lie head as
he dissmisel him
a few weeks passed on, when one day jim
came to say there was Il little boy with ii
bundle down stairs waiting to see the doe
tor, and would not tell his business to any
one else. Send him up, was the answer :,
and in few moments lie recognized the boy
of the squashes, (but no squash himself,
as we shall see,) lie was dressed In IL new,
though coarse suit Of cloths his hair was
very nicely combed, his shoes brushed up,
and little bundle tied in a homespun
checked handkerchief on his arm.
Deliberately taking off his hat, and lay
ing it down with his bundle, he wal ked up
TO the doctor, saying, Il have come sir. -
Come for what, my child :! 10 live with
you and be doctor, SAID the child with
the utmost naivcte.
The first impulse of the doctor was to
laugh immoderatey but the impurturable
gravity of the little thing rather sobered
him, as he recalled his former conversation
and he avowed he felt he needed no add
tion to his family.
Did your father consent to your com
| ing he asked, Yes, sir What did he
say 4 Il told him you wanted me to come
and live with you and be doctor and he
said you was very good man, and might
come as soon as my clothes were ready.
And your mother, what did she say =
She said DR.. Byron would do just what he
said he would God had provided for me. -
And, said he, Il have on new suit o
Clothes surveying himself, and here is an
other in the bundle, undoing the handker
chief and displaying them, with two littl'
shirts white as snow and couple OF nea
check aprons SO carefully folded 1T wa
plain none but a mother would have done 1t
The sensibilities of the doctor were awak
ened to see the undOubting trust witt
which that poor couple had bestowed thei
child upon him, and such a child. His cog
itations were not long. lie thought of Mo
ses in the bulrushes, abandoned b. Provi
dence, and above all, ho thought of tn
child that was carried into Egypt, and tha
divine Saviour who had said, "Blessed b
little children" and he called for the vii
of his bosom, saying, "Susan, dear, thin
we pray in church that God will have mel
cy upon all young children. "To be sur
we do" said the wondering wife, ian
what thenln "And the Saviour said
.Whosoeyer receiyeth one such little chill
in nv name, receiyeth mel Take tn
child in his namo, and take care OF him,
and from that hour this good couple recei'
ed him to their hearts and home.
1t did not then occur to them that tn
little creature, thus thrown upon the
charity, was destined to be their staff al
stay in declining age, protector to the
} daughters, and more than son to thel
selves. All this was then unrevealed; b'
, thev chcerfully received the child they b
lieyed Providence had committed 10 the
Q care. and if ever benefcen,e was rewardt
y it was in this instance ,--Parior Maga-'H