Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1876-06-23
BOrH ALIKE.

drink had made that father worse
than a brute before it sent him to a
drunkard's grave; he had never
known 2 mothers love, for her last
feeble smile was given to him in his
first hour-his mother was dead.
And so Charley had been getting his
living now he could, and very hard
he had found it to live at all.
Charley never learned to read,
and no enc had ever taught him to
look up to the Great Father in heav-
en-, and yet, strange as tmay seem,
Charley had the fear of doing
wrong within him, a shrinking from
those rough associates whose lives
were spent in dens of vice and pris-
on cells. He could starye and beg,
but he conld not steal; and when
times were at the worst with him,
there was something always kept
him from that.
Sometimes he looked at the quiet
churches with strange wonder, Gu
rious to know what could induce so
many to flock together, and look
| ing in sometimes, when the beadle
was not looking, to listen to the sol
emn music, or to the voice of the
preacher, whose solemn language
had no meaning to him.
In the summer time Charley Jared
the best; but when the winter came,
with frost and snow, and the cold,
bleak wind, he suffered much, and
how much, those who have always
been warmly clothed, well fed and
comfortably housed, cannot think.
Well, it was winter time-coid,
bleak, dreary-a time for roaring
fires and snug rooms, and Charley
was very wretehed. He had not
tasted food III day, and there seem
ed but small prospect of his tasting
any that night. He had stood with
a miserable crowd outside a work
house, hoping to find a shelter, and
sbme bread, but the wards were full,
and there was no room; so he turned
away and faced the cold bleak wind,
again wondering what would become
of him, and of what use he was in
the world.
81 don't see of what use l am to
nobody, nor what use nobody amt
to me. l Isuppose if 1 was dead, it
would be about the best thing for
me. You don't feel the cold in the
| grave, and you are not hungry or
thirsty. Suppose / was to die some
where tonight" He was talking
to himself in low voice, and max
ing his way down in a narrow lane
at half-run. Suppose 1 was to
die somewhere tonight, what then?n
Just as he said this, he heard a
voice close to him saying:
"Suppose we were both to die
somewhere tonight, what then ?"
He looked up, and saw by the gas
light tall, handsome-looking gen
tleman in a cloak.
Surprise was the first effect on the
boy, the next the hope of assistance.
"Spare copper, sir? | have not
had morsel of bread since yester-
day"
aPoor child, take this, ,"-the gem
tleman placed a shilling in his hand
-"but tell me how it is you and
are so much alike"
"You and l alike, sir ?'' the boy
answered, staring at him in surprise.
Yes, alike. 1 heard you saying
to yourself: 4 am no use to any
body, nobody is any use to me;' l
feel the same. and suppose we die to
night, what then? Would the world
miss either of us ?"
at would not miss me, sir;'' said
the boy, "except it might be glad to
be rid of me, but"
cit might miss me, you think-no
such thing, boy. l have no friends,
no purpose in life; 1 am of no use to
anybody, and nobody is any use to
me-"
The boy looked up into the gen
tleman's face, and thought he saw
something in the flushed cheek and
| glitter of the eye which he had OBJ
served in a coarser and stronger
form, when his own father had been
spending his earnings at the public
house; he concluded, and not with,
out reason, that the gentleman had
been drinking. He was frightened,
and wished to get away.
"Thank you, sir; thank you and
bless you for your kindness; you
have saved a poor boy from starv-
ing, and so, if may make so bold,
you are of use to somebody"
"Ah!" said the gentleman, in a
strange, moody way, "saved you
from starvation, that you may live
a little longer to plague the world
thieve, lie, swear, eh ?''
81 hope not, sir"
Why should you hope not? No
body in the world cares for you, you
care for nobody in the world"
81 should ike to care for some
body, and to do something" the
boy replied, but l don't know
how"
"Now this is very strange" talk
ing to himself; "this boy would like
to care for somebody, so should i;
he would ike to do something, so
should I; he don't know how; 1
don't eitherl Look here, boy, you
and I are alike"
"Oh, no, siri"
"Come with me, then"
" Where, sir ?"
"Home!''
The boy hesitated.
"You have nothing to fear; you
shall be well cared for. l am not
quite myself tonight, but I mean
what / say to you; come with me.p
So Charley followed the strange
gentleman out of the narrow lane
into a broad street; there the gentle
man called a coach. put the boy in.