Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-06-13

Wnere ne Iounu any water, TOO, seem.
1t freezes so hard body can get nom
for the kettle, saving what is broken VI
with a Ratchet"
On this the beggar turned hastil!
away,
And at this point in his narrative, tn,
person who told 1t to me stopped ant
said:
DO you think the old woman was
very much to blame7"
"She might have acted more kindly
replied; "but why do you ask 2"
because" he said, 81 have heard hel
conduct so much reflected on by those
who would have thought nothing of il
II it had not been for the consequences.
"She might have turned him away
less roughly" observed.
"That is true" he continued. "but in
any case, l 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 beggar
was honest"
mo-" said he. But must go on with
my narrative
Tie stranger turned very hastily
away from the door and waded through
the deep snow towards the other cot
tase. The bitter wind helped to drive
him towards it. 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
so numb with cold that he made scsrcel,
any noise; he tried again.
A rush candle was burning within,a nt
natronly.looking woman sat before
the1lre. She held an infant in her arms
and had dropped asleep; but his thirt
knock reused her, and wrapping hel
apron around her child she opened The
door little way and demanded what hi
wanted.
Good woman" the youth began, 81
have had the misfortune to fall in the
water this bitter night, and l am sc
numbed l can hardly walk"
The woman gave him sudden, earn
est look, and then sighed.
"Come in," said she; thou art 81
nigh the size Of my Jem, thought a.
first it was him come home from sea"
The youth stepped across the thresh
old, trembling with wet and cold, ami
no wonder, for his clothes were con-
pletely iucased in wet and mud, and tie
water dropped from them with every
step he took on the sanded floor.
"Thou art in sorry plight" said tie
woman, land it be two miles to tie
highest house thy teeth chatter so pit
fully, l can scarce bear to hear them
She looked at him more attentivey,
and saw that he was mere boy, not
more than sixteen years Of age. Her
motherly heart was touched for hin.
cart hungry ?" she asked, turning to tie
table; thou art wet to the skin. What
hast been doing 2"
Shooting wild ducks, said the boy.
"Oh ~ said the hostess, "thou art one
Of the keepers boys, then, reckon 2"
He followed the direction of her eyes
and saw two portions of bread set upon
the table, with a small piece of breaC
on each.
4. "My master is very late, she observed
for charity did not make her use elegant
language, and by her master she mean
her husband "but thou art welcome to
my bit and sup, for Pm waiting fornim :;
may be it will put little warmth in
thee to eat and drink; )" so saying, she
took up mug Of beer from the hearth
and pushed towards him, togethr with
her share Of the supper.
"Thank you, said the boy, '1ut am
so wet am making quite pol before
your fire with the drippings rom my
clothes"
aye, thou art wet, indeed" said the
woman, and rising again, she ,egan to
search, and presently came to the fire
with perfectly clean check shirt in her
hand, and a tolerably good suit of
clothes.
"There, said she, showing them with
no small pride, "these be my masters
Sunday clothes, and if thou will be very
careful of them, I'll let thee wer them
till thine be dry" She then explained
that she was going to put her "bairn"
w CCS'j ahu ptONCCuCh u y q ldulSI luLO
the room above, leaving the boy % array
himself in these respectable and (esirable
garments.
When she came down her glest had
dressed himself in the laborer's clothes;
he had had time to warm himelf, and
was eating and drinking viii much
relish. He had thrown his muddy
clothes in heap upon the flor, and
as she proceeded to lift them up, she
said
"Ah, lad, lad, I doubt not hy head
has been under water Thy mother
would have been sorely frightened if she
could have seen thee while a0."
eyes, said the boy, and in magma
ton the cottage dame saw his sad
mother care worn, hard working crea-
ture like herself; while the ,outhful
guest saw in imagination a beautiful and
courtly lady; and both the sane love,
the same anxiety, the same trror at
sight of lonely boy struggling in the
moonlight through breaking te, with
no one TO help him, catching at tie frozen
reeds, and then creeping up, Aivering
and benumbed to cottage doc.
But even as she stopped the woman
fOruOt hnr inn nj 81 l.