The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1864-08-18

mai" and took up the Gazetteer. | read, and
felt my coat and read again-sometimes
thumbing the sweaty leaves backward, some
times forward-in such an unceasiug way,
however, that before my clothes were fairly
dry,I could have passed an examination up
on the condition and prospects OF NeWry, and
Armagh, and Portadown.
After this recreation by the CRATE betook
myself to the window. The rain was still
falling in torrents. Over opposite was a
watchmakers shop with a curiously faced
clock over the doorway, which am sure,
must have hung there a score ofyears, and l
venture to say it is hanging there yet.
Within the shop window, which was full Of
gewgaws, caught glimpse of an old ''He-
riot" with magniiier thrust into the sock
ct Oh his eye,aud squirting curious over
,nedley Of brazen cog-wheels ;he looked for
all the world as a matchmaker might do,
in country town of New England and
dare say if lstepped over to him with my
watch to mend, he would have popped it open
in the same unvarying way-glanced at the
trade mark squinted at the cogs and thrust
in some long steel feeler, and closed it with
pop, and removed his one-horned eye, and
hung the watch at the end Of arrow of invalid
| "
had it ready on the Thursday following.
A little farther down the street was the es-
Establishment of an Irish milliner its lower
windows so bedizened with bonnets and ha
| berdashery, that | could see nothing beside
except one pair Of black eyes peeping out
after carriage that whirled by in the rain
On the other side Of the goldsmith's was tue
SHOP of baker and pastry cook, which was
| decked prettiIy with evergreeus, and with
IN which l saw stout woman with arms
akimbo, staring out as goomily as myself
| at the rain.
over the Goldsmith's shop was window,
at which | saw from time to time q pair Of
llttle rosy-faced girls, who may have been
seven or eight and between them and
| seemingly on most familiar terms tall
Newfoundland dog who appeared as mnch
interested as themselves in occasional fur
tive glances npon the reelling street Once
or twice too,a simply dressed young woman
Of uncertain age who may have been moth
er of the children, showed herself at the
same window
After making these observations, and pac-
ing up the parlor once or twice, | betook my
self again to the Gazetteer Twelve, one two
sounded from the clock over the inautel
two hours yet to my dinner.
Again | turn to the street for relief
little girl, in close hood, was stepping out of
the door way beside the jewelers. shop, nd
with her the dog had seen above stairs, with
basket in his mouth away they went,
trotting Familiarity out Of sight down the
street; this at least was on incident for me
and | sat myself composedly down to await
their return. The little girls mate i'll the
window opposite seemed bent upon the same
object. After twenty minutes, perhaps, dog
and child came trotting back, thoroughly
drenched-the dog still carrying the basket,
nov APPARENTLY weighed with some burden
aud the servant happening IN at the same
moment to look after my fire, called her at
tention to the drenched couple as they enter
the doorway opposite.
''Oh, aye, SIR, it's good haste is that he
keeps by the poor little craythuIs night and
day it's very poor they must, be and their
mother, S loue woman. she's been opposite a
matter Of three months now in a little room
she's rinted from the gold batter; its not
much in the way Of needIe-worll she, Il be
/ tolining, "the lord knows how the poor cray
ture lives. By this time the pair had re-
/ turned to the chamber, as judged by the
movements Of the little girl who had been
stationed at the window Very likely she
was dancing over the contents Of the bas-
| ket
perhaps the dog has brought them their
| Christmas dinner" said |
'And shure, SURF hope he may;bnt it's
b sorry dinner they have most days"
A sndden thought struck me. ! was ont Of
all reach of the little Christmas charities of
home what if | were to turn few pennies
to the cheer Of my little neigbors over the
way A charitable thought is best closed
with at once; it is too apt to balll US, if we
wait ; SO LpuIled ont a five shilling piece,
and said. My good woman,you see the
cake shop yonder?"
''And shure do, SURF"
''Would you be good enough to step over
aud buy couple of little Christmas cakes,
with sprig OF holly in each Of them, and
take them over to the two little girls OPP
poste, and tell them that a stranger who is
rainbound in the opposite inn wishes them
a merry Christmas for to-noTrow?'
''Shure I will,surr ;and the Lord bless
yon fort
There was something in the manner Of the
gaunt waiting woman, that forbade me
, doubling her;sriil watched-saw her brave
the rain saw her appear with the pack
age saw her enter the low passage opposite
aud presently the two little girls camcronp-
, ing to the window;and kissed their hands
to me;while the mother appears Tor u mo
neut with modest bow Of acknowledgement
! think the fire burned more cheerfuty
after this, the room seemed to wear Il new
) aspect my clothes were thoroughly dry
my appetite was ripeping for dinner apd
p read the little poem IN the corner OF tue
: dublin Mail to the air Of Erie go bragh'
with good deal Of kindness
? The waiting woman, with grateful mes
sages had come and gone, and | was deep III
, Alaynooth again,when my attention was cali
! ed by the rattle of a carriage in the street,
Ithad apparently come to stop near BY l
, atroled to the window to see how it might
!. be. Sure enough over opposite was an Irish
= jauntine car all nud-bespattered, two port
manteaus upon it, and a stout, ruddy faced
7 man in nackintosh'and in close-htting skull
3 cap, just alghtng. lie stepped into the.
: goldsinith's shop, apparently to make some
inquiries-seemeds satisfied III the instant -
, returned to the car ordered off the porjman-
. teaus, and pulle out his purse-a well
filled one l iudged-to pay} the
+ driver. The little girls | noticed were
pressing their faces against the glass and
!, gazing down-once or twice looking back
? as if TO summon their mother to the scene.
She also appeared presently Git was just IS
= the drenched traveller had paid bis fare, an d
J had raised his face) and locking earnestly
: for moment-drooped away and fell beside
, the window. There could be no doubt that the
> woman had tainted there was terror in the
= faces of the children.
: rang the bell hastily, aud stepping to the
= door as. the waitress comet said, My good
;, woman, there's trouble over the way the
J mother Of these children has just swooned
. by the window and there's no one to care
;. for her
= She came forward to look out, with true
= womanly curiosity, though there was No