The weekly Anglo-African., 1860-05-19
a JUVENILE PHILOSOPHER.
BY LYDIA MARIA CHILD.

one Instance. LII. IL, OF D0SJOn, CON-
ing home to dine one day, found a very
bright-looking, handsome mulatto on the
steps, apparently about seven or eight
years old. AS he opened the door, the
boy glided in, as if it were his home.
"What do you want 7" said the doctor.
The child looked up with a smiling conf
dence, and answered, ~ am little boy
that ran away from Providence, and /
want some dinner, and thought maybe
you would give me somen His radiant
face and childlike freedom operated like a
charm. He had a good dinner, and re-
manned several days, becoming the pet Of
the whole household. He said be had
been cruelty treated by somebody in Pro-
videncerand had run away; but the peo-
pie he described could not be found. The
doctor thought it would not do to have him
growing up in idleness, and he tried to find
place where he could run of errands,
clean knives, &c, for his living. An hour
after this was mentioned the boy was miss
ing. In a few weeks they heard of him
in an opposite part of the city, Sitting on a
doorstep at dinner time. When the door
opened he walked in smiling, saying, 81
am little boy that ran away from Proyi-
dence, and | want some dinner, and /
thought maybe you would give me some"
He was not mistaken this time either.
The heart that had trusted SO completely
received cordial welcome. After time,
it was again proposed to find some place
at service; and straightway this human
butterfly was off no one knew whittier.
For several months no more was heard
of him. But one bright winter day his
first benefactor found him seated on the
steps of a house in Beacon street.
"Why, Tom, where did you come from?'
said he.
~ came from Philadelphia"
"How on earth did you get theref"
II heard folks talk about New York,
and thought 1 should like to see it. So
| went on board a steamboat; and when it
put off, the captain asked me who / was;
and told him that was little boy who
run away from Providence, and wanted
to go to New York, but / hadn't any
money.
"'You little rascal says he, IN throw
you overheard
Il don't believe you WILL said I; and
he didn't. told him | was hungry, and
and he gave me something to eat, and
made up nice little bed for me. When
1 got to New York, went and sat down
on doorstep; and when the gentleman
came home to dinner, went in, and told
him that / was little boy that run away
from Providence, and | was hungry. So
they gave me something to eat, and made
up nice little bed for me, and let me stay
there. But | wanted to see Philadelphia
so went into steamboat, and when they
asked me who l was, told them that ]
was little boy who run away from Prov
idence. They said | had no business
there, but they gave me an orange. When
got to Philadelphia, l sat down on door.
step, and when the gentleman came home
to dinner, told him that / was little
boy WHO had run away from Providence
and thought PERHAPS he wo I'D give me
something to eat. 30 they gave me a
good dinner, and made me up nice little
bed. Then / wanted to come back to
Boston; and everybody gave me something
to eat, and made me up nice little bed.
And 1 sat down on the doorstep, and
when the lady asked me what / wanted, ]
told her that | was little boy that run
away from Providence, and was hungry.
So she gave me something to eat, and
made me up nice little bed; and l stay
here, and do her errands sometimes
Everybody is very good to me, and I like
everybody"
He looked up with the most sunny
gayety, and striking his hoop as he spoke,
went down the street like an arrow He
disappeared soon after, probably in quest
of new adventures. never heard of him
since; and sometimes painful fear passes
through my mind that the kidnappers,
providing about our large towns, have car.
ried him into slavery.
The story had charm for me for two
reasons. / was delighted with the artless
freedom Of the winning, wayward child
and still more did | rejoice in the perpetual
kindness which everywhere gave it such
friendly greeting. 0, if we w0uld but
dare to throw ourselves upon each others
hearts, how the image of heaven would
be reflected all over the face of this earth,
as the clear blue sky lies mirrored in the
/ waters