Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1876-06-06
Il TRUE TOR Y.

| O1e cOlu uay IN winter, lau stOOu q
'he outer door of d cottage in Scotland
The snow had been falling very fast, ant
the poor boy looked very cold and hungry
"Mayn't | stay, ma'am ?" he said to th'
woman who had opened the door. "I'l
work, cut wood. go for water, and do al
your errands."
"You may come in at any rate. unit
my husband comes home," the woman
said. There, sit down by the fire. yor
look perishing with the cold" and shC
drew a chair up to the warmest corner
then, suspiciously glancing at The boy
from the corners of her eyes. she coniir.
ued setting the table Tor supper.
Presently came the tramp OF heavy
boots. and the door was swung open with
quick jerk. and the husband entered
wearied with his days work.
A look of intelligence passed between
his wife and himself He had looked al
the boy, but did not seem very well
pleased; he nevertheless made him come
10 the table, and was glad to see how
heartily he ate his supper.
Day after day passed, and yet the boy
begged to be kept until tomorrow "" so
the good couple, after due consideration
concluded that, as loag rs he was such
good boy, and worked so willingly, they
would keep him.
One day. in the middle of winter, a
pedler, who often traded at the cottage,
called. and, after disposing of some OF
his goods, was preparing to go, when he
said to the woman:
"You have boy out there splitting
wood, sec," pointing to the yard.
YES; do you know him ?"
81 have seen him." replied the peddler.
Where? Who is hep What is he ?"
"a Jail bird;' and then the peddIer
swung his pack over his shoulder. THAT
boy, young as be looks, saw in court
myself, and heard him sentenced ten
months You'd do well to look carefully
alter him. "
On there WAS something so dreadful
in the word Jail The poor woman
trembed rs she laid away the things she
had bought of the peddIer nor could she
be easy ill she called the boy in and as
sured him that she knew that dark part OF
his history.
Ashamed and distressed, the boy hung
down his head. His cheeks seemed
bursting with the hot blood, and his lip
quivered.
well. he muttered, his frame shaking
"there's no use in my trying to do better !;
everybody hates and despises me- no.
body cares about me-"
Tell me-" said the woman, chow
came you to go. so young, TO that dread
ful placer Where is your mother? ?'
"Oh" exclaimed The boy with burst
OF grief that was terrible To behold-"oh |!
l hadn't no mother ever since | was q
baby Ii only had mother" be con-
tinued, while tears gushed from his eyes,
al wouldn't have been bound out, and
kicked and cutfed and horse whipped
wouldn't have been saucy and got knock
ed down, and run away. and then stole
because was hungry. Oh ! ii I'd only
had mother!'
The strength was all gone from the
poor boy. and he sank on his knees,
sobbing great choking sobs. and rubbing
the hot tears away with the sleeve OF his
jacket.
The woman was mother. and ,thouy b
all her children slept under the cold sod
in the church yard. she was a mother
still, She put her hand kindly on the
head of the boy, and told him to look up.
and said from that time he should find in
her mother. Yes. even put her arms
around the neck OF that forsaken. deserted
child. She poured from her mothers
heart sweet, kind words--words of coun
sci and OF tenderness. Oh how sweet
was her sleep that Light-how soft her
pillow She had plucked some thorns
from the path OF little SHINING but striv-
ing mortal.
That poor boy is now promising man.
His foster-father is dead. His FOSTER
mother is aged aud sickly, but she knows
no want. The "poor outcast" is her sup.
port. Nobly does he repay the trust re.
posed in him,
when my father and mother forsake
me. the Lord will take me up."-1he
Standard-Bearer.