Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1867-02-27
THE LITTLE OUTCAST:
Or Angels UnaWares.

a AN'SNeAo III W StTdUpSTS Tor tneitI
some have entertained angels unawares
L nlS gave occasion for the explanation tina
the word angels might mean ministers G
good as we'll as angelic visitors. and tba
this good might come unexpected and i
times long after we had done the good deed
Inns incident of the long ago came rushing
pack upon us with the freshness of yester
day while reading the story of the little out
cast. And now we give both incident anC
story for the benefit of your readers:
Mayn stay, ma am ? I'll do anything
you give me-cut wood, go after water anc
do all your errands -
The troubled eyes of the speaker filed
with tears. 1t was lad that stood at the
outer door, pleading with kingiy woman,
who seemed to doubt his good intention.
The cottage sat by bleak moor or what
ia Scotland woald have been called such.
The time was near the end of November; :;
the fierce wind ratified the boughs of the on
ly naked tree near the house and fed with a
| qulverlng into the narrow doorway, as If
seeking warmth at the blazing fire within.
Now and then a snow fake touched with
| Its soft chill the cheek OF the listener, or
| whitened the angry redness Of the poor boy S
| benunlt red hand.
The woman was evidently loath to grant
the boys request, and the peculiar look
stamped upon his features would' have sug-
gested TO any mind an idea of deprayity far
beyond his years.
But her mothers heart could not resist
the sorrow ia those large, but not handsome.
grey eyes.
Come in, at any rate, till the gudeman
comes home there, sit down by the fire.
you look persisted with cold, and she drew
rude chair up to the warmest corner, then
/ tesr
corner of her eyes, she continued setting the
| table for supper. Presently came the tramp
OF heavy shoes the door swung open with a
quick jerk, and the ''gudelnan" presented
himself weary with labor.
4 look OF intelligence passed between his
wife aud hlHIself-he too, scapned-the boys
face with an expression not evincIng salts
faction but nevertheless made him come to
the. the table, and then enjoyed the zeal
with which he dispatched his supper.
Day after day passed, and yet the boy beg
ged TO be kept only till tomorrow" so the
COED couple, after due consideratio., conclu
ded that, SO locg as he was delicate aud work
ed so heartily they would retain him.
One day, in the middle Gf winter, ped
der, long accustomed to trade at the cottage,
made his appearance and disposed of his
goods readily as he had been waited for.
~ on have a boy out there splitting wood,
L see. he said, pointing TO the yard.
les; do you know him p
81 have seen him, said the pedlier eva
sivelg
And where ?-who.is he?-what is hep
"a Jail bird and the peddIer swung his
pack over his shoulder; that boy, young
as he looks, saw him in court myself, aaa
heard his sentence-ten months; he's Il
hard one-you d do well to look keerful af
ter him -
o! there was something so horrible in the
word jail the poor woman trembled as
she laid away the purchases, nor could she
be easy till she Tad called the boy in and
sured him that she knew the dark part uf
his history.
Ashamed and distressed, the cI lid hung
down his head; his cheeks seemed bursting
with his hot blood his lip quivered, and an
uish was painted vividy upon his forehead,
gsa iftha words were branded in his flesh
We'll, he muttered, his whole frame
relaxing as If a burded Of guilt or joy had
suddenly rolled off, Il may as we'll 90 to ru-
in at once-there' S no use in my trying to
be better every body hates and despises
go@to ruin at once
Tell me, said the woman.who stood off
far enough for Fight, if that should be ne
cessary, how came you to 90 so young to
that dreadful place? Where was your
motherY'
or exclaimed the boy, with burst of
grief that was terrible to behold, ''Ol /
hrin't got any mother-O | hahn had no
mother ever since | was baby If I'd on
ly had a mother he continued, his anguish
growing vehement. and the tears gushing
out of his strange looking grey eyes, Il
wouldn't been saucy, and got knocked
down, and then run away, and stole because
| was hungry. o. | hain't had no mother
since | was baby.
The strength was all gone from the poor
boy, and he sank on his knees, sobbing great
choking sobs, aud rubbing the hot tears away
with his knuckles. And did the woman
stand there unmoved? Did she coldly bid
him pack up and be off--the jai lbird p
No, no-she had been a mother, and
though all her children slept under the cold
sod in the church ward, she was mother still.
She went up to the boy. not to hasten him
away, but tn lay her fingers kindly, softly on
his head-to tell him to look up, and from
henceiorth find her mother Yes, she
even put her arms about the neck of that
forsaken, deserted child; she poured from
her mother heart sweet womaply words
words of council and tenderness.
%, how sweet was her sleep that night
How soft was her pillow She had linked
poor suffering heart to hers by the most
silken, the strongest bands of love. She
had picked some thorns from the path of a
little SHINING but thriving mortal. None
but angels could witness her holy joy and not
envy.
Did the boy leave her?
Never-he is with her still: vigorous,