Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-12-26

30 you nave Work An! my good VIC
= man, your feet have stepped from the righ
] way; get back again as quickly as possible
5 Think OF your boy, and let the thought keel
, you moving right onward in the path ofin
2 dustry and independence"
! @When feel weak and sick, as do some
times, - said the woman, in a halEapologeti
way" Il grow discouraged; it seems as if la,
30 strength in me"
"Iu those seasons Of weakness if they returr
to you again." answered Mrs. Oldfeld, kind
ly, "come round and see me. l think, maybe
that can always say something to help you
I will try at least. Only be resolute to do
while, MS you said just now, you have power
to lift foot or move a finger, and my word
: for it, all will come out right"
"Why dindnt you give her something to
make start on ?" said Mr.. 0ldfeld, in an
earnest way, as the woman left the room
His port-mannaie was already in his hand
Here's dollar Call her back, Fanny
Don't let her after all this lecture, go without
a farthing to help herself"
Mrs. Old6eld smiled at her husbands kind
hearted, impulsive, enthusiasm, aud said
Put up your money. II would do her more
ing in so easy way, might suggest at the
wrong moment, too strong a contrast between
the slow wearying achievements Of honest toll,
and the quicker returns Of beggary, and de-
press the good purposes which now rule in her
mind. Don't you see how much is at stake
It is the question Of saving or destroying a
human soul. I choose to look at it so, for it
may involve all this. We can have but little
hopes of boy whose mother supports him by
idle beggary? 1t may be worse, for idleness
and beggary lead almost surely to crime"
"Well, WE'LL" answered Mr.. Oldfeld, return,
ing his portmonnaie to his pocket. Perhaps
you are right. But 1 can't do things after
this cold -blooded fashion, as call it. 1t isn't
in me-"
"It should be in US always" replied his
wife, "to do as sound reason teaches. Unless
we are TINS guided our good acts viii, in most
cases, be turned into evil consequences so far
as the subjects are concerned"
"But you talk so to these people, Fanny
You don't seem to have any regard for their
feelings. You probe every spot you think
diseased as sharply as if you were a surgeon,
with the life or death of patient on your con-
science"
True words are, in most cases, better than
aims" said Mrs. Oldfeld, in no way disturbed
| by her husbands remarks. "A I'D, moreover,
a human soul on the conscience weighs heavier
than human body in peril"
When the woman who had come to Mrs.
Oldfeld for aid in her poverty, and received
only words in place Of aims, left the house,
aud went with hurrying step, homeward-new
/ &c Nd iDfn bcrT nd
The rooms she lived in were in the second
story Of a house in narrow street occupied
! by a poor class of people whose neglected
children dwelt, for the most part, out of doors,
engaged in the bad work of corruptng ono
another As Mrs. Clark entered this street
she heard an out cry among crowd Of chill
,lren close by her house, and, on drawing near
er, saw two little things lighting, while other
| boys and girls were standing around and en-
| couraging them to beat and tear each other
Such scenes were common in that neighbor.
hood, but none the less disagrecable TO Mrs.
Clark, who was always disturbed by anything
like quarreling or lighting, whether among
grown up people or children. So she hurried
forward to stop the cruel contest. What was
her pain to hear, on approaching, one Of the
older boys who had been encouraging the 6ght,
cry out, Run Zack, here comes your mother"
mo, he shant run p cried back another
He struck Tom first, and he's got to fight il
OUT"
BY this time Mrs. Clark had pushed through
the little crowd Of children that surrounded
the combatants There was her child, mere
babe, with passionate, fiery face, engaged in
fierce struggle with another child, about a
year older. They were striking, biting, and
tearing each other in a blind way, eager as
wild beasts to do harm.
John 7" cried Mrs Clark, as she laid her
hand on her boy, and tore the little furies 3
part, 'how dare you do so ?"
all kill him !" said John, as he struggled
to get away from his mother.
Mrs. Clark shuddered at this dreadful exhi-
bition of evil passion, caught him up into her
arms and ran into the house. She did not
stop or speak until she had gained her rooms
up stairs, when she put the boy down on the
floor, and, holding him from her, said sternly
"What is the meaning Of this How dare
you fight that little boy"
The child did not look shame-faced, ner
frightened. Young as he was, fierce indig-
nation cleaned out from every feature.
~Tom Skies said you was beggar; and l
hit him. You amt beggar and I'll hit
any boy that says so. Are you a beggar,
mamma ?"
And the child looked confidently into his
mothers face. He did not know why she
became so pale, nor why she turned her face
away, so the earnest eyes that were fixed upon
it could not see all the sudden tumult Of feel
inp that was revealed therein
''You amt beggar, mamma" persisted the
child. You work, don't you %
'Yes, Johnny, work and viii work for you
as long as l can move a hand" And Mrs.
Clark drew her boy close to her, and held his
head against her bosom. at was naughty in
Tom Skies to say that. But you mustn't fight
That is wicked. His saying SO don't make it
So"
You're os good as his mother, and great
deal better. She gets drunk !" said the child
whose Indignation soon boiled over.
"Hush, johnny hushl Don't say that a.
gain about the poor boys mother. It's too
dreadful to think about u replied Mrs. Clark,
who remembered too sadly, the drunken father
whose misdoings would, sooner or later, be
cast into the face Of her child.
1t took some time for the disturbed feelings
of both mother and child TO get back again in
to ealmness Then Mrs. Clark took from a
closet the half finished work she mad thrown a.
side in fit of weary dependency, and went
to her honest task again, while Johnny sat
down to amuse himself as best he could. AL
ready he had tasted the pleasure of the street,
and its rough, free companionship. During
his mothers freOuent DeriOds of absence from
homeland they had grown longer, and often
er repeated of late-J ohnny had lived out Of
doors, and was beginning to harden in the ac-