National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1866-07-06

Dtl St-tiidt ID otil litAt ipoIIi i'is-i-
bor-shows me something wrapped
up in flannel, all pink and Greasy,
and very snuffly, as though it want
ed its nose blowing; which couldn't
be expected, for it hadn't got any to
signify.
..Ain't it a little beauty ?" she
says.
Well | couldn't see as it was but
| didn't like to say so, for | knew
my wife Polly had beenreckoning on
what she said we ought to have had
more'n a year ago: SO | didn't like
TO disappoint her, for | knew she
lay listening III the next ro0m.
Polly always said there never was
such a baby as that one, and some
thing it was taking to see how her
face used to light up all over with
smiles when she t4,lght ] want
looking and | knew it was on ac-
count of the little un. She never
said she felt dull now; and when at
home Of night | used to think
how my mates would laugh to see
me handling the little thing that was
allus being pushed into my face to
kiss; when | am blest if ever | see
such a voracious fun i'll my life it
hung onto you--nose, lip, anywhere
--in minute.
One day when it was about nine
months old, it was taken all OF a
sudden like with a fit. Polly scream
ed to me to run for the doctor; for
it happened that | was on the club
that week, and at home with bad
hand. run for him and he soon
come; and then there was a warm
bath and medicine but afterwards.
when ! saw the little thing living on
Polly lap SO still and quiet, and
with a dull film forming over its
eyes, | felt that something was com
ing, though | dared not tell her; and
about twelve O'Clock the little thing
suddenly started, stared wildly an
instant and then it was all over.
My hand warn't bad any more that
week; for it took all my time to try
and cheer up my poor heart broken
lass. She did take on dreadful,
night and day, till we buried it; and
then she seemed to take quite Il
change. and begged of me to forgive
what she called her selfiShness, and
wiped her eyes once for all. rs she
said. and talked about all being foi
the best. But she didn't know that
| lay awake Of a night feeling hel
cry silently till the pillow was soak
ed with tears.
We buried the little one on tho
Sunday,aud on the Monday morning
| was clapped on to a job that
didn't much relish. for it was the re
bricking of a sewer that ran down
one Of the main streets. quite fifty
feet under ground.
Arter two years in London I'd
seen some change. but this was
my first visit to the bowels of the
earth III worked on drains in the
country, but in such concern a,
this; why, iteguard might have
. walked down it easy: so that there
was plenty Of room to work; thcr,
, You go, down ladder after ladder
. past gas pipes and water pipes, anC
, down and down, and down. till yoI
get 20 the stage stretched across tn,
+ part that you are TO work on, will
, the day light so high up. as seer
> through boards and scatfolds ant
ladders. that it's no use to YOU wht
are working by the light of glarin!
, gas. There in front of You is IT,
- dark black arch: and there benin,
y0u is another while under your fee
! the foul rushing water hurries along
/, sending up a smell as turns you
silver watch. and every siNpenc
and shilling YOU have in Your pock
- ct black as the water that swirl
hubhling along. Every word yo
!. speak sounds hollow and cchoins
- while il goes whispering and run
= bling along the dark arch till yo
, think it has gone. when all at one
, YOU hear it again quite plain in
>. way as would make YOU jump &
- much as half brick or Il bit of haI
:, mortar dropped into the water.
!, But talk about jumping. nothin
made me jump more than a bit I
u soil, or Il stone that was looSenc
'o up above, and came rattling dow
-, Eve seen more than one change 2ol,
IA and know that it has been fro
III the thought that, suppose the cart
cavcd in, where should we be ! \
g doubt the first crush in would do
~, and thcrc'd be an end of workmC
- and foreman but there seem,
something VERY awful in the idea
being buried alive.
/ Big as the opening was, when
! went to work, il made me shudde
ne there was the earth thrown on
!cr- there was the boarding round; the
IT, il was for all the world like Il j.
10 grave, same as had stood hy
ne u little scale the day before; al
y! feeling bit discouraged it aim,
To seemed as though was going doN
us into my own, never to come up al
'lu more.
ne Very stupid and foolish idei
nj says YOU, iartetchcd IDEAS. Wer
cr likely, but that is what | though
III and there are times when men u
"a mighty strange ideas; and I'll I
for u fact that something struck
when went down that hole as
y shouldn't come up again; and
MS didift neither. Why, the very &
IS- | ni thp cold Io,,,, ,I,,u ,,,,In a.