, 1861-06-06
The Little Outcast.

give me-cut wood, go after water, and do all
your errands"
The troubled eyes of the speaker filled with
tears 1t was a lad that stood at the outer door,
pleading with kind-loOking woman, who still
seemed to doubt his good intentions.
The cottage sat by itself on bleak moor, or
what in Scotland would have been called SUCH
The time was near the end Of November, fierce
wind ratified the boughs Of the only naked tree
near the house, and fed with shivering sound
into the narrow doorway, as if seeking for
warmth at the blazing fire within.
Now and then q snowflake touched with its
soft chill the cheek Of the listener, or whitened
the angry redness Of the poor boys benumbed
hands.
The woman was evidently 10th to grant the
boys request, and the peculiar look stamped
upon his features would have suggested to any
mind an idea of depravity far beyond his years
But her mothers heart could not resist the
sorrow in those large, but not handsome, gray
eyes
"Come in, at any rate, till the gudeman comes
home; there, sit down by the fire; you look per
ishing with cold" And she drew chair to the
warmest corner, then suspiciously glancing at
the child from the corners Of her eyes, she con-
tinued setting the table for supper.
Presently came tire tramp Of heavy shoes,
the door swung open with quick jerk, and the
"gudrman" presented himself, weary with labor
A look Of intelligence passed between his wife
and himSelf-he, too, scanned the boys face
with an expression not evincing satisfaction, but
nevertheless, made him come to the table, and
then enj yed the zest with which he dispatched
his supper.
Day after day passed, and yet the boy begged
TO be kept "Only till tomorrow )" so the good
couple, after due consideration, concluded that
so long as he was docile and worked so heartily,
they would retain him.
One day, in the middle Of winter, Q peddler,
long accustomed to trade at the cottage, made
his appearance, and disposed of bis goods read.
lily, as he had been waited for.
You have boy out there splitting wood,
see" he said, pointing to the yard.
"Yes; do you know himY"
have seen him, replied the peddler, eva
sively.
And where 2-who is heH--what Is her"
"A jail.bird I" and the peddlcr swung his
he looks, saw in the court myself, and heard
his sentence ten months; he's 4 hard one
you'd do well to look keerfhl arter him."
OH there was something so horrible in the
word "iail," the poor woman trembled as she
laid away her purchases, nor could she be easy
ill she had called the boy in and assured him
that she knew the dark part Of his history.
Ashamed and distressed, the child hung down
his head; his cheeks seemed bursting with his
hot blood his lip quivercd, and anguish was
painted wildly upon his forehead, as II the
words were branded in his flesh.
"Well, I" he muttcred, his whole frame relax
ing as il burden of guilt or joy had suddenly
rolled of, "I may as well go TO ruin at once
there's no use in trying to be better-everybOd
hates and despises me-nobody cares about me.
NAV as well 20 to ruin at once I"
Tell me, said the woman, who stood of far
enough for fight, If that should be necessary /;
"how came you to go so young to that dreadful
placer Where was your motherf"
, "Motherp exclaimed the boy, with rush Of
grief that was terrible to behold, "0h, hain't
got no mother-oh! ha'n't had no mother ever
since was baby. II I'd only mother" he
continued, bis anguish growing vehement, and
the tears gushing out Of his strange.looking
gray eyes, "I wouldn't a been bound out and
kicked, and cuffed, and laid on to with whips |;
wouldn't a got knocked down and then run
away and stole, because ! was hungry. Obi
hain't got no mother since was baby"
The strength was all gone from the poor boy,
and he sunk on his knees sobbing, great choking
sobs, and rubbing the hot tears with his knuckleS.
And did that woman stand there unmovedf
Did she boldly bid him pack up and be Of-the
jail.bird3
No, no-she had been mother, and, although
all her. children slept under the cold sod in the
churchyard, was a mother still
She went up to that poor boy, not to hasten
him away, but to lay her fingers kinkly, softly
on his head-to tell him to look up, and from
henceforth find in her mother. Yes, she even
put her arm around the neck Of that forsaken,
deserted child-she poured from her mothers
heart sweet, womanly words, words Of counsel
and tenderness.
OH how sweet was her sleep that night
how soft was her pillow! She had linked poor
suffering heart to hers by the most silken, the
strongest bands Of love. She had plucked some
thorn from the path Of little shining but striv-
ing mortal. None but angels could witness her
holy joy, and not envy.
Did the boy leave herr
Nsver-he is with her still avigorous, manly,
promising youth he low character Of his
countenance has given place to an open, pleas
ing expression, with depth enough to make it an
interesting study. His foster father is dead his
good foster mother aged and sickly-but she
knows no want. The once poor outcast Is her
only dependence, and nO6Iy does he repay the
trust.
"He that sGvett soul from death, hideth 4
multitude of sins"
A gentleman having occasion to cah upon q
physician, stopped at the door and rung the bell.
II was answered by an Irish servant girl, Of whom
be inquired If the doctor was in.
"NO."
ais his lady int"