The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1858-03-10

him from the room with that earnest. start.
ling look that we only find beneath the
very shadow of Death.
Down at the piers all was confusion and
uproar-busy passengers hurrying from
newly-arrived boats-turbid waters dash
ing and rolling against messy posts-sway.
ing crowds, and loud, dissonant voices,
created small bedlam around the docks.
and little Jamie wandered around with his
board of fruit, feeling very lonely and be-
wildered. He had piled up the golden
oranges with their sunniest side upward I;
he had polished the red.cheeked apples
until they shone like mirrors, yet nobody
stopped to buy.
Carriage, sir d? Take you to the AS
tor House." up Broadway in twink
ling, ma'am "Ere's your 'Erald, Tri-
bune, and Times. Latest steamer from Eu.
rope Have paper sir7
Poor jamie amid all this tumult, what
chance has he of being noticed d? He had
picked out the very same bunch of grapes
that he intended for Katy, in Taylor's
window, as he came by-a plump, apo.
plcctic bunch dangling from a crimson
thread, where the sunshine lay full on the
purple bloom, and amethystic shadows
lurked among its fullness of fruitage. Just
at present the tempting morsel seemed
very far off 10 Jamit's imaginations.
Determined not to give way without a
vigorous effort, however, Jamie stepped
boldly forward to the first person be saw
and held up his wares with modest "Buy
an orange, sir?"
Now, as ill-fortune would have it, this
possible customer was a fat. ill.tempered
pursy old man, whose color had Just been
inAamed to fever heat by the inadvertent
descent of heavy nailed boot heel on bis
favorite corn. At all times he considered
orange boys nuisance, but just now his
slender quota of patience was entirely ex-
hausted. He aimed muttered oath and
c furious blow at the fair.haired boy and
rushed past, to catch retreating omnibus.
Jamie sprang aside just in time to es-
cape the brutal blow, but it des cended full
upon his stock in trade, scattering apples
and oranges far and wide! He was stand
ing close to to the pier, and most Of the
fruit few into the water, where it went
bobbng up and down with the tide in
most tantalizing manner. A few apples
rolled under the feet of the crowd, but it
was impossible to secure them again.
Jamie's first sensation was that Of in
dignant wrath the blood rushed in angry
torrents to his cheek and brow, and be
shook his small fist inlpotently in the di-
rection which the fat man had taken. But
in an instant feeling of forelorn wretch
edness came over him-no tempting bit of
cake--no purple grapes for poor Katy
perhaps not even supper, for he knew
that his mothers wages must 60 towards
the rent of the room. They depended en-.
tirely on his exertion for their evening
meal, and the sun was declining in the
west already,
The reflection was to much for his boy
ish heart, and he was sobbing violently
when gentle hand was laid on his shoul-
der. He started up, and before him stood
pleasant gentleman, who had watched
the whole transaction.
There my boy" he said, laying a sill
yer dollar in the boys hand palm, "that
will set you up again. No thanks the
money was intended for some piece of s1.
travagance, and l choose to use it thus.
But remember this my boy; when you are
pushed down in the race don't stop to rub
your bruises, but pick yourself up and
start again !"
Jamie thought the smile with which this
was said the pleasantest and kindest ex-
preston that ever frightened human
face but ere he could stammer out his
thanks, the gentleman was gone.
The boy started for home with light
and joyous heart, stopping to purchase the
cherished morsels of fruit and cake on his
way. The gentleman walked leisurely up
Broadway. Seeing in bookstore the title
of a newly-published work that he had
much desired to read, his footsteps invol.
UNFAIRLY turned in that direction, but in
an instant he went on, buttoning up his
pockets, and murmuring to himself, with
a smile, Can't afford it one luxury in Q
day ought to be enough" There was 0
vast difference between the man and child
in their capacities for enjoyment, but both
wero happy that night.
The supper was joyful ceremony in
the garret room that evening. The grape