The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-02-16
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DICKENSs NEW STORY
A HOUSE TO LET.
BY CHARLES DICKENS.
OVER THE WAY.
TCoNCLUDED.l

coNCLUDED-J
1t has been mentioned that a child was on
his knees in the garrett when TrottIe first SAW
him. He was not saying his prayers, and not
crouching down in terror at being alcne in the
dark He was, odd and unaccountable as it
may appear, doing nothing more or less than
playing at charwomans or houscmaid's busi-
ness OF securing the floor. Both his little
hands had tight hold of a NANCY old blackipe-
brush, with hardly any bristles left in it, which
he WAS rubbing backwards and forwards on the
boards, as gravely and steadily as if he had
been at scouring-work for years, and had got
large family to keep by it. Tie oomingin OF
Trottle and the old woman did not startlc OF
disturb him in the least. He Just looked up
for a minute at the candle, with pair of very
bright, sharp eyes, and then went on with his
work again as if nothing had happened. On
one side of him was a battered pint tin sauce
pan without a handle, which was his make-be-
lieve Pail and on the other morsel of slate
color cotton rag which stood for his flannel to
wipe up with. After scrubbing bravely for d
minute or two, he took the bit Of rag, and mop
ped up, and then squeezed make-bclievc water
out into his make-beieve pail, as grave as any
judge that ever sat on a Bench. By the time
he thought he had got the floor pretty dry, he
raised himself upright on his knees and blew
out good long breath, and set his little red
arms akimboo, and nodded at Trottle
"There" says the child, knitting his little
downy eyebrows into a frown. ''Drat the dirt
I've cleaned up Where's my beer ?' -
Benjamin's mother chuckled till Trottle
thought she would have checked herself.
s'Lord ha' mercy on us ~ says she, t.just
hear the imp. You would never think he was
only FIVE years DID, would you, SIR? Please to
tell good Mr.. Forley you saw him going on as
nicely as ever, playing at being me securing the
parlor floor, and calling for my ybeer afterwards.
That's his regular game, morning, noon, and
night-he's never tired of it. Only look how
snug we've been and dressed him. That's my
shawl keepin his precious little body warm,
and Bcnja S mig ght-cap a keepin his precious
little head warm, and Benjamins stockings
drawed over his trowsers, a keepin his precious
little legs warm. He's snug and happy if ever
imp was yet. where's my beer Say it
again, little dear, say it again p
! ii Trottle had seen the boy, with light
! and fire in the room, clothed ike other chill
dren, and playing naturally with top, or box
of soldiers, or a bouncing big India-rubbel
| ball, he might have been as cheerful under the
circumstances as Benjamin mother herself
But seeing the child reduced Gas he could not
help suspecting) for want of proper toys ano
| proper childs company, to take up with tht
Inocking of an old woman at her scouring-work
for something to stand in the place of game
Trottle, though not a family man, nevertheless
felt the sight before him to be, i'll its way, one
of the saddest and the most pitiable that he
had ever witnessed.
"Why. my man. says he, "you're the bold
ost little chap in all England. Youdon't seen
bit afraid Of being up here all by yourself IL
the dark"
.sThe big winder," says the child, pointed W
to it, .sees in the dark and see withthe bigwin
der" He stops bit, and gets up on his legs
and looks hard at benjamin mother. ''l'm ;
good 'un," says he '.ain't l +? save candle;
Trottle wondered what else the foriorn littl
creature had been brought up to do without
besides candle-light; and risked putting,
question as to whether he ever got a run IN tn
open air TO cheer him up bit Oh, yes, h
had run now and then, out of doors: ito sa
nothing of his runs about the house, the livel
little cricket-a run according to good Nil
Forley's instructions, which were followed 0u
carefully, as good Nr. Forley's friend would b
glad to hear to the very letter.
AS Trottle could only have made one repl
to this, namely. that good Mr.. Forley' instru'
t;ous were, in his opinion. the instructions