Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1873-01-22
4 Country Bootblack.

yet loldCu away thoir rOpea OF night Whlch
still lay in confused heaps Of snow.white
mist in their deep hollows. Long lines Of
log-clouds hung like hall.shut eyelids on
the sleepy mountain sides, aud the distant
peaks Ur the White Mountains sttl wore
their uightcaps Nature appeared so re-
freshiuely sleepy aud quiet to one fresh
from the roar Of an unsIeeping city. The
cool air that famed my cheeks never had
blown through tho fetid staircase Of high
tenemcnts. Here surely was a place to for
get mission work, crime, sin, misery, and
recuperate energies wasted in the struggles
Of city life. The piazza Of the boarding
house was ali deserted and bad the world
to myself
Black your boots, sir27
There it ood--interrupting dream of
pleasing solitude and forgotten misery
the very misery from which had run
away; boy fourteen years old with thin,
pinched face, very ragged clothing and feet
asserting independence through the holes Of
his shoes The face was not bad face,
but looked touohingy mourniu, with little
Of that sharp energy that fires the features
of city bootblack.
"Shine EN- up, sir ?" again asked the
boy interrupting my inventory.
Yes, drive away"
But there seemed little drive to him
His hands moved awkwardly ) and uncertainty
over my shoes, adding little to their lustre !
and yes, he had badly blacked my fresh
socks in his awkwardness.
"Youroyery awkward about that, said l.
Il haven't been at it but q week or
so-got to learn | suppose" said the boy
dopgedly But that could not be all the
trouble with those feeble hands.
guess you haven't much fuel in your
engine, have you2 You do not seem to
have much steam in your elbows. Had
your breakfast 2"
Had piece Of cake"
Where did you sleep last nightw
In a barn. She give me a quilt and
a buffalo TO sleep on, and slept huuky,
but then had only three crackers for tea 4"
How much did you earn yesterday p
"Twenty-fve cents or 50"
Guess your speculation in coming here
does not pay, does it?"
"Not bit. I'm goiug to earn dollar
and clear out"
Plying the poor, Respondent hungry
boy, | gave him some help toward the dol
lar, aud soon found him another customer.
While he blaeked away at this gentle
mans boots, we sat beside the boy on the
stoop--we, that is the gentleman's wife
and land questioned him.
He lived down by Wells Run with a
man. No, he hadn't any home. His faith
er ran away, and his mother went off with
another man, rich man.
Where did he live after that
Went to graudfather's, but he was dead /;
then he lived with Uncle George. He was
bad un.n He was crazy, he was, and
died. Aunt Mary and Aunt Hannah died,
too. Hadn't lived with the man but a
week or so. Did his chores, and when he
got ahead with the wood went off for few
days to black boots. Oliver Rich was his
name-sad sarcasm on bis condition
Cross.questioning seemed TO prove the
story true one. Somehow we all felt
drawn to him, and while the lady went Of
to iud him clothes, ! proceeded with my
questions.
He bad been to Sunday.school, and Aunt
Mary, before she died, taught him about
religion hut grandfather aud Uncle George
were awful bad. lie guessed if folks knew,
they'd been in prison.
What did you learn iu Suuday-school 2''
Questions"
"Will you answer question for me ~
"I'll try
Who's your best frieud?'
God, sir"
This was said very roverentally, and il
came an unexpected answer from the little
ragged, despoDding figure before me.
{" But how about Christ ?"
He's God
That's right, my boy. They are your
best friends, but do you remember that and
pray to them2' He was speaking softly
now, and he almost whispered.
) 81 says my common prayers every
night said 'em last night in the barn"
|, Which are they ?"
Our Father, and Now | lay me. -
But do you never pray to those deal
friends when you are troubled, even if j
= is not night ?"
The boy hung his head ploughed thu
ground with his ragged boot, twisted hi
body, and then eying me out Of the corne
of his eye, said,
, Did once, when l got into tigb
place
Here the clothes came, and we turned [,
examine them, and consult about 6xinl
him up. 1t was touching to notice thl
child's look coming into that boys face
which was growing soft and trustful.
heart that yearned for mothers love, wa
coming up into that face.
An mother, leading life of sin witt
him who is not thy boys father, would yol
could have seen the look Of him whom yol
{ have deserted in the cold, cold world
, Surely that look Of hunger for thy low
had been strong call to bring thee bacl
to him and God.
I A few minutes later boy and clothe
were landed in my room, and we proceede,
y to open our stores. Three pair of pants
: two jackets vest, two sets of undercloth
= ing, two shirts, and pair of boots. Tn
i boy looked at them with glistening eyes
e such a wardrobe for ragged boy to fal
i heir to And now his story came out il
: brief snatches and with little questioning
n He was Yankee boy, aud it did seen
n very hard that way up mid the green hill
IS of New Hampshire such story of wo
}, should unfold itself
S His grandfather was bad and a crue
;, man. Sometimes, when the boy sat quietl
g near him, he would suddenly spring at hin
d with his crutch, and beat him, "all 70
s nothin," the boy said. Well! 'twere bet
a ter to think so, than that his grandfathe
II was beating him us the son of her who ha
;, disgraccd their New England blood. Whe
D he died things grew worse Uncle Georg
n was crazy, aud the little, timid boy crep
:, feariully about the house. Once he locke
a him up in the lobby over day with moth
d ing to eat, peering horribly at him throug
y the bars. This was the tight place." an
lhe prayed then. A man came and CAV