The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1858-01-09
/ am Hungry,

Wthltf was IKE hNllri ana II hhu hhhfpt
swim way Of cutting ones breath of, as the
blade reached down into the lungs, and you
felt II poking about In the cells Of that deli
cate arrangement IL was about ten o.
clock. Broadway above Tenth Street was
deserted, and Union Place was as still as
cquutry graveyard, There was no sign "
life IN motion, ~ We came around the cor
ner Of Eleventh Street, and aaw Grace
Church standing like a spectre In the star
light, and as We turned the corner gust
Of wind inserted itself under the fold Of our
Russian cloak, and brought US up with o
vengeance.
Il took some aeconds 10 adjust matters,
and by the time this was completed. there
was another character in motion on the pave
mcnt.
1t was a man, That il to say, Il was what
had once been a man, but a close inspection
Of that face left II doubtful whether there
was in reality any humanity left In him. II
was pale, thin oountepancc, that would
have been fendish in its expression Of pain,
butfer the relief on an cye that had about il
not a little of woniunly sailRos, hnd beauty.
The man was perhaps forty years Of age had
once been tall, but was now bent with some
load, one might not guess what, and the lines
Of his features were not harsh nor ungrueo-
ful. IL was, in fact, one of these faces that is
susceptible Of expressing the deepest, or the
brightest feelings, on which shadow and
sunshine fits alternately. It was long since
sunshine had been on il, that was plain, The
lines Of care and grief were visible now.
lie had been standing near a wall Of
house, perhaps in doorway, where be was
invisible, but advanced now, aud as the cloak
was adjusted, he laid his thln bony fingers
on the breast Of il, as il he would bar further
progress, and in q husky voice demanded
"NIny | speak TO you p"
Human nature couldn't refuse 10 say speak
on, lie spoke these words;
81 am hungry"
There was not much in that II was not
an unusual incident, hut there was some.
thing strange, startling, in meeting a man
with such face and such cyes, under'a
gaslight in New York, and at that time Of
night, and TO hear him say that he was
hungry
Where is your home"
Home? P"
IL was the auswer-full ay! complete
That word Of Words had no meaning 10
him, except, perhaps, in dc,pairng memo
~.
There was a cellar not far distant, where
a AesI-steak and = loaf Of bread supplied the
immediate wants of the poor fellow, and
while he ate We talked with him, and when
he had finished. We parted With him nt The
barl he to wander on in the cold night, and
we to fulfill the evenings engagements in
brilliant assembly where music and dancing
made the night fly swiftly and joyfully.
=i,.,:.i.. =iEaihG.!. and
the story Of many men in this great city,
every ono Of those cold winter nights. twas
briefly thus;
He was from the country, where in early
life he had beeu well to do in the world, and
had pleasant home. lie could, il he would,
but alas for him, it was agony when he did,
the autumn, the bright, flashing sparkling.
lcaping henrth,frc in the winter nights. and
cozy torncr, and the best beloved of all faces
the face of his mother, long since gone to
God. And there were other memories, that
he barely limited at, but did not tell us Of
lie shuddered as if with cold when he spoke
of them, and changed the subject. But what
country boy could grow into manhood with
out them.
He remembered the glorious evenings at
the huskings and the apple-parings, and like
assemblies of the young he remembered the
corner behind the hall-door, where the coats
hung, under which he caught the face Of
who WIS she that he kissad 80 gaily, aud thai
waited there willingly for the touch of his
lips on her red check +?
She was very young, very gentle, very fair
a country maiC EN- without thought of sorrow,
without deceit or guile. And in the swift
short years Of boyhood and of youth he loved
her with sirpassing love. And then she lay
on his breast awhile, his loving and beloved
wife, and thcn-herc is just all we know
about II.
Are you married ?"
81 have been"
"Havc you children P"
"No"
Is,it not terrible to think of it, that the
thing can be verify true, that there is wander
ing all night long, in the cold and lonesome
strdets Of this great city, a man in whose
memory still remains che picture of home
and young wife, gentle and lovely woman
who lies now in the church yard up country,
while he goes wretchedly up and down the
world, starving and dying 1t must seem as
if she could not sleep calmly in her grave,
she whose delicate fingers have so often been
on his forehead and in his dark hair, now
that those tangled masses hang over his hag-