The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-05-19

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stili her work was never neglected. She sung
to it, talked to it, and amused it with her eyes,
but still her hands were busy. In three years
that little babe was a lively, beautiful boy
Whether she was in the kitchen, the milk
room, or the garden, he was after her, begui-
ing many weary hour with his innocent pratt
tie. When she looked "a his bright face, she
forgot her sorrow, her hard work, and her
shame. One day she had to go on an errand
IN great hurry, and her son wished to go with
her. She was afraid he would detain her, and
yet she was afraid that, if she left him behind,
he might disturb the folks crying; SO she took
him by the hand, and ran all the way. When
she returned, he was gasping and struggling
for breath She wet his face with cold water,
still the hushes of heat came and went. In
day she died of broken heart, she never could
efface the picture of her gasping child from her
memory. She was undoubtedly guilty of a
thOughtless action, but who will say that there
were not others more to blame than She?
When girl first started out with a tottering
step, and bGghted heart to encounter weari-
ness, hunger, and contempt, it was no doubt
always with bitter tears. Yet, strange to say,
the apathy of usage, the buoyancy of spirit
arising from healthy constitution. and the
workings of maternal affection, soon restored
them to cheerfulness. My mother used to won
der that they thought SO much of their babes,
for many people think that none but themselves
have, or ought to have, much natural affection
1t is true, the poor wanderer must consider the
child badge of her shame, at least she knows
the world will so consider it. 1t is true, that if
it were dead, she might return to a position
comparatively comfortable and respectable.
But parental love is strong principle. Like
the palm-tree, the more it is loaded the stronger
it grows. Besides, the child is the single com
fort that is left to the outcast. Whether she
sleeps with some poor family in cot, takes
shelter in some shed, Or perhaps lies down un-
der the cold canopy of heaven, the child shares
her bed 1t suffers in all her sufferings, and re-
jOices in her meagre joys. When every
body frowns, there is one little face that smiles.
She is all the world to one little heart, though
despised by all the world beside. No wonder,
then, that she can sit down beside the road to
play half an hour with her child. No wonder,
when it dies in some hoyel, that she cries as
though her heart would break.
q The fourth class presents us with the regular
professional beggar. He, or his father, or
grandfather, had been o beggar by necessity,
but at length, what misfortune had made com
pulsory, habit made pleasant, and he pursued
the laborious calling from choice. 1t was some
thing to have the wide world before him, to be
daily learning and relating news; to be tied to
no place, to be harassed by no cares, and to
have no good name to keep up. He was like
the Western squatter, who said he drank out of
the Mississippi he slept in the prairios, and
lived in the world. When he took his potato
bag on his back, and his staff in his hand, he
carried all his goods and chattels with him.
Wherever he went, that was the right road !;
wherever he stopped, there was his home.
What was cold to him, who, like the Indian,
was all face or hunger to him, who, if hard
pressed, could live on sorrel A beggar woman
told my mother that she and her daughter
would be fat if they lived on windlestraws.
Trade might fail, the banks might break, war
might rage, it was all alike to him.
Our professional beggar, although he could
seldom read, was often man of finished edu-
nation ne could gar A.salIy ~r4-rA L.
guages with fuency, and he was well acquant-
ed with human nature. He knew at first sight
where to place man. and how to address him.
Some houses he entered with jest, and others
with prayer. Some places he boldly craved
aims, and other places he stood quietly at the
door till first addressed. He had, perhaps,
seen both the Giants Causeway and the Cove
of Cork. He could describe the river Shannon
and Tough Neagh. He had been in the back
kitchen of Earls and Dukes, and had even got
a sight of the great personages themselves.
What he had seen he conld remember and de-
scribe, and what he had never seen he could
guess at with amazing sagacity.
When he had collected a little gear and much
information, he secured hut, or perhaps a
cave in some mountain, and got married. Some
times his wife lived at home, while he begged
around. More commonly, they both begged,
but met now and then at their cot. Rarely they
both trudged along together and related their
adventures. Their children were known by
their ready answers and their sober looks.
Sometimes you would eechildren seven or eight
years of age, coming in with their meal-pack
on their shoulders, and standing, half ashamed,
half frightened, till they received something, or
were allowed to go away empty handed. If You
spoke to them, they would answer by yes or no.
These were not the regular beggar's children.
The latter could answer one question and ask
another, with all the assurance OF their fathers.
They could give you a dish Of discourse worth
their handful OF meal, and they seemed to
know 1t.
In scarcity of real news, the professional
beggar had learned to manufacture the article;
and when he had told story dozen of times,
with divers additions and improvements, began
to believe it himself. A beggar-man once told
u StOTy III uOuSc, dUOut ulcEiudlu Sccu NY
some seamen whom he had lately met on the
coasts. His face glowed, and bis voice qusvered
with emotion, as he described her angelic beauty
She sat upon a rock, dressing her long black
hair In one hand she held comb of glisten-
ing seashell, in the other the brightest gems
which she had brought up from the bottom of
the water. They FASTENED away from the i'll
boding sight, for they knew that it portended
sbipwreck Rich strains of the softest music
followed them, melting away in the distance.
SO enchanting were the notes, that many of the
sailors looked back to catch a sight Of the sea
spirit although aware Of the danger. Far off
as they were, there was such light in her
countenance that they could see the movement
of her melliauous lips, as she articulated the
song The tears stood in the old mans eyes,
as he told about the terrible sufferings of the
sailors, when their ship went to pieces on the
rocks. All who looked back were drowned,
and the rest escaped after great hardships 1t
was evident that he believed the story himself.
Among poor people who could not read, or
who at least never saw newspaper, it is no
wonder that the beggar was welcome guest,
and even hero. Indeed, some beggars felt
their importance, and stood Oh their dignity.
A sportsman, going to the mountains one morn
ing, met a stalwart beggar, who held out his
brawny hand for copper. He let a large juicy
tobacco quid into it, looking to see what q
wry face the recipient would make, but in an
instant, he felt the mendicant's cane drawn
across his shoulders. Throw down your stick,
said the sportsman, as he laid down his gun.
Down went the stick and budgets, and at it they
went. They had good hard through of it,
but the sportsman acknowledged that be came
off second best. M
Among beggars by necessity, there were
many eripples. A few rode on donkeys. / have
seen one drawn in wagon by large dog.
And some were conveyed in wheelb barrow