Litchfield enquirer., 1873-04-03

wuth the parting and the iongness. It was wuth the arm and the misery It was wuth coming home to find her curl
 ing feathers for Twin in two foot tide upon island-by which I mean bed beside little candle. It was wuth bein'
 led A LITE, sir, a hundred times.
 There was nobody in the world now but
 me and the little gal I'd do it all through
 again to have nobody in the world but
 the little gal and me. It was wuth the
 niunder and the punishment. It was wuth
 being useful and a repenting of it. It
 was wuth so much, sir, that I declare I
 didn't feel as if I'd ought to take it onre-
 qntted, for sense of obligation come
 upon me very sudden. I'd never felt ob-
 hgated, not even to the Almighty, in my
 life before. It was very curious feeling.
 But bless you no; never told my lit-
 tic gal 'sMarm was sick" said I. the same as ever. ''Maybe it come too late, '' said I.
 s'What come?" asks Blithe.
 "The chance" says I. For remem-
 bered being on my knees upon the slop- py floor, how the young woman had draw cd her hair across her eyes, and what she said about her chance So "Marm was sick, said I; and felt kind of gentle ness m my mind towards her, seeing now that she was dead, and from feeling ob- ligated to Almighty God, suppose so unexpected.
 "But you've lost your arm!' says Blithe.
 "But what of that?" says I.
 And what of that indeed, sir? Or of this or 'tother? Or of anything gone or to come, or that might be or that mightn't, to the little gal and me?
 So thought that night, sir; and so I've thought many times. But yet it WAS curious, now, sir, how it come upon me when the tide was out, and Blithe got down upon the slimy floor to light the fire for tea, how like We was to them oys- ters that have troubled me so many times I-stranded there alone among the weeds and mud.
 And then and many times I've thought 1t over. There's things I'd like to be for the sakesof the little gal. And there's things I'd like the little gal to be for the
 sake of me. And though man has noth-
 ing to complain of, sir, who is obligated
 to the Almighty for little gal, yet won
 der sometimes why it is they come so
 hard and slip so easy; and why it is that, do my best, l can get my little gal just
 her dinners and her suppers, and just her
 bonnets and her aprons: and why it is
 that if yOu was to want the kingdom of
 heaven come on earth for your little gal,
 you've just to raise your finger for her, and it'll come to time, express. don't , know If l make my meaning clear, and I'm meaning no ofense. But that and the oysters have given me great many curious turns of mind.
 And ther's the instremunt? Why yes, l and there's the instremunt. A one-armed man can't pick and choose; and what's ' the pension, come to think ont? A man
 is often lucky, sir, to get the chance to l be public nuisance in this ere world.
 Never thought O that, now, did you? I bought out an Italian just setting up in poetry 'tother end the city; your choice , for five cents, and large blue margin, sir, besides. There's one toon I like. l Ever hear it? It goes:
 ''Bonny Jockey, Btitte and gay" , I play that toon sight. Hike to strike it up, as Q kind of compliment to her when she crosses over at the crossing there to school. I don't play that toon so much for pay. Yes, she's going to school. When we get into pinch, she takes her little feathers home O nights; but mean she shall go to school. She can cipher now, and write in capitasl quite plain. Did undertake to tell tale about the instremunt? Imost forgot. Perhaps I've
 wore your patience, sir, q talking of the child. It's pretty nigh one thing, you see, sir.
 Did you ever hear me play ''The girl I left behind me?" Yes? I thought so. I 2 play that very often. That's beefsteak. 1 get her a little piece of steak with that. ,, And Champagne Charley? That gets her little shoes. She wears out sight of lit tie shoes. When she wants little Read
 CT, or little pencil, or little slate to
 school, generlly depend, sir, on Old 3 Dog Tray. That's 8 fine toon, I think, l don't you? Old Dog Tray? When you r come along, and I'm to work on ''The l pretty girl dressed in blew. you'd know ! if you knew much that her little bunnet | was most wore out. But when it comes to quarter-rent, there's nothing fort but John Browns Body. How should ever have got along over quarter-day if John Browns Body didn't lay mouldering in
 the grave, don't see.
 Sir?
 I don't think you understood me, sir. l beg your pardon. Don't never find
 her burden to mo, in my crippled state? 3 Do you thing as Hagar found the.Angel l of the Lord burden, when she set a
 chokin' in the wilderness? You don't 5 know my little gal. She is growing up a 7 very pretty little gal, with a pleasant way.
 I'd ask you to call and see us if you : wasn't quite g stranger. I'm particular | about the acquaintances make for Blithe. Meaning no rudeness, sir, I'm sure you'll l see. It's quite decent tenement, though \ I'd like it quit of the grog across the way, ! with pink curtain to the window. You'd know it from the corner by the curtain. Blithe made that curtain, and hung it up 3 herself. She made little apron too, out of what was left.
 It is high time was at my stand, sir, , for she'll be coming home from school. r Perhaps we'd better walk little faster.
 I shouldn't like to have her miss me on- , expected. She'll come around the corner in a minute, in kind of quiet way; you'd
 know her for that sort of quietness there
 IS about her. Come night, should get kinder bothered out, own, on hot day,
 or a chilly, if it wasn't for that sort of
 way she has. I'm not so strong as was ? once.
 3 Whit, sir? Bless you, sirl what's a ? man good for if he isn't worried more nor
 less? l reckon I can stand it. What would Adam have been wuth, now, if he'd
 stald to Eden, loafing round among his plants and greens? I've thought, this
 long while, I wouldn't have owned him f for a grandfather.
 There, sir! If you turn your head now e "a little more. Do you see little gal : with little book under her arm away 1 around the corner? The one with the t pink apun and the little brownish hat!
 The one that's looking round surprised to e listen for her old father striking Bonny : Jockey up? The one with such kind of | happiness about her little face? Are you a sure you've got the one?
 | Not a bit like her mother, sir! Not a : bit. That's my little gal.