Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-05-07
The LITTLE SHOES.

IL y WUDucElul WIZ tTlulitB tulnRS pTOuuCe hH
upon the heart and mind. A seed borne
on the wings of the wind, drops at last into n sui.
table soil, and by and by grows up into q stately
tree. A little spring leaps cut of the side Of a
hill and the chill who stoots to drink of it, can
span its breadth but it flows en- down to the val
leg, and winds along the plum, md gathers
strength and volume in its course, till it rolls a
stately river, bearing the of cities in the
ships that navigate its waters.
And SO it is with human life. A look, a word,
has changed the whole career Of many an immor'
tai being.
The writer once lived opposite a beer shop call
ed the Fox and Geese and with panied attention,
often watched the doings and alas heard the say
ings of the customers, One winter evening a shoe
makers boy came with an assortment Of children's
shoes, and the ~landlady of the Fox and Geese
who had a most marvellous shrill voice, began call.
ing to a little, dirty slave Of a nurse girl, to bring
.AddleheaP-as she pronounced Adelaide-to
have her new shoes tried on. l could see the little
creature, who was at once fine and filthy, sitting
under the g~as-light in the bar, and kicking and
screaming as the shoes were coaxed on her feet.
At last a pair fitted, and the spoiled pet was lifted
w tiiohII AUb a. bSA WV . ~
Here, do look OF her The darling has let me
get a pair of the very best ones on. Look, Dad,
do = said the mother, calling to her husband.
just then a tall man, very thinly clad. came out of
the tap'room, passed the bar, and saw the child
stretching out her foot for her father to see. Now,
a poor woman had been lowering about the corner,
peeping now and then timidly into the Darwin
dow, aud then creeping to the door she had q
child in her arms, and looked ready to drop with
cold and WEAKNESS. l had seen that woman on
many n Saturday night, waiting and watching for
her husband to come out. All, there he is, rive
ted for O moment looking at the child showing her
shoes with q start he rouses himself and rushes
out. What, Bill, going so soonT bawls the land
lady. Bill pulls his hat down over his eyes with
one hand, clutches his old jacket tight over his
chest, and answers the words with q sort of grunt.
He is ~outside-there is his wife and little one
For q moment the woman looks at him timerously,
and half swerves aside, as if she feared-what
will not write. lest the manhood Of my readers
should DO wounded. Something in Bills look reas'
sures her, and she goes up close to him feebly, bu,
yet coaxingly. lie took the child from her tired
arms-the little creature gave q short quick cry oil
fright-and as he lifted it, l saw that its little feel
were bare; it drew them swiftly up under its poor
frock but not before the father saw them. / wish
his hat had been of, that l might have seen hil
face as those two little blue chilled feet met hi.
eyes. / noticed that he put them 10 his bosom
and buttoned his jacket over them and held th'
child close, and went on his way with q heav.
his wife. siipshod and tottering, had hard work t.
keep up with him.
/ had a faint suspicion Of what was passing il
the mans mind. From that night l was glad tina
l cav him no more among the frequenters of tn
Fox and Geese lie and bis wife and child, 70
veal or woe, had dropped out of my ken, and a.
most out of my mind.
Some months after there was a meeting at tn
Temperance Hall OF the district, and many work
ing men were present, and gave their testimony t
the good effects of perfect sobriety now and the
they told little bits Of their history. about the rer
sons that led them to give up the public houst
One tall. well dressed, respectable looking mo
listened earnestly, sill one. who sat near him sale
Say q word William Turner: you've known a
much about the mischief as any one here or els,
: where come toll us. for I have never heard ho'
r e was that you changed right about face, from th
mouth of he'll to the field Of hope. Come, mai
E out with it, may be it will do good
The young man thus urged, rose at the fri
word and looked for a moment very confused a
he could say was The little shoes. they did it
With a thick voice, as if his heart was in h
throat. be kept repeating this. There was q stal
Of perplexity on every face, and at length, SOU
thopghtlsss young people began to litter. tt
man in all his embarrassment heard this SCUM
and rallied at once. The light came into bis ey'
with a fash. hs drew himself up and looked at Il
audience. the choking went from his throat. 'Ye
friends T be said in a voice that cut its way cle'
} as n deep-toned bell, whatsoever you may thin
Of it, I've told you the truth-the little shoes di
= it. ] Was q brute and q fool ;-strong drink ba
J. made me both. and starved me into the bargain
suffered. ! deserved to suffer. but l didn't suft
alone no man does who has q wife and child, f