The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1864-05-06
VOL. L


huuoredly, "come along with me. I'm .
voin' good step o. the same way, and III
show YOU as far as can"
accepted the offer of companionship
gratefully, and we walked quickly on
now in the glare, now in the darkness, till
we came to small gate, which opened
upon the canal path. 1t looked so dismal 4
and dreary as far as it could be seen, and
was so impenetrably dark where it could
not, that ahrauk from walking along the
towing-path with the contingency OF walk
ing into the water.
"Is there no other way than thisF"
asked. a s .aaa4ss, al
Are you scared o this?". was the reply.
"Well, no, not exactly" said, hesi-
tating; s'but was never in this neigh
borhood before, and Of course it does not
look to me as it does to you, who have
lived here all your life. But" | added,
seeing that my companion had passed
through the gate, and following his exam
ple. ~ YOU say that sh!s is the pest way,
we IL take it"
i've not lived here all my life, ne
said, replying to the hr3t part OF my SEN
tence, ''and / wish 10 God ia never come
near it !"
was startled by the earlestness and
evident sincerity with when tine words
were uttered, and turned to look It the
: sneaker; we were in the glare now, ana
a he could be seen quite plainly. f. conf
smon-place looking man enough, about Iar-
ty years of age, his Insignificant features
deeply marked by The ama.i-tox, sna ee-
grimed with SCOT anu Coz. dust. k1is aress
was dirty fustian. There wa3 notnine re-
nlarkabie about him IN any way and l
ooa-luae1 that he was disappointed lnwa-
ges, or had given up something better lof
his present occupation, whatever that
might be. He was silent now; and though
| WISHED to know why he had spoken his
regret so earnestly, could not very ask
him, and so tried to draw him into con-
yersation ;,
Are wages good about heret" asked
cay, they're well enough if you work
well,' he said sullenly; they're the same
here as in most places; you earn what yo'
= get and you get what you earn"
aWho do you work for?" l went on.
He named the friend whom l was goini
= to visit.
a.Is. hp. a good master ?" -
= "Hes ike tn, rest, hard 'un. Sc
p p his mind on maxim his fortune sharp,
reckon, and eettin' out O this cusse
IN place" -
I'd 81 suppose you'd do the same if yo
- we're him?' suggested.
20 Like enough" he assented.
in By this time we had left the canal side
al and were walking in a-narrow lane, alon
en- which ran a single tramway, and by tn
sin side Of which wero some OF the poore'
cottages, or rather novels, | had eve
IN seen; most Of them, however. were diml
My lighted, and from some came rough sounC
it'll of merriment aud holiday making.
NY guide stopped before the door OF OF
in of the cottages wkish was in comple
ith darkness, and turning to ME, said;
J of IF you keep right on for half mil
- and then take tn road to tn left, you can
uds miss tn house."
9 care you not going any farther?"
q !, 1 asked, rather anxiopsly, for greatly d
My liked the idea ofwalking on alone. :.
'op- "No," he said, bluntly, taking k
was from his jacket pocket, and putting 1t IL
sell the lock of the door; "I'm at home,
om- "If you will show me the rest Of t
art way / shall be much obliged" said,
an the same time slipping half-a crown IL
his left hand "and no one seams to
gnu waiting for you"
al ;nIa He would not take the coin, but rep
! OF of cling the key in his pocket, moved I
tho ward, saying:
LII, NNo, there's no one a waitin' for M
- The tone in which he echoed my wol
Ia Ia was one of such profound sadness, thai
,l,'r n,.' wa. much struck by it. and a moment
p"' ter he continued:
"No, there's no one waltn' Tor I
- that there cottage is as empty as i IS da
there's no fire in it, and no weleoi
~, there's no wife, nor no children; thel
= 'ae na naught there tp max home OF but
y : four bare walls"
,onld .You should marry" l said, eheeriu
, INV "then you would have wife to we-ct
little YOU. and children in time, perhaps.
the any rate you'd have fire and light,
aster "But had em all once" he went
tent not needing my interruption; "a
,bout wife, an three Children. an lost EN-
4 di- this night year sin It's Christ
inr 8 Eve, isn't it?"
NE fsl 4ffSy ASPS"~Ss-3
"what did they die Off"
then cay, lost EN-; they didn't to call q
ilder- "Will you tell me about it?" l asl
ty of much interested.
trong "This day last ear it was like as
from now, on'y frostier, an blacker, an dar
with / come home fro work at five o'clock
ed at it was pitch dark by then. We hive
eight that same cottage, an my wife had p
1t ss tidy as palacs--ahe was q
and / clean 'un-all ready for Christmas
10 the an tn pudden was ready for boilin';
at the when he'd had tea she foun' out that
aguely dies was forgot and wanted; there
here on'y the piece O one that was burnil
ALL" l There's til shop close by thers,". an
and l indicated the direction by pointing
ell me his thumb over his shoulder; San
thought no harm O. sendin' tn .yonl
swered child-she was six ear old, and sh
it easy. nor any needle ever saw-to fetch
or the She didn't come back as soon as she !
ha' done, an we sent the next 'un-