Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1860-03-20

it not. and the total want of interes
which he displayed respecting them, dis
couraged any idea they might have en-
tertained of informing him.
"It's cold night" quoth Martin t.
himself, as he sat before the least glim
Fmering that could be decently called
fire in the apartment which he occupied
He cast wishful glance toward pill,
of wood which lay beside the gate. H
lifted one, and poised it for a moment
and glancing meanwhile at the fire, as i
he was debating in his mind whether b,
had best place it on. He shook hi
head, however, as if it were too great ,
piece of extravaganza to be thought O
and softly laid it back He then moved
his chair nearer to the fire, as if satisfied
that this would produce the additiona
warmth with the drawback of expense
1t was indeed cold night. The chill
blasts swept with relentless rigor through
the streets, sending travellers home will
quickened pace, and the guardians of tn
public peace, as they stood at their ap
pointed stations, to wrap their overcoat
more closely about them. On many
hearth the fire blazed brightly, in com
posed defiance oftheir insidious visitor
who shuns the abodes of opulence, bu
forces his unwelcome entry into the hab
itations of the poor.
A child, thinly clad, was roaming
through the streets. Every gust, as i
swept along, chilled her through ane
through, and at length, unable to gt
farther, she sank down at the portal O
Martin Hendricks dwelling. Extreme
cold gave her courage, and with trem
bling hand she lifted the huge knocker
1t fell from her nerveless grasp, and thu
unwonted sound penetrated into The
room where Martin sat covering oyel
his feeble fire. He was startled terri
fed even-as that sound came to his
ears, echoing through the empty rooms
in the old house.
ssW Who can it be? Robbers?" thought
he, as he walked to the door. II will
wait to see if it be repeated"
1t was repeated.
"Who'sa there?n he exclaimed in s
somewhat tremulous voice, as he stood
with his hand upon the latch.
''It's me- said low, shiverjlg voice
from without.
''And who's me?'
"Floy, little Floy," was the answer.
"And what do you want here at this
time of night. - & ~ 81 s@} -
Il am freezing.E q LetIme come in and
sit by the fire, if only for moment ]
shall die upon your steps," IT
The old man deliberated. "Yon re
sure you're not trying to get in after
money-what little I have? There ism
anybody with you, is thereg'
"No one. There is only n,s. o, sir
do let me in! [ am so cold?"
The bolt was cautiously withdrawn
and Martin, opening crack, peerec
forth suspiciously. But the only objec
that met his gaze was little girl, of tel
years of age, crouching on the steps il
a way to avail herself of the warmth sh,
had. +, s -.
"Will you let me come in?" she said
imp59ringly; lRah yi ,.... : ,..-.,, -,
lou naQ DeIter go somewhere else
| haven't much Of a fire. | don't keel
much, it burns out fuel so fast. Yol
had better go where they keep bette.
fires. % '' u a. ..sa <s4 VA, g..
ooh, sir, the least fire will relieve m,
so much; and haven't strength to g,
any farther
"Well, you may come inf you r.
sure you haven't come to steal any
thing"
~ never steal; it's wicked" @
"Umph! Well, I hope you will re
member it. This is the way"
He led her into a little room which h,
occupied. She sprang to the fire, littl
inviting as it was, and eagerly sprea,
out both hands before it. She SCENE,
actually to drink in the heat, scanty a
it was, SO welcome did it prove to he
chill and benumbed limbs =
A touch of humanity came to tn
miser, or, perhaps his own experience O
the cold stimulated him to the act, for, af
ter "a few moments deliberation, he tool
two sticks from the pile of the fuel, an
threw them &upon the fire. The
cracked and burnt, diffusing warmth fo
a time, and a cheerful glow about tn
apartment. The little girl looked u
gratefully, and thanked him for wha
she regarded as an act of kindness t
herself. ..,s-
Fuels high, very high, and it take
fearful quantity to keep the fire going.
'sBut what a pleasant fire it makes,
said the little girl as she looked at tn
flames curling aloft.
"Why yes, said Martin, in solilc
quising tone, cit is comfortable, but
: wouldn't do to have it burn so bright.
Et weu1d ruin me completely
sThen you are poorl'' asked the littl
girl; looking about the room. The ful
niture was scanty, consisting only of th
, most indispensable articles, and those
> the cheapest kind. They had all bee
3 picked up at second-h stores, f
r little or nothing.
' It was no wonder that little Fle
! asked the question. Nevertheless. tt
miser looked suspiciously at her, as
f there was some convert meaning in h
). words. But she looked SO openly az
S frankly at him, as quite to disarm al
suspicious he might entertain. b
"Poor?" he at length answered. :
n eyes, / am, or should be, if I plung,
e into extravagent living and expenses
h every kind, and he looked half regre
: fully at the sticks which had burn,
e out, and were now smouldering in tt
n crate. .E.
t "Well," said Floy, II am poor, to
n and so were father and mother. But
think I am poorer than you, for I ha
i no home at all, no house to live in, al
e no fire to keep me warm" a
r "Then where do you live?" asked t
: miser
:, II don't live any where" said t
: child, simply. &c..