The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-12-20
AN UNEXPECTED FRIEND.
.ylA BEAUrIFULrTAI1Eo 0

.E[A BEAUrIFUL.TALEou
! 'It must be, my child said the poor
widow, wiping away the tears which Slowly
trickled down. her wasted face. ( There is
no other resource. | AIN too sick to work,
and you cannot. surely, see me and your
little brother stmve. ll'ry5 and beg. few
shillings, and perhaps by the time that is
gone I may, be better Go, Henry, my
dear. ! grieve to send you on such an er-
rand, but it must be done. rg5, s.t
The boy, IA noble-lookiDg little fellow of
about tell years, started up and throwing
his arms about his mothers neck, left the
house without a word. He did not hear
the groan Of anguish that was uttered by
his parent as the door closed behind him;
and it was well thathe did not, for his little
heart was ready to burst without it. q 4
1t was by street in Philadelphia, and as
he walked to and fro on the sidewalk, he
looked first at one person and then at an.
other, as they passed him, but no one SEEM
e. a. =. H.. upon LIN, a.a -" .c..se
ne waited the faster his courage dwindIed
away. and the more difficult it became to
muster resolution to beg. 'fhe tears were
running fast down his checks, but nobody
NOTICED them; or, if they did, nobody seem
cd. to care; for, although clean, Henry look
ed poor and miserable, andsit iscomnaon for
the poor and miserable to cry. E'',i"1' 81.
~, Everybody seemed in a l.ury, and the
poor boy, was quite in despair, when at last
he espied gentleman who seemed to be
very lcasureiy taking morning walk. M He
was dressed ih black, wore three cornered
hat, and had o face that was as mild and
benigna1t as an angels. Somehow, when
Henry looked at him, he felt all his fears
vanish at once, and instantly approached
him. His tears had been flowing so long
that his eyes were quite red and swollen,
and his voice trelnbled; but that was with
weakness, for he had not eaten for twenty
four, hours. AS Henry, with q low, falter-
ing voice, begged for little charity, the
ed with compassion as he looked into the
fair countenance Of the poor boy and saw
the, deep blush which spread over his face,
and listened to the modest, humble tones
which accompanied his petition. 1,..-, .'.
7 You do not look like boy that been
accustomed to beg his bread, y he said,
kindly, laying his hand on the boys should
err What has driven you to this step?"
Indeed" answered Henry, his tears be-
ginning to flow afresh, Indeed / was rot
born in this condition. But the misfortune
of my father and the sickness of my moth
.er, have driven me to the necessity now"
~ WHO'S your father?' inquired the gen.
tleman, still, more interested. n NJ ~
MY father was arich mcrchantSof this
city, but he became bondsman for a friend,
who soon after failed, and he was entirely
ruined. He could. not live long after this
loss and in one month he died Of grief, and
his death was more dreadful than any of
our trouble. My mother, my little brother
and myself soon sunk into the lowest depths
of poverty. My mother has, until now,
managed to support herself and my little
brother by her labor, and I have earned
what could by shoveling snow and what
#other work Tcould find to do. But night
before last my mother was taken very sick,
and she has since become so much worse
that here the tears flowed faster than
ever--''that I fear she will die-I cannot
think of anyway in the world to help her.
| have not had any work for several
weeks. have not had the courage to 70
to any Of my mothers old acquaintance
and tell them that she has come to need and
charity. thought you looked like stran-
ger, sir, and something gave me courage, to
speak to you.l: Oh, sir, do pity my
mother" ," ce- 753 L'3sA
The tears, and the simple and moving
language of the poor boy, touched chord
ia the breast of the stranger that was ,ac-
cnstomed to frequent vibrations. TN n
Where does your mother live, my boy?"
said he, in iln1 . husky voice; rs it far from
alrF
's:She lives in the last house on this street,
sir,1' said Henry. You can sec it from
here. IN the third block, and on the left
''Hase YOU sent FOR a physician" inquir;
s;No,5 5sirs replied the, boy, I, sorroywfally
shaking his head. "I had no money to pay
either fora physician or,forlnedicine.
"Here, said the stranger drawing some
pieces of silver from his pocket, There are
three dollars--take. them and run immedi-
ately, for physician .pS All Fh5
Hepry's2 eyes flashed with gratitude
He received, the moneyswith a. stammering
antalhaost inaudible voice; but, with a look
of1the warmest gratitude. he vanished. ll0ai
: Yhe Benevolent stranger, instantly sought
Tho, dwelling ~ The sick widow He enter,
ed alittle room in which be, could see moth
ing butSa few implenlents OF. female labor
d miserable table, aneld bureau, and a lit
bed which stood1h. epe eoraer on whichsthe
Invalid lay She appe sfed weak and ali
most exhausted, and on the bed at her feet
lat little bay, erying, as, IT. rhiSkeait, would
breBk.x Deeply moved at this ff0;ei,t. The
stranger drew hear the bed sideof the, Ia.