Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-05-24

pie are talking i'll of one, they
say their ears burn. Richard s
should have been hot enough
that night, were this the case;
but instead, they were cold,
cold as ice--cold as was all the
rest of his person, from head to
foot; not with quite a natural
GOODNESS either. He was not
used to much fire, and he had
an old blanket about his Shout
ders, over his ragged greatcoat.
1t was a chill that seemed to
come from the heart, and made
him shiver fearfully. The first
SILVER seized him when the
clock struck nine. 1t was such
a deadly, curdling chill, that
! it frightened Richard Rock Woe
fully; and before it had passed
away, a knock at the door set
him shivering again. 1t was
not a loud, fierce knock--just a
timid, tremelous rap or two;
but none the less did his heart
leap into his mouth at the
sound.
Who could it be, at that
time of night? Richard Rock
crept to the door, and unbarred
it as he asked the question. A
figure, all draped in gray, a
shawl or a mantle over the
head, dropping down to the
feet, stood without. 1t turned
/! its face toward Richard Rock,
and clasped its hands, and said,
in d voice that set him shiver-
ing again.
Il am cold tonight, very
cold, and l have no shelter.
Let me in, and give me a crust
Ito eat, and let me lie any,
iwhere, and God will bless
| YOU
Richard Rock shrunk away.
never encourage beggers, he
said, and shut the door and fas-
tened it; but before he had
reached the fireplace, the knock
ing came again.
Again he opened the door,
and repulsed the beggar with
! harsh words, but the being
man, woman, or child, which
ever it was-ncver stirred from
the spot. 1t stood just where
he had first seen it, and called
him to the door eleven times. -
On the eleventh he yielded, land
said, Come in then The fig
ure advanced, and approached
the fireplace. There were two
chairs always standing beside
it. One was Mrs. Rocks. In
to that it dropped.
J The gray drapery hid its
face, but a pair Of strange bright
eyes cleaned through the shad-
ow upon Richard Rocks face.
They frightened him again. -
In fear, rather than pity, he
went to the table, and brought
to it a piece Of bread and a cup
Of milk. The singular guest
took them, and ate and drank.
Then it sat looking at the old
man steadtastly. To break the
spell which seemed to be falling
upon him, Richard Rock spoke
you're stranger iere, /
reckon
Il come from far away, said
the be ggar, not showing him
more of the face than he had
yet seen.
You chose a bad time to
travel, said Richard.
Il had work to do said the
stranger.
'For whom P asked Richard.
For the poor, said the stran-
ger.
you look poor enough your
SELF said the old man.
But there agc poorer than I,
said the stranger. 'Out in the
village yonder, many will die
if they have neither fire nor
food. I want a gift for them,
Richard Rock
YOU cried Richard! 'Good
Heavens ! This is a trick, then,
of that contounded deacon with
the subscription paper. Pm
| The strange figure lifted his
hand
"A year ago there was a wo-
man here it said. Richard
started.
'She sat in this chair knit
ting said the voice under the
gray hood ? 4 think you loved
her q little; was it SOP