Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-11-29

| 4 u
AN AFFECTING SCENE.
[From the "Breakflst Table" in the Dec AtIanticl
To come back to what began to sneak
of bcforc,-thc divinity-student was cxcr-
ciscd in his mind about tile Little Gentle
man. and, i'll the Kindness of his hcart,-
for he was a good young man-and i'll the
strength of his convictions-for he took #
for granted that he and his crowd were
| right, and other folks and their crowd were
wrOng,-hc determined TO bring the Little
Gentleman round to his faith before he
died: it he could. So lie sent word to the
sick man, that he should be pleased to
visit him and have some conversation with
him ana received for an answer that he
would he welcome.
The divinity-Studcnt made him Il visit.
therefore, and had q somewhat remarkable
conversation with him, which shall lrict.-
ly report, without attempting to justify the
positions taken by the Little Gentleman.
lie found him weak, but calm. Iris sat si-
Lent by his pillow.
After the usual prcliminarics. thc divini-
ty-student said, i'll kind way, that he was
sorry to find him i'll falling health, that he
felt concerned for his soul, and was nnx-
ions 10 assist him in making preparations
for the great change awaiting him
thanl; you Sir,-s"id the Little Gentle
man:-permit me to ask you, what makes
you think ana not ready for it, Sir. and
that you can do anything to help me, Sir?
| address you only as g felIow-man,-
said the divinity-Student,- therefore IL
| iellow-sinncr
am not Il man, S;r!-said the Little
Gentleman.-I was born into this world
the wreck Of II nan. and l shall not be
Judged with 81 race to which do not be-
long. Look al this he said, and held up
his wittlcred arrn-Scc thcrcI-nnd lie
pointed to his mSshapen cXtrcmites.-Lay
| your hand here !-and lie laid his own in
the region of his misplaced hcurt.-I have
known nothing CT the life of YOUR race
| When first came to my consciousness, [
found myself an object of pity, OF sight
to show. The first strange child / ever
remember hid its face and would not come
near me. was bTokcn-hcartcd as we'll
as Il broken-bodied hoy. ! grew into the
emotiOus OF ripening youth. and all that |
could have loved shrank from my presence
| became a man in years. and had nothing
! III common with manhood but its longngs.
Sly life is the dying pang of 81 worn-out
race, and | shall go alone down into the
dust. out of this world Of men and women,
without ever knowing the fellowship of the
one or the love of the other | will not
| die with Il lie rattling in my throat. If
another state of being has anything worse
! i'll store for me, have had q long apprcr-
ticeship to give me strength that | may
bear it. | don't believe it, Sir have
taO much faith for that. God has not left
tac wholly without comfort, even here. /
love this old place where was bOrn;-thc
heart Of the world beats under the three
hills of Boston, Sir! ! love this great
| land, with SO many tall men in il, and so
many good, noble women.-His eyes turu-
ed to the silent figure by his pillOw.-I
/ have learned to accept mcckly what has
been allotted to inc, but l cannot honestly
say that think my sin has been greater
| Than my suffering. l bear the ignorance
ana the cvil-dOing of whole generations in
my single person. never drew II breath
of air nor took Il step that was not q pun
iShmcnt for anothcrs fault. l may have
had many wrong thoughts, but | cannot
nave done many wrong dceds,-for my
| cage has been Il narrow one, and | have
paced it alone. have looked through the
bars and seen the great world of men busy
and happy, but have known only what il
was to dream of the great passions but
since my mother kissed me before she
died, no woman's lips have pressed my
cheek nor ever will.
+ The young girls eyes glittercd with a
sudden film, and almost withOutn thought,
but with warm human instinct that rush
cd up into her face with her hearts blood,
she bent over and kissed him. 1t was the
sacrament that washed ont the memory of
long years of bitterness, and / should hold
it an unworthy thOughtto defend her.
The Little Gentleman repaid her with
the cnly tear any of us ever saw him shed.
Tie divinity-student rose from his place,
and, turning away from the sick man,
Walked to the other side of the room,
where lie bowed his head and was still
All the questions he had meant to ask had
faded from his memory The tests he had
prepared to judge of his trllow-crcatureis
illness for heaven seemed to have lost
their virtue. He conld trust the crippled,
child OF sorrow to the Infinite Parent
The kiss of the fair-hAired girl had been
like !" sign from heaven, that angels watch
ed over him whom he was prcsuming but
moment before to summon before the tri-
hunal OF his private Judgment
sholl lapray with you ?-he said after n
pause.-A little before he would have said,