The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-02-25
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A SIMPLE STORY.
Q From TinsleY,s Maga1ine.

\ FROM llnsIeys MaSaLinc.
= lWWhirr, whirr ~ and the sparks
flew off the grindstone from the scis-
sors held against it. The man who was
grinding stopped a minute, felt the
edge of the scissors with his thumb,
tightened the rivet, and handed it to
the servant who stood waiting for il.
"Threepence, miss; thank you;;"
and he prepared to move on. "Will
you get in, kitty?"
"No, grandpa; me not tired" said
a long-haired, blue-eyed child of about
five years old, who toddled alongside.
She was very poorly dressed, but per-
| fectly clean; her hair was smooth and
glossy, and her face had look of con-
tentment and trust not very pretty
child at first sight, but evidently a
bright, docile little creature.
"Any knives or scissors to grind ?
any pots, pans or kettles to mendcf
shouted the man as he pushed his little
machine with a grindstone and emery
wheel, and a smoking pan of charcoal
dangling from it, before him. The bar
row was like other barrows of the sort,
the only difference being that under
meath, Just above the treadle, was a sort
of fiat box, with a rug laid in it-a very
cozy little nest indeed.
"Grandpa, me ride" presently said
the child. -~Ei.s5t ~ !
Jump i'm tEen, Kitty;;' and the
child curled herself up in the fiat tray,
and was presently fast asleep.
/ All day the man wheeled his grind
stone from street to street, with the
child sometimes awake, trotting along
side and prattling gayley, sometimes
sitting or lying in her little cradle.
When darkness came on he turned
from the crowded streets and ceased his
monotonous cry. He was evidently
upon his way hOmeward.t Westward
he went, up Oxford street and along
the Edgeware road, and through side
street to small archway. Up this he
drove his sgrinding-machine into small
yard; there, under cover of a shed, he
slowed away his barrow, and, lifting
the sleeping child out of the rough era
die, be carried her tenderly up stairs to
/ a room at the top of the house; then,
laying her down, on the bed, he pro-
ceeded to strike light. Leaving the
1 candle burning, he went down stairs
! again and out into the crowded road.
There he bought some hot potatoes
from an itiHerant vender, some bread
and some butter, and pint of tea at a
coffee-shop. This last he put into a tin
he had brought with him, and then
went back again to his room. He ar
ranged his purchases to the best effect
upon the little table, and then proceed
ed to wake up the child.
'-r" Wake up, Kitty, you little sleepy
head! Tea is ready; all hot, potatoes
and everything"
Thechild sat up, rubbed her eyes, and
then scrambled off the bed and clam
bered up on her grandfather's knee.
"M Me sleep so, so, so long," holding
out her arms to the fullest extent.
. "Yes,a Kitty, and you would have
slept all night if / would have let
YOU"
"Good grandpa, good nice supper ="
| the child said az she tried to eat hot
potatoe. .---......s.-
I" Yes, isn't it first rate, Kitty? You
get it for nothing. Miss Tucker, you
know, had to sing for her supper
"Not Miss Tucker, grandpa-Tom-
my Tucker. Tommy must have been
a boy, you know"
"Yes, of course, Kitty. Well, you
know, he had to sing for his supper"
II will sing, grandpa" and she
slipped off his knee and stood with her
hands folded reverently, and sung the
DoXology at the end of the Evening
Hymn. 1t was not, perhaps, much
like the air; but she sang the words
clearly and distinctly in her childish
voice.
The old man had ceased eating as
she began, and clasped his hands before
him too. Atear stood in his eye as she
| finished: ~ LtLt .i = IL
Every nice, Kitty, there's a dear.
You havearned Your supper; the pota-
toes are not too hot to eat now"
Kitty climbed upagain OH her grand
fathers knee, and ate her supper con-
tentedly, prattling meantime about a
thousand things. -,,..-,-. .-,.-.
"Now, grandpa, tell me story"
"What shall it be, pussy? Jack
the Giant-Killer,' Puss i'm Boots or
Jack and the Bean-Stalk,' or what ?"
"'The Fair One with the Golden
Locks grandpa. like that best"
The old man gravely began his story;
4 but lie had not gone far before the eye
lids closed over the blue eyes, and the
little head sank ON his shoulder.
"There, Kitty" he said, that is
enough for tonight. Wake up, dear,
say your prayers, and go off to bed"
The child reused up a little, undress-
ed herself-for she was handy little
woman-and then came back in her
white night-gown, climbed up again on
to her grandfather's knee, and, folding
her hands, repeated little prayer
a., che Co;I l,ora NOT GIlal
pipe, grandpa" and going to corner
She fetched long pipe, and filled it
with tobacco from a pouch the old man
handed her, watched until he had Lit it,
and then held up her face to be kissed.
"Now you are cumfle," she said,
Kitty will go to bed and watch you.
1t was not long she watched. In a
few minutes the long fringe dropped
over the eyes, and the child was
asleep. stt.f' -sE -.t.'...
Either the pipe did not draw well, OF
the smoker was more thoughtful than
usual: for several times he re-lighted
it, each time in mechanical way, as
if he were thinking deeply. He was
man of perhaps fifty-five years old
his hair was very grey, but he had an
upright carriage, and something of the
air of an old soldier. His eye was
bright and clear-a kind and honest
and yet a shrewd eye. ..-..r
at is time to try" he said at last to
+ himself; have put it off long enough
She can never be more winning than
she is now. If he does not take to iiel
now, he never will. Poor little pet
poor little pet! shall miss her sad
w." And his firmly cut lip quiveret
at the thought. Z" Yes, will start to-
| morrow lie said at last. If it is tc
be done, it had better be done at once
f The next morning little bundle wa:
suspended under the barrow, and witt
? this slight preparation the pair o
friends were ready to start upon thei
Journey; Kitty in the highest glee a
e the thought of seeing pigs and sheep
/ and cocks and hens, and geese, ant
many other things.
( 1t was long journey, and they die
f not hurry, but went quietly along, stop
| ping at the various villages and small
|. towns, and earning few pence by the
! sharpening of knives, setting of scis
E sors, and patching-up of leaky kitchen
z utensils.
1t was more than fortnight afte
1 they had left London, that they reach
: ed the end of their journey, quiet vii
, lage down in Leicestershire. 10 Kit
: tvs unbounded astonishment, he
r grandfather had left the grinding ma
Chine at their halting- place the nigh
: before. He had, too, dressed himsel
e i'm what Kitty called his Sunday clothes
S and had produced from the bundle