Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1860-04-20
NobOdy'S Chill.
by MRS. j. d. CIArl.IS.


carth's wide garden once gathered toreth-
er, their name would be legon;" and "A
pitiful spectacle would they present to the
merciful unlovcd, uncared for, alone.
! Our orphan asylums--lhose Heaven born
/ nstitutions-shelter myrials of this class
and our almshouscs shield as many more
/ from starvation. But who shall tell the
numbers that hide in cellar aud garret. that
| haurt the thoroughfares, and--alas for our
humanity-that I'LL our prisons?
/ 1t Is sal enough fer childhood when Il
has only the memory of loving mothers
face, tender fathers voice--whcn it sees
the depirted only in dreams; and waking
TO embrace them, finds that they are gone; ;
and shudders at the remembrance Of the
cold grave into which they saw them laid.
But poor as the comfort is, it may follow
the orphan through life, leading TO the land
where those are gone at whose knee he
lisped his baby prayer. Rut God pity the
one who has not even this poor boon; who,
when asked OF its parents, must say with
little Mamie, I'm nobody's chill."
Some years ago when the-regment
of the u. 5. army was stationed in -,
there used 10 appear in the streets near the
barrack a frail young English woman al
ways leading rosy child OF three or four
summers. by the hand. The fair brown
hair, of the mother closely bound down,
her sad blue eyes and her youthful face,
contrasted strangely with her sombrc gar
ments and matronly cap.
She was not among the wives who re-
ioice to follow the camp, doing the meanest
drudgcry for the soldiers, that they may not
be separated from their husbands Per-
hdpS the fragile stranger was one of those
not drafted, but who chose TO follow on her
own responsibility; but no one knew. She
took room of very small dimensions near
the barracks, and applied modestly ut the
hotel for light washing or sewing to do.
Thus she gained scanty living while she
kept alooi from her rude neiglbors and
cared tenderly for her child.
The people in the great tenement where
she lived were greatly interested in her,
aud took every means to learn her history.
| But all in vain; she was civil at all times,
kind and attentive in sickness, but beyond
that she was known only as I" the little En-
Slish woman" or " the strange lady" Still
she was linked by her neighbors with the
soldiers at the barracks; perhaps because
she was often seen vending her way thith-
er after nghtfall with some little delicacy
as it for a sick friend. When, however,
the regiment was removed, she, too, was
gone. Was she the dntiful daughter Of
some old soldier, or was her husband and
the father of her child, the attraction which
drew her whittier they went? None knew.
In the winter of 1S--, this same regi-
ment was quartered in the town of -------
| Here, also, the fragile woman appeared
and applied-not this time for washing,
she was too frail for that--but for plain
sewing. 1t was her fate this time to make
her abode among the coarsest class Of the
poor who congregate in large, old houses ;
and here she was subjected to many annoy
ances from the curiosity of the vulgar Irish
hodmen, clam dggers and street cleaners,
jostled by weary washerwomen and little
beggars on the common stairway, singing,
| jesting and swearing. Our poor stranger
| hid like frighted fawn in her little fourth
story room, watching her opportunity TO
slip out on her humble business when all
the men were at work. Surely she annoy
ed no one, and might have been allowed to
keep to herself if she chose to do so. But
no some Of her neighbors felt their pride
/ wounded when she made no effort to be on
| familiar terms with them. Pat Bryan
said, "The English war always great foes
| and opprcssors of ovid Ireland; and she
war just a proud subject Of II naughty
quane." Donald Grant, the Scotch dyer
with his blae face and hands, enough to
/ frightrn warrior in the twilight, declared
that The bonnie wee thing held her heal
above the rest for that she served the
Lord, always going oot of Sunday vi u
prayer book in her hand but he could tell
her that goddess as he and Jessie war now,
| the time was when they twa wint thegither
to the kirk and to cateclism-aye. and to
/ the sacrament TOO; for they were b,th de-
cent and moral at hoo'p. Bat who did She
/ think, could live like Christians while they
worked with iufdclS and dwclt among Pa
pisIs." And Donald Grant tossed his head
with highland pride, and declared e" It was
too bad altogether for one born and bred
| Christian, that knew the assemby's cate
clism by heart, to be looked on as hatten
by proud wee English body. Awcil,
hHtii siC HtdN utc piSS Wb ""t ShS oiei 4 u
toss her head above my Jessie"
One moruing the stanger, with bundle
of work on her arm and the child by the
hand, passed trcmblingly down the long
rickety stairway, and made her way to the
hotel A lady. who with her husband was
passing The winter there, hal become inter-
ested in her AMI supplied her with work.
after her errand was done. e.>he still fingered,
rs ii unwilling TO 20. Her bcneiac;or no.
ticed her more than usual fc,.bleaess, aad
questioned her kindly rs to her health and
circumstances. She only replied, " II |
should die there what would become cf poor
little Nannies
20 my goo woman" said the lady, "you
will not die. When the mild spring air
comes BACK. il will revive and strengthen
you. hope yon viii live many years. and
see this sweet little Girl woman. Some
ref e>hment now viii make you better, and
whrn you come back with your work next
week, will have some little dcliracies for
you TO take home. BE sure and keep
plen'y of fire, and not to neglect preparing
comfortable food for yourself and child