St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1867-06-21

OF it if it had not been for the conse.
quences
"She might have turned him away
less roughly observed
THAT is true" he continued, ''but ii
any case, | think, though we might give
them food or money, we should hardly
invite beggars in to sit by the fire.
"Certainly not" | replied land this
woman could not tell that the beggal
was honest"
No." said he, but must 90 OF
with my narrative"
The stranger turned very hastily away
from the door and waded through the
deep snow towards the other cottage
The bitter wind helped to drive him
toward1t. 1t looked no less poor than
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 50 numI
with cold that he made scarcely any
noise; he tried again.
y rush candle WAS burning within,
and a matronly looking woman sat be-
fore the fire. She held an infant in her
arms, and had dropped asleep but his
third knock reused her, and wrapping
her apron around her child she opened
the door little way and demanded what
he wanted.
''GoOd woman" the youth began, Il
have had the misfortune to fall in the
water this bitter night, and | am SO
numbed can hardly walk"
The woman gave him a sudden. ear
nest look, and then sighed.
''Come in." said she ..lhOu art 50
nigh the size OF my Icnl, thought 1T
first il was him come home from sea-
The youth stepped across the thresh-
old, trembling with wet and cold. and
no wonder. for his clothes We're complete
ly incased in wet and mud. and the wa
ter dropped from them with every step
he took on the sanded floor.
Thou art III sorry plight" said the
woman, '.and it be two miles to the
highest house thy teeth chatter so pitt
fully, | can scarce bear 10 hear them"
She looked at him more attcntivclv.
and saw that he WAS mere bov. not
more than sixteen years OF ace Her
motherIy heart was touched for him
Art hungry !'' She asked, turning 10 the
table "thou art wet 10 the skin. What
hast been doing -
Shooting wild ducks SAID the bov.
/ ''Oh '" SAID the hostess. '.lhou art one
of t'thc keepers boy-. then, reckon -
He followed the direction of her ewes,
and saw two portions OF bread ~t upon
the table. with small piece OF bacon on
each
My master Is very late" >he ob>erv-
ed, tor charity did not make her u-e cle-
giant language. and by her master She
meant her husband 'but thou art wei
come to my bit and sup, for I'm waiting
for him may he it will put Il little
warmth III the to eat and drink = 80
saying she took up 4 mu. OF beer from
the hearth and pushed it towards him.
with her share OF the supper.
''Thank you" SAID the boy, '.but |
am 50 wet am making quite pool be-
fore your fire with the dripping, from
my clothes .
''Ay, thou art wet, indeed" said the
woman, and rising again, she began to
search and presently came to the fire
with perfectly clean check shirt in her
hand, and Il tolerably good suit of clothes.
There said she, showing them with
no small pride, ''these be my MASTER
Sunday clothes, and if thou wilt be very
careful OF them, I'll let thee wear them
till thine be dry She then explained
that she was going TO put her BARN
to bed, and proceeded up ladder into
the room above, leaving the boy to array
himself in these respectable and desirable
garments.
When she came down her guest dress.
ed himself in the laborcrs clothes he
had time to warm himself and he wa.
eating and drinking with much relish
He had thrown his muddy clothes in :
heap upon the floor, and AS she proceed
elk to lift them up, she said
"Ah, lad, lad, / doubt thy head ha.
been under water thy mother woul,
have been sorely frightened if she coulC
have seen thee a while ago"
"Yes," said the boy, and in imagina
ton the cottage dame saw this sad moth
er care-worn, hard-working creature
like herself; while the youthful CUES
saw in imagination beautiful an,
courtly lady ; and both the same love
the same anxiety, the same terror a
sight of a lonely boy struggling in tn
moonlight through breaking ice, with II,
, one to help him, catching at the frozel
:, reeds, and then creeping up, shiverin,
and benumbed, to a cottage door
But even as she stopped the woman
forgot her imagination, for she had takel
waistcoat into her hands, such as ha
never passed between them before
:. gold pencil case. dropped from th
pocket, and on the floor, among a hea
of mud that covered the outer garments
lay white shirt sleeve, so white indeed
& and fine, that she hardly thought
E could be worn by a squire.
! She glanced from the clothes to tn
;. owner. He had thrown down his cal
and his fair curly hair and broad for,
head convinced her that he was of GENT
birth but while she hesitated to 5
, down, he set chair for her. and sal
with boyish frankness, 81 say, what
. lonely place this if you had not let III
- in, the water would have all frozen @
. me before | reached home. Catch me
. duck shooting again by my myself"
;, "It's very cold sport that, SIR sal
the woman.
II The young gentleman assented mo
it readily, and asked if he might stir IL
,r fire.
% sAnd welcome. sir said the woman