The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1861-08-21
THE BOY AND THE MAN.


terfeld some fifty years since, at the old
brown school-house on the hill, you might
have seen little Ned Thomson, q pale,
sad-faced boy, whose clothes were cast-off
garments, filthy and tattered; his school
books few torn and dirty fragments of
a spelling book and Testament. His seat
is with two or three boys who, like him,
came from the town almshouse. Now
and then, when it is convenient they are
heard in their lessons. When the master
is out of humor he flogs them; as they
have no friends, the blows that should be
bestowed upon the esquire's, the deacon's,
and the doctors children fall upon the
poor-house boys, as they are orphans, and
it will not do to offend the village aristoc-
racy. Poor Ned, though sensitive and
high-spirited, is bright aud intelligent, but
he is the continual butt of sneers and rid
icule. Why is life so bitter TO thee little
Ned! why is thy spriDg-time so gloomy
and baneful? Ah, he hears the reason
every day from his schoolmates, he hears
it in his dreams, he hears it in the whs-
tie Of the wind, in the roar of the noun
tain stream, when all nature is silent, the
kissing whisper haunts him, the "pau-
per boy"
A few years before lovely and ami
able orphan girl had tripped with merry
heart along the streets of Winterfield.-
Her parents, once in good circumstances,
had died years before, and left her penni-
less. She did have work at the farm
houses, and was rs light-hearted as tho
she wero dukes daughter. A stranger
came to Winterfeld, handsome and
smooth spoken. Poor Nellie had low
ing, afectionate and trusting heart; he
won her love and she married him. 1t
was the sad, old story; he soon deserted
her, and went no ono knew whittier.
For years she toiled, gentle and uncom-
planning, to support herself and her boy,
little Ned, until New England's scourgc,
consumption, laid its stealthy but sure
hand upon her; she fingered not long
martyr. One morning she was found
with her arm around her sleeping boy =;
there was sweet smile upon her wan
face, but she was cold and dead. Ned
was an orphan, and Nellie was with the
bright angels. They buried the emacia-
ted form in an obscure corner of the vii
lage graveyard, among briers, near name
less and forgotten graves. The place was
forgotten soon by all except Ned. There
was no place for him except at the poor
house.
Tom, did you ever see DR.. H, Of
Winterfeld Perhaps not; he died years
ago; his tombstone over in the old Win
terfeld burying-ground is even now gray
with age. There was true shepherd of
bis flock. He saw that there was soul
in Ned, and a mind far above the COM
mon class. The poor sensitive boy had
heard no kind words since Nellie's death,
and the friendly encouragement of DIR.
H taught him to Eope for botter
day.
Ned mingled little in the usual sports
of boyhoood; he loved better to pore over
the good parsons books, to wander over
rugged hills, to stand beside the plunging
cataract. He loved TO gaze upon nature,
wherever the Almighty hand has mould
ed power and sublimity.
While still youth, Ned hearing that
the selectmen of Winterfield were going
to bind him away, out to brutal, drunk
en- butcher, ran no one knew whittier, and
Winterfield forgot Ned, the poorhouse
boy. Some fifteen years passed and the
people Of Wintcrfeld began to hear Of
an orator that had arisen from obscurity
in The wild backwoods of western State.
His name was upon the whole nations
lips. His mighty voice thrilled the heart
of the people as buglc stirs the heart Of
the warrior. Wherever wrong triumph.
cd, there was ho ready to throw himself
into the breach; his burning accents sent
dismay into the mercenary bands of cor
ruption.
The people of WinterfeId saw it an
nounced that the great western orator and