Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-03-07
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jist ask one thing, sir, are you from Bark.
Yes; have come up this afternoon"
Dear me, I'm glad of it; we shall be glad
10 tell you all We know, though the Ouilcbers
amt friends of mine and Abel THEY'RE above
US, at least they think so, though, as I often
say to Abel, they're far below us, il that which
oeats warm and lovingly within us-our Door
1rall hearts-was weighed and measured. Rut
pray walk In, sir. My dear Miss TalIow, put
by the cards bit. My dear Cary Buskit. fist
move your chair. Now, sit down, sir. Abel.
close the door, and jist get the saucepan to
warm little elderberry well, sir, little Ems
been butchers maid 1 should say about
year; she wur not fourteen when she came,
and she's fifteen now. She'd come up from
Barksheer, where her father had been small
farmer; but things going hardly with him, and
ms wife dying, he left little EN-, his only child,
In the care OF her mothers sister. and went off
TO the diggings in Australy. He'd allays been
. tidy sort of man, and would have sent some.
tnlng for his child, one would have thought.
Dut he didn't; 80 the end wus the aunt took the
poor child from school, told her she could keen
ner no longer, and that she must 90 to service.
Thereon, sir, she put shift o. clothes in a lit.
eie oox, give her shilling, paid her third-clas
!are 10 London, and so got rid Of her At first,
through the kindness Of a railway y-porter. who
noticed her crying on the platform-she got
place In public house, nigh the Paddington
station, but they treated her 40 badly she run
away; and, after wandering about some dsys
a coffee house keeper took her in: and, he
0eing cousin, or something o. that sort, to
Qullcher, spoke on her, and thew took bcr as
maid; for they liked little 'un, and cbean
un, that they could use and pay as they liked.
90 Em been with EN- the time I saw. She
don't often get out; they're afraid, / think
what she might be sayin', so most O. this we
know from Samson, the assist, who comes in to
have bit O. gossip with our folks sometimes,
ne says her llfe's dreadful one; such poor
swollen hands; such poor thin face though
pretty one that-''' :"
"Never mind grievances like these" inter.
rupts the man, energetically, for he has been
listening, as all have seen, to what is forepone
with sort of mental agony. "Tell me, is the
mouse reputable! is the woman-?''
"I You're relation of little Em's7, asks tbo
old lady, tearfully, and in her turn interrupt.
ing,
I'm her father" And he presses his face
down into his rough hands, and weeps like
child. -A' :"
There, there" says the little woman, quite
affected too, "dOn't take ON, sir, please, we are
all SO glad. There-there, sir, the Quilchers
are people of decent lives, though cruel and
sordid. Dear me, how glad the poor child will
be! husband. put by the saucepan for elder
berry, Ems father must have something bet
ter" The brisk little man quickly obeys' The
office is one OF genuine hospitality; and soon
lemons, rum, sugar, glasses-to say nothing of
choice cake-stand on the table where the
before.
"Not any, thank you" says the earnest man,
rising; must go to my beloved bhild! No,
thank you; food or drink would choke me at
this moment, 1 will, if you please leave this
box; but the basket I'll take; it has something
for EN- In It. God! how could eat whilst my
child starves?''
"On that score have peace" says the little
woman, with smile, which is Heavens own:
We've all taken care of little Em to-day: for
though R5, shaving aaTrap7, Sin nas,.r uosru,,y
boards grow, BARRIERS starve. S0-"
$50" continues the beamiug little woman,
taking up her husbands monOsyllable, 1--WE
always, on Christmas day, turn Mr.. Pinch out
of doors. Pray, therefore, sit another minute
or two, and break bread with US? Abel makes
punch like an alderman; so taste it: for to come
back safe from far country, across the seas,
as Australy, it is great thing" Then, the lit
tie worm of curiosity nibbing at her tongue,
she adds, "Did you do well there?'
Very, very.' is the laconic answer! not for
purpose sake, but that his heart and thoughts
are with his child
"Well, }" continues the little woman, when she
has Hospitality handled the punch, and what an
Irishman would call ''trifle' of cake, ssfor six
Christmas days Abel had his own way, and had
goose. But this year / said to him, Abel, my
dear, 1T must be sucking pig; partiklar as Cary
Buskit, as is such a nice cook, is coming early.
her family being out o town: and she Ii ma Ike
the currant sauce, and set me right about the
brains and pettitoes. So as we said, we did.
sent of Mr.. Piggy -wiggy to Duff, the baker no
made him as crisp as biscuit, and as brown as
an autumn nut. Cary pumped the sauce. and
dad the brains up delicious with sage and but
ter; and there was pudding and tart, and veg
etables, and cet-te-ras. Well, I'd put a plate
to warm, and jist as all was ready drew Abel
aside. Abel says I, we shall be little the
poorer, and our hearts the richer, if we give
him bit of dinner. Samson, when he called
in and left that little parcel this morning. said
the Quilchers had gone out for the day and left
her without Goals, and nothing but a red her,
ring and two potatoes 'Sarry, my dear, re-
piled Abel
''Giving his Sarry kiss" interrupts the lit
tie man, for he don't know her likeness any
where"
"Hush, Abel. So he said Yes therefore
put nice piece of pig and stufing on the plate,
with currsnt and brain sauces, and vegetables.
and pudding on another; and drop Of nice
beer in a bottle and little bit o. fruit besides
Ay. and l should tell you, Cary, slipped shil-
ling jist where she would see it on the tray"
Hush says Cary, blushing deeply, as she
S'"ANS' w ehS Sti"hSoi) WIN dlTeduy QaQ
his eye upon her.
"Abel was already at the door with the tray, :"
continues Mrs. Rasper, "when we bethought us
that the poor child was without bit of fire. So
we hurried and put coal and wood in two
handled basket, which Abel could carry on his
arm: When he got to Quilchers, the poor
child was thunderstruck; her Joy made her cry
bitterly, and she hung about Abel's neck, and
she spoke Of you. Then she said she should
save . bit for Samson
Who's Samson 2" asked the father, sternly.
"Quilcher's assistant" !" replied Abel, for his
little wife is tired of talking" but you
needn't fear him, for he is good and honest
fellow. He amt linendraper by what, I
may say, is his nat'ral trade, though he d seen
something Of measuring calicoes and tapes,
when ne were lad, at an uncle's OF his, who
were draper in a little Scotch village: but
he's a farmer. don't know exactly how il
happened; but his father died, and some
brothers Of his cheated him of his share in the
farm, go he'd to turn out to get his living. He
could find nothing to suit him in his Dart of
the country-the border nigh ScotlandIso he
came away to London, hoping by advertise
ment to get place as land steward 8 assistant.
or farming bailif But places were fev and