Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1870-05-31
MISCELLANEOUS.
The Newgbo7.

1t was a cold wintry night that the city
missionary was walkiag with DR.. Hall in New
York The wind sucked up the narrow streets.
but the filth and blackness of the street had
been hid by fall of snow-no longer white,
but still kind covering. The stars had come
out again, and were blinking in the sky-gems
of gold above the teemiug city, aud studdiug
the black mantle of night.
They were near the Five Points Mission
when a poor, thinly dressed shiVering girl
came to the missionary and said:
Say, Billy is mighty sick, and hewants to
see you IF you dares to 90 down. you might
help him. Billy's a good boy. You know
where he is"
Then she turned to her bad companions,
and was gone for night of miserable sin.
"It's tough neighborhood, Doctor said
the missionary. "but you are brave man,
and l shall be glad if you will 20 and see Billy.
He is a little newsboy who has been several
times at the lodging, and have got interested
in him.
THAT girls face will haunt me" said the
Doctor. .She can't be more than eighteen
years old, and yet she looks as if she might
he thirty. Sin and poverty are mingled there.
She is young old woman"
s.She has always been so. Her whole life
has been in sin. She never knew what vir>
tue was never saw it. Her whole nature
seems corrupt, and yet there is one redeeming
feature she loves her brother Billy. She
is one Of the unfortunate habitues Of Water
street dance house. 1t is life she has always
lived. and she knows no other. Fhe green
field of the country she knows nothing about
nothing but the city and sim"
The two men reached the house and care
Il L L. IL
the floor where the poor boy lived. 1t was a
horrid sight that met their eyes. The floor
of the room was covered with fifth. On one
side was a miserable bed on which were rags
that had been culed from cutters and kennels
by the hook of the dog cart cd:0o"jcrj and
on these lay woman snoring in drunken
sleep. Her tetid breath only added to tho
stencil of the filthy room.
In corner, on pile of rags, so dirty that
their colors were all one, lay the poor newsboy
in his ragged clothes were all one, and with his
tippt still about his neck, while his piched
face, that looked all the more haggard for the
streaks and blOtches of dirt that were on it.
made his large luminous eyes seem all the lar
ger.
He had been a round faced handsome
boy, whose brown eyes looked up with the
frankness of one who had it in him to make
something in the world; aud whose ready
wit and rich, clear voice had won him friends
everywhere. But sickness and suffering had
told on those round, ruddy cheeks. and now
the missionary could hardly know him, SO
changed was he.
His large eyes looked wildly out, and his
voice was husky and hurried, as he said:
I'm mighty glad you come, mister. You
know all about it. Say, tell feller, if [ tell
the Lord all about my sins and ask him to
forgive me, will he do it? You know, will
he "
''Yes, Billy if you do it honestly he will
There isn't any doubt about it."
"Well will he do it just as quick as I ask
him to 2"
Yes Billy"
''Is that rnan that's with you parson too?"
asked Billy.
Yes, Billy. This is DR. Hall"
''Is that so tho big preacher" ?"
eyes, my boy"
''Well Doctor, do you say so too? Will
he forgive 'em just as quick as ask ?"
Eyes. my poor boy The blood of Jesus
Christ cleanseth from all sin"
ooh, well, then l am all right" said Billy.
as he sank back on his bed I'm all right"
His breath grew shorter, and came in little
gasps; aud he spoke with great difficulty:
~ asked him-to forgive-me, l did
and I told him was sorry-mi@hty sorry,
-and-I am. Pm-all right,-Oh, Pm
glad,-Fm all-rght"
DR.. Hall repeated the VERSE
''Juzt as ] am, and waiting not
To rid my soul of one dark blot,
But that thy blood can cleanse each spot,
Oh, Lamb of God i conIs''
Billy said:
That's SO. That's tits bully. I'm all
right"
a soft beam came from a star through
broken window, and shown on Biliy's eyes.
He followed it up, and tried to point to it, and
eaid:
That's right. The star comes-to light
me. I'm colning-forgiven- all -"
The rest of it he told to the blessed, face to
face The trusting little neswsboy was dead
But he was alive in better land.