The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-11-30
For the Register.
A Sketch.

Close beside the blazing fire cit, think.
ing, thinking Of the present, the past, and
building bright robed castles for the fu.
ture; thinking thoughts that are pleasant;
but above them all the shadow of some.
thing intercedes ; glance about the cosy,
pleasant room there is nothing here but
comfort and yet, as l turn again to the
fire l see in its glowing depths a picture
that is not pleasant. 1t is not my room,
that wretched, barren abode. / thank
heaven for that. The walls are bare and
grimy the floor is full of unsightly, dan.
gerous holes There is a broken stove.
but it is cold, cold not so cold as the
something over there in the corner.
Death has been here. Is it the blast
bowling SO fearfully without, that makes
me shiver2 'Tis pale wasted creature,
on a wretched pallet of straw, that death
has taken; and huddled close together.
weeping piteously at her side, are two
little ragged children, with pinched drawn
faces, old with age pitiful to sec, and
over yonder on that rude bench lies a
mau with dirty, unshaven face, ragged
and unsightly attire, whose heavy breath.
ing tells Of the wine cup in its deepest
dregs. | see those babes-they are not
more-go ont into the snow covered street
in their thin rags, to beg crust to keep
away the demon gnawing away their
tender vitals, see them rudely iostled
about by the hurrying thousands. | see
the rich men whose names head the sub.
scription to foreign missions, button their
coats trihe closer and pass on with a
frowD and a muttered anathema on little
pests and by and by the tired, starving
child steals something from a cake stand,
and is dragged away to the station house,
and | know that although it is the first
step in crime, it may not be the last-al.
most surely is not. Writers and lectur.
ers tell us that far away in the wilds Of
Africa the heather are waiting for news
OF the Messiah. Living in ignorance and
dying iu sin, Our statistics tell us that
crime is on the increase, State prisons
are enlarged; laws are enacted officers
are appointed to keep society in order,
and repel the approaching waves of crime
and wickedness, and still it increases.
Somewhere is good old adage, "Charity
begins at home" Seek out the destitute
starving wretches in your own cities. 30,
but they are vile," aud what makes them
vile? Is it not the close, miserly, rich
employers, who feel themselves too good
to come in contact with ragged coat
who cut down the wages of the poor and
who have hardly kind word or encour.
aging smile for the fallen. Ladies who
pay out hundreds Of dollars for silks and
diamonds to decorate their own persons,
would hardly spare one to keep home.
less wretch from starving because-for.
sooth, "there are so many impostors. "
Would that the hearts Of rich and poor
might be unveiled; where then, think you,
would the imposition be found? Away
back iu the days of Christ, the Pharisee
God "he was not as other men are," and
he walks our streets to day. thanking God
in the same strain. His name heads all
the important subscription lists, he gives
to the minister, be helps build the church;
and don't the leading journals publish it
and isn't he glorifed? ? Do you suppose
he ever visits the poor, and helps the
needy? Does he encourage the down
trodden, raise up the broken hearted
Not he, and the great waves roll on aud
on. Every day we hear of crimes that
make men shuddtr and women grow
pale, and the men who commit them were
as pure and innocent in infancy as The
reverends in our pulpit. Law will hard
ly check this increase of crime without
the cooperation Of other forces. A little
aid and an encouraging smile in time O.
need will sometimes save a soul.
ELINoR.