The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1870-06-02
THE MIsER's STORY.

hi MiSERS SIORY.
by the grace of God, / am what l am
| was born in London, and remember nothing
but poverty-stalking crime and absolute
want. The houses where | lived were all in
various stages of filth and decay. Whether
the old, blear-eyed man who kicked and com
manded me was my father | never knew
Whether the woman who sometimes fed and
often beat me was my mother | cannot say
All | know is that | had miserable, arag
about life of it, going round after cold Wet
uals, knocking smaller boys down to get the
contents of their broken baskets, and hunting
for rags in the gutter
l suppose l was rather good-looking boy
man. | know | was smart comparing my
self with children as l see them.
OF course l was like the rest of my class,
could fight little, swear little, and steal a
little. and eat good deal, that is. when Igot
the chance, which was seldom. l was igno-
rant-I didn't know one letter from another
and didn't want to. What did l care about
cducation-I, who never saw q book from
one years end to another? And love, graft
tude, hope, | could of course understand
neither. Nobody loved me, therefore |
loved nobody Nobody had ever made me
grateful-had ever held out hope to me-
Some strange impulse was given me one
day. | walked up, sprang from my bundle
of straw, and involuntarily the words came
from my lips, 81 am going to do something
to-day" What that something was had not
the remotest idea, but put on my apologies
for clothes, and sailed out in my vagabond
way whistling caring for nobody.
1t was about noon, and had not yet tasted
u mouthtul of food. | was hungry, and
skulked about grocery shops, hoping could
get an opportunity to take something that
would stay my appetite, till | felt in the hui
NOR for begging. Passing round the corner
ofa public street, saw genteel-looking man
standing at his horses head gazing about
him somewhat perplexcd. "Boy," he cried,
won't you take care OF my horse for half an
honr?"
''Ies Sir" said |.
put on the sir
There's man !" he exclaimed. I've got
considerable fruit here and you must guard
it well. 'Hcre's couple of peaches for you !;
just stand here quietly-nobody'll disturb
you"
He went away, and stood for n while till
was tired Then thinks |, '.rll get hat
full of the frnit and run" But for the first
time lelt an instinct Of shame ut the sugges-
tion.
He trusted me-he saw | was a mean
looking fellow too but he trusted me and /
won't abuse his kindness.
Something like this reasoning ran in my
head, and | squatted down on the curbstdne
feeling the importance of an honorable trust
rs had never felt such thing before. Pres
entity some of my fellows came along and
hailed me. | told them to 60 on. They
peered about the curt, ana saw tllu sunny
faces of the peaches. "We'll have some of
them," they said
mo you WON'T" says |. 'I'm put in
stole.n With that they began rumpus. =
They reached over the cart. | struck them
and used such efforts that they all came pell
nell upon me, and we fought till the blood
came but Yanqnished them.
just then out came the proprietor. ''What's
the mattcr?" says he.
''Oh nothing; only had to fight for your
stuff here says |.
ssYou did, cha You've got black eye
for it,
"No matter,' says |. 81 meant them boys
shouldn't steal u peach and didn't neither. y
well, you've good pluck-here's crown
for YOU
My eyes stood out. "a whole crown"
says |.
ayes; do what you please with it, but I'd
advise you to buy Il pair of Shoes
'.Thank YOU" says !, with beating heart.
at pays to be good, don't it,
He smiled curious smile, askedmc several
questions, and ended by taking me home
with him.
Home thought l was in heaven, albeit
had seldom heard of such q place. My heart
;l1, | l,ra1 to
foot upon those rich carpets. The mirrors
were something new to me. The next day
there came q man to see me. | was washed
clean and had on a good suit of clothes
Says he ''Youngster, am going to where
you live, and probably | shall make bar
gain with your people. | want a boy, just
such u bold clever boy us you are, and if you
behave yourself, promise you that you shal
have as pleasant home as you desire.
Well, that was good. l hardly dared tc
speak or breathe, for fear of breaking the il
lusion. | never was SO happy rs | was thai
day They gave me light tasks to do
wished they were more important From
that day l was treated as one of the house
hold The man was q widower, and had nc
! children consequently, became to him as 6
son. He educated me handsomely, anC
when | was twenty-one he died, and left mt
three thousand pounds.
Well, l considered myself rich man,
gloated over my wealth; it became as al
idol to me. How to increase it was now m,
| first desire. | consulted competent men
and under their counsel put my money ou
at interest, bought stocks and mortgages
| grew wealthier my business (my bene
factor had stocked me a fancy shop) prosperet
and was in a tair way, thought, to marry
Lucy Manning.
Sweet Lucy Manning! the most artless
winning maiden in all the world to me.
loved her deeply, dearly. Shewa blue-eyed
authenticated, her disposition was that of an
angel, and | had plighted my VOWS to her
One night l was invited to the house of
prosperous merchant, and there | met Il siren
in the person of his niece, Il black-eyed girl
whose charms and whose fortune were
equally splendid. She was an heiress in hel
own right, she was beautiful and accomplish
ed.
Heavens, what q voice was hers-pure
clear, sweet, ravishing! was charmed, anG
she was pleased with me. Alas | met hel
too often! In her presence forgot my gen
tie Lucy; she magnetized, thralled me-
1t was triumph to feel that so beautiful
gifted, and wealthy woman loved meme
who had been brought up in the purleus of a
city, who had known misery and corruption
all the first years of my life.