The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-08-16
THE WILD DUCK SHOOTER.
BY JEAN INGELow.

BY JEAN INGELOW.
The charity of the rich is much to b
commended, but how beauriful is the char
ity of the poor
Call to mind the coolest day yon ever ex
perienced. think of the bitter wind ant
the driving snow think how you SHOOT
and shivered-how the sharp, white parti
Giles were driven against your face-how
within doors, the carpets were lifted likt
pillows along the floors, the wind howleC
and moaned in the chimneys, windows
creaked, doors ratified, and every now anc
then heavy Jumps of snow came laundering
down with dull weight from the roof
Now, hear my story.
In one OF the broad, open plains of Lin
colnshire, there is long, reedy sheet of wa
ter, favorite resort of wild ducks. At the
northern extremity stands two mud Gotta
ges, old and out of repair.
One bitter, bitter night, when the snow
was three feet on the ground, and cutting
east wind was blowing it about, and whist.
ling in the dry frozen reeds by the waters
edge, and swinging the bare willow trees
till their branches swept the ice, an old wo-
man sat spinning in one of these cottages
before moderately cheerful fire. Her ket-
tie was singing on the Goals she had reed
candle, or homemade rushIight on her ia
ble but the full moon shone in, and was the
brighter light of the two. These two cot
tages were far from the road, or any other
habitation; the old woman was, therefore
surprised, as she sat drawing out her thread,
grooming an old north country song, to hear
sudden knock at the door,
1t was loud and impatient, not like the
knock of her neigbbors in the other Gotta
ges: but the door was bolted, and the old
woman rose, and shutting to the window,
looked out, and saw shivering figure, ap-
pareutly that Of a youth.
''Trampers, said the old woman, senten-
tiously, 'tramping folks be not wanted
here; y so saying she went back to the fire
without deigning to answer the door.
The youth, upon this, tried the door, and
called to her to beg admittance. She heard
him rap the snow from his shoes against her
Intel, and again knock as if he thought she
was deaf, and he should surely gain admit.
lance if he could only make her hear.
The old woman, surprised at his audaci-
ty, went to the easement, and, with all pride
Of possession, opened it, and inquired bis
business.
'Good woman" the stranger began, 81
only want seat at your fire.
''Nay," ssid the old woman, giving effect
to her words by her uncouth dialogue
''Thou'lt get no shelter here; I've naught
to give to beggars-a dirty wet cratter, she
continued, wrathfully slamming to the win
dow, sits wonder where he found any
water, too, seeing it freezes SO hard body
can get none for the kettle saving what's
broken up with hatchet."
On this the beggar turned hastily away.
And at this point in his narrative, the
person who told it to me stopped and said,
''Do you think the old woman was very
much to blame ?''. s~
''She might have acted more kindly"
replied; ''but why do you ask ?''
Because" said he, 81 have heard her
conduct so much reflected on by those who
would have thought nothing of it if it had
not been for the consequences"
''She might have turned him away ess
roughly" observed.
THAT is true he continued, ''but in any
case think, though we might give then
food or money, we should hardly invite beg
gars in to sit by the fire"
Certainly not" l replied; 'anI this
woman could not tell that the beggar was
honest"
No." said he, "but l must go on with
my narrative" The stranger turned very
hastily away from the door, and waded
through the deep snow toward the other
cottage. The bitter wind helped to drive
him toward it. 1t looked no less poor thar
the first and when he had tried the door
found it bolted, and knocked twice without
attracting attention, his heart sank within
him. His hand was so numb with cold
that he made scarcely any noise lie tried
again.
A rush candle was burning within, and
matronly looking woman sat before the
fire She held an infant in her arms, an(
had dropped asleep; but his third knocl
aroused her, and, wrapping her apron
around her child, she opened the door lit
tie way and demanded what he wanted.
Good woman the youth began, g
have had the misfortune to fall in the waite
this bitter night, and / am SO numbed
can scarcely walk"
The woman gave him sudden, earnest
look, and then sighed.
"Come in,' she said 'thou art so mig,
the size of my Jem thought at first it wal
him come home from sea-
trembling with cold and wet; and no won
der, for his clothes were completely incaseC
in wet mud, and the water dripped from
them with every step he tool. on the sandet
floor.
"Thou art in sorry plight" said tn
woman, ''and it be two miles to the nighes
house; thy teeth chatter SO pittifully, ca
scarce bear to hear them"
She looked at him more attentively, an
saw thai he was mere boy, not more tina
sixteen years of age. Her motherly heal
was touched for him. cart hungry ?" 81
asked, turning to the table; ''thou art W.
80 +be skin. What hast been doing?"
shooting wild ducks" said the boy. !,
al" said his hostess; ''thou art OF tt
boys then, 1 reckon p
wed the direction of her eyes, an
IONS of bread set upon the t
u piece of bacon on eac