Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-01-20
Old Roger Johnson.

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Old Roger johnson.
''Ten cents ten cents "murmered old Roger
johnson, fllmblng the bit Of silver in his palm.
''Ten cents" he repeated childshly, feeble
smile fitting over his lips, with a sickly glare
on his haggard features; '''tsn't much, but it
will buy me my breakfast, dinner, and supper
all i'll one-and God be thanked for that!"
His words died away to an inaudible whis-
yer, as huggng his tattered garments around
nm, he tottered along the street.
Ii was at the close of a rude winters day.
The evening dusk had fallen, and a few flakes
OF snow fiuttered down out of the dark, grey
clouds that tiuttered over the city. As old
Roger picked his way carefully across the icy
slabs, gay young lampighter passed on his
evening rounds, set his ladder against post
near by, mounted smartly, and touched with
match the eager jet of gas, which cast a
yellow radiance all around the old mans feet
cha" said Roger, with the very ghost Of
laugh fitting airily from his numb, cold lips,
''that a good omen. Light, light, golden
light, too, all over my poor old ragged shoes.
SO in my life | have been cropping, though
heaven knows | capered as gaily as any
school-boy once, and walked as proudly as
any youth, atterwardS-tll now the cold win
ter 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 brghtene all aronn nd
and-and-and-"
The old man was mumbling again, with a
sort of childish, dreamy glee, when, setting
his foot incautiously upon piece of ice he
slipped and fell helplessly upon the frozen
ground
''Hillo, old man-you hurt?" cried merry
school-boy.
Hes down there looking after pin"
laughed another, sliding by with sled at his
heels.
The boys passed on, and the old man strug
gledto regain his feet. But he was feeble
and rheumatic and the fall had well nigh
shaken the life out of him. When he came
little to himself, he observed that kind gen
tleman was assisting him with cheering words.
''No, am not much damaged" said Roger
gratefully "Thank you, sir; it would not
have been much matter if l had broken my
neck. / amt Of much account in the world
nobody would miss old Roger johnson out
of it,"
''Have you got far to go?" asked the stran-
ger.
''Not far to night, thank heaven. live or
rather stay right round the corner here, third
door up the alley"
w Clli SOOu IlSilJ 10 you. hllilu anu. keep
your legs under you" cried the stranger.
He passed on, and the old man, dragging
his sinking limbs into provision store on the
corner, purchased loaf of bread with the bit
of silver to which he had chung tightly all the
while, then creeping with unsteady steps into
the alley, entered a dark, dilapidated door
with his supper under his arm.
As he was stumbling up dismal old stair
case, sharp feminine voice called out to him
from the floor of the first landing;
''Is that you, Johnson?"
''l suppose it is, though | sometimes more
than halt suspect thatit is somebody else," re-
piled the old man.
"Why didn't you speak? I'd opened the
door so you could see," cried the other.
"Where does that light come from?" asked
Roger. "Do you indulge in lamplight before
it is hardly dark Mrs. Stone"
''Come in here and you shall see. There,
you did not expect such a fire as that did you
johnson"
''Bless you, woman, that l didn't. You are
as warm as toast here. How jolly it is to see
a stove all of glow like that. Where did
your coal come from?"
60" said Mrs. Stone, Sidney brought me
three dollars to-day; and the children were
all a shivering and chattering on the little
wood fire, so took it into my head that these
three dollars should go towards making us all
warm once, If we never got warm again in our
lives. So what did do but go and order a
quarter OF a ton of coal, and the children have
been as merry as crickets ever since. They
are quite content to go without their supper,
so there's good fire for them to cuddle down
by. Come in; it's free warm, Johnson"
As long as the coal lasts; l want everybody to
enjoy it that can. You shall sit with us this
evening-your room is awful dreary, john
son."
The frozen tears thawed in the old mans
eyes, but his voice was SO chOked that he
could not express his thanks. Seating him.
self in u rickety old chair, he warmed his cold
shins, and rubbed his shrivelled hands over
the stove, patting the children's heads, and
ended by dividing the larger portion of his
loaf among them, reserying but a scanty frag-
ment for himself
Mrs. Stone demonstrated against his gener-
osity. But the children seized upon the food
so eagerly that the grateful old man declared,
with tears running down his cheeks, that it
did him more good to see them eat than it
would to sit down to a most bountiful feast.
The meagre meal was soon concluded,
When heavy footsteps were heard on the stairs.
Inc poor woman's heart ceased to beat. She
turned so pale that the old man observed her
change OF countenanee even in that dim light.
SIS 1t father?' whispered the children.
AT that moment an angry voice demanded
with an oath why she did not hold the light.
''Hush! said Mrs. Stone to the covering
little ones.
She opened the door, and presently shah
by, frost-bitten, middle-aged man, came blus-
terlng into the room. 1t was the woman's
husband, who always, when he had money
to spend, deserted his family for the grog-
shop and who returned to them for shelter.
lie was brutal, tyrannical man, though he