The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1863-10-02
SeIeet Tafe.
OLD ROGER JOHNSON.

"Ten cents ten cents !" murmured old
Roger johnson, fumbling the bit of silver
in his palm. "Ten cents" he repeated,
.childishly, feeble smile fitting over his
lips, with sickly glare on his haggard
features; tisn't much, but it will buy me
my breakfast, dinner and supper--al in
.one--and God be thanked for that"
His words died away to an inaudible
whisper as, hugging his tattered garments
around him, he tottered along the street.
It was at the close of rude winters
day. The evening dusk had fallen, and
few flakes of snow futtered down out Of
the dark, gray clouds that futtered over
the city. As old Roger picked his way
carefully across the icy slabs, gay young
lamplighter passed on his evening rounds,
sethis ladder against apost near by, mount
ed smartly, and touched with match the
eager jet of gas which cast a yellow radi-
ance all around the old man's face.
"Ha p says Roger, with the ghost of a
laugh fitting airily from his numb, cold
lips, g that's a good omen. Light, light,
golden light, too, all over my poor old pag-
ged shoes. So in my life have been
cropping, though Heaven knows / capered
as gaily as any schoolboy once, and walked
as proudly as any youth afterwards-till
now the cold winter night is setting in,
and it's all powerful dark before me--so
dark, and chill, and threatening! But
there will come a CLEAN soon, just like this
which brightens all around, and-and-
and f5a ii.aa
The old man was mumbling again, with
a sort of childish, dreamy glee, when set.
ting his foot incautiously upon piece OF
ice, he slipped, and fell helplessly upor
the frozen ground. s.l
"Hillo, old man-you hurt r. cried q
merry schoolboy.
"He's down there looking after pin,
laughed another, sliding by with sled a
his heels.
The boys passed on and the old mar
struggled to regain his feet. But he wa
feeble, and rheumatic, and the fall had vel
nigh shaken the life out of him. Whel
he came little to himself, he observed
that kind gentleman was assisting hin
with cheering words.
''No, l am not much damaged" sal,
Roger, gratefully. "Thank you sir;
wouldn't have been much matter if ha,
broken my neck. | amt of much accoun
in the world-nobody will miss old Roge
johnson out of it."
"Have you far to go" asked the strar
ger.
"Not tonight, thank heaven / live Q
rather stay, right round the corner here
third door up the alley" e ~
.s ks Wall ,rand ,,iorb4 70 xyo,, Mind on
keep your legs under," cried the stranger
He passed on, and the old man, draggin
his sinking limbs into provision store o
the corner, purchased a loaf of bread wit
the bit Of silver to which he had clun
tightly all the while, then creeping wit
unsteady steps into the alley, entered
dark, dilapidated door, with his suppt
under his arm.s - zlaaf5rEE eNawH,
AS he was stumbling up dismal o.
staircase, sharp feminine voice called o,
to him from the foot of the first landing
SIS that you, johnson 7"
81 suppose it is, though sometim,
more than half suspect that it is somebod
else, replied the old man.
"Why didn't you speak I'dopened ii
door so you could see" cried the other.
"Where does that light come from
asked Roger. "Do you indulge in lam
light before it is hardly dark, Mrs Stone
"Come in here, and you stall see Their
you did not expect such a fire as that, d
you, Johnson?" M aaeia gssi nslis-
H Bless you, woman, that didn't. VI
are as warm as toast here. How Jolly
is to see stove all aglow like that? W6e
did your coal come from Pr, p,
s0h," said Mrs Stone, ssSidney broug
me three dollars to-day, and the childr,
were all shiyering and chattering over Il
little wood fire, so took it into my he;
that these three dollars should go towar
making us all warm once, if we never g
warm again in our lives. So what did
do but go and order quarter of ton
coal, and the young ones have been
merry as crickets ever since. They
quite content to go without their supp'