The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-09-15
WASHINGTON, D. g, THURSDAY SEPTEMBER Is, 1859.

seemed to inspire her ever with more conf
donce. We do not permit people to starvs
while we have plenty. You want employment
you say? fear you are not strong enough fo
farm work. Will you tell me your name ? ~
| It is Oscar-Oscar Erik Malmstedt.n
| That is not American. Are yon a foreign
am not, ma'am, but my father was. A
Swede, and an artist, who came to this country
before was born" ff.fs III FL
Was? Is your father dead7n he 4
am an orphan without q friend in ths
world that know of, ma'am. Ny mother dice
last year, and my father helped to bury ons
month ago to-day"
"Poor boy ~ cried Lizzie; "but Oscar, yot
are very pale sit down; there is seat, at the
root of that tree; Priscilla will be here in {
| moment. / fear you have walked too far to
| day. Come, sit down, and tell me more about
| yourself 'o - 81 =
He had grown alarmingiy pale. AS she
| spoke, he started to obey her, but his fee
seemed to fail. He staggered, reeled, ano
just as she sprang towards him, with cry o.
alarm, he sank at her feet, fainting She wal
on her knees instantly, took his head in her lar,
and began .ehafng his temples, at the same
time calling loudly for assistance. Priscilla
| who was coming out with the bread and milk
| put her waiter down, and ran to Miss Lzzie's
aid. Lizzie sent her for water and hartshorn
and still chafed the boys pale temples, loosen
ing his collar, and nursing his head upon hel
knees. Poor child she repeated to herself
bending over and gazing anxiously into his face
| 1t was very handsome face, indeed. His hair
was yellow as gold, long and curly, and, though
now unkempt, felt soft and fine as silk to her
touch. The forehead was high and smooth,
with q dolcofo h1ua xa,,, -, Oh fa,,x x1o
| Those eyes, whose frank and melancholy look
had so much impressed her, were large and
blue, she remembered, with delicate spot OF
two of amber, that much improved and beauti
| fed them. Seldom had she seen such lovely
| eyes, and she felt that they must be induces Of
rich and lovely soul. The even arch of the
brows, the nose high, with thin nostrils, full Of
aristocratic lines, the sweet mouth, all were full
| of manly beauty. His skin was soft and fair
| very fair, indeed, where the sun had not tanned
it-as she could see by the part of his neck and
breast that the unbottoned collar exposed. And
the inert hand that rested upon the grass was
white and small and sof-not used to work
evidently. "Poor child" murmured she
while her eyes filed up with tears of compass
sion. What was this new emotion she felt to
wards the boy whom she was nursing upon hei
lap? The warm color came into her cheeks
her suffused eyes grew DINNER still as she bent
over him, her heart beat strong and tumultu
Gus she seemed to feel as if this boy belonged
to her--as if, by sheltering his fainting form
then she had acquired a guardians rights to
wards him-as if he had been sent to her to be
provided for, to occupy her thoughts, to become
her child from that time forth. She bent ovel
him, lower still, gazing upon his pale thin
| face-bent over him, with his head upon hel
knees and her arm holding him there-bent
over him, and, obeying the impulse, kissed him
twice upon the lips.
"Poor chile. Hem VERY pooty, amt he
Miss Lizzie7"
Lizzie blushed deeply, as she looked up, and
received the water and restoratives from Pris
ella, and, looking down again, she found the
boy just opening his languid eyes with vacant
stare.
| "Poor chile. He's comm to, now. Spec
hem starved, most likely. Jest see to his feet
ma'am. They's all blistered and swelled up
and a-bleedin', too, as I'm a livin' sinner. Nc
wonder you drapt down, honey" said she to the
boy. who now, after looking moment into
Lizf.eseyes unta consciousness of his situation
returned, began to color deeply and made an
effort to rise.
But Lizzie gently prevented him. "You
must lie still while yet, and eat something, be
| fore you think of standing. fear you have
| suffered for food. Bring the milk here Priscy
now, run and get me the brandy from the side
board. Drink some milk, Oscar You are toe
| young to be left to yourself thus, all alone in
| the world, You might have died tonight -
"You are very kind, madam" murmured the
| boy" too kind. | cannot repay - Indeed
am not beggar," said he, with feeble but
passionate earnestness, that was most piteous
~ had money until yesterday but my father
was poor, and had to sell the last painting tc
have him buried. There are others, but they
are in pledge -; but can work -
Hush. We do not miss biscuit and glass
of milk, Oscar; and / am so persuaded tina,
you can work, that intend to give you trial
Drink this brandy and milk; it will strengthen
you. Bring that bench here, Priscy, and Oscar
will eat some chicken. Do you feel better now
Oscar?"
eyes, madam am well now, almost, and
when have eaten will be quite so,p answered
he, rising to his feet, and staggering to the seat
He turned his large eyes towards her, and, while
they glistened with emotion, added:
81 will not attempt to thank you"
"Stop, Oscar. There is no need to thanl
me. do not like to be thanked-in scords, a
least. You have no home-you wish to work
you say. | will give you trial, and if yor
/
that have not been mistaken in thinking vol
honest and deserving. You will never wan
for friends if you prove to people that you ar,
| So"
ooh, indeed will you try me- y cried he
trembling with eagerness. "Ihave no home
my wants are very few'-he glanced so rueful
" at his clothes as he said this that Lizzie could
not restrain smile" and indeed / will bt
faithful. Who would not work for you ?" addet
he, fervently.
"But you must rest first, Oscar, or you can
not do your work well and when your feet ar,
better, we will see if we cannot hunt you up
pair of shoes, and get these clothes of yours il
better order. / think you are proud boy, Os
car"
an wash de cloes tonight, Miss Lizzie,
volunteered Priscilla.
al have little to be proud of, Miss" said Os
car, not sadly, for the drink, the meal, and Thu
promised labor, had restored its bright side t.
everything. "All have is my health and {
little education-and my poor father had ter
| times as much, yet nearly starved"
Lizzie sent Priscilla to prepare room fo
the lad, and said to him
"You must be very tired, Oscar, so / thinl
you had better get your rest before you thinl
of anything else. Remember, / will be your
| friend if you deserve -
| "You can trust me, SO far T" asked he.
dyes"
He seized her hand and kissed it, and turned
away after Priscilla. AS he did so, Lizzie fell
a warm tear upon her hand, and it would prob
ably have been a very easy matter for her to have
let fall some of her own just then but she re-
strained herself, for she was not one of tina
pluvial class ofladies who, "ike Aprile when het
raines down showres," can afford tear fol-
every triae that touches them.
| Priscilla had water ready, and insisted upor
bathing his sore and swollen feet, in spite of hi
entreaties to be allowed to do it himself. Thus