The Van Buren press., 1870-03-29
MISCELLANY.
The Miser's Story.

BY the grace of God, l am what am.
| was born in London, and remember
nothing but poverty-stalking crime and
absolute want. The houses where liv.
ed were all in various stages Of klth and
decay. Whether tho old, blcar-eyed man
who kicked and commanded me was my
father never knew Whether the We
man who sometimes fed and oftener beat
me was my mother, cannot say. All
know is, that l had miserable, drag
about life of it, going round after cold
Notwithstanding smaller boys down to
get the contents of their broken baskets,
and hunting for rags in the gutter.
suppose | was rather a good looking
boy; they call me good looking now for
an old man. l know was smart, COM
pairing myself with children as see them
OF course / was like the rest of my
class; could fight a little, and swear a
little, steal little and eat a good deal
that is, when got the chance, which was
seldom. was ignorant-I didn't know
one letter from another, and didn't want
to. What did care about education
l, who never saw book from one year S
end to another? And gratitude
hope-I could of course understand
neither. Nobody loved me, therefore
loved nobody. Nobody had ever made
me grateiul-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: ~ am going
to do something to-day" What that
something was l had not the remotest
idea, but put on my apologies for cloth
es, and sailed out in my vagabond way,
whistling, caring for nobody.
1t was about noon, and had not yet
tasted a mouthful of food. Twas hungry,
and skulked about grocery shops, hoping
| could get an opportunity to take some
thing that world stay my appetite, till
felt in the humor for begging Passing
round the corner Of apublic street, saw
a gentecl eoking man, standing at his
horses head, gazing about him, some
what perplexed. boy" he cried,
won't you take care Of my horse for
half an hour ?"
lcb, VII,
think it was the first time that / ever
put on the "sir."
There's mani he exclaimed
1--WE got considerable fruit here, and
you must guard it well. Here's a cou.
pie of peaches for you; just stand here
quietly--nobodyll disturb you"
He went away, and | stood for while,
till was tired. Then, thinks |, 81 I'll
get hatful Of the fruit and run" But
for the first time felt an instinct OF shame
at the suggestion. He trusted me-he
saw | was meaning 10 oking fellow too
but he trusted me and won't abuse his
kindness" :.
Something like this reasoning ran in
my head, and l squatted down on the
curb stone, feeling the Importance of an
honorable trust as had never felt such
thing before. Presently some of my
fellows came along and hailed me. |
told them to 20 on. The peered about
the cart, and saw the sunny faces Of The
peaches. "We'll have some OF them"
they said
"No you won't" says l. I'm put
in charge here, and | won't see the first
thing stole" With that they began a
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 l van.
auished them.
just then out came the proprietor.
What's the matter ?" says he.
"Oh, nothing; only had to fight for
your stuff here" says l.
"You did, eh3 You've got q black
ave for il !"