The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1877-02-24
Red Wine-A True story.

it9is fuC were GOlnk
their rounds, and trying to make up for
safe and warm at home.
All but one, perhaps. A little boy
stood on the deserted sidewalk, close to
great window of plate glass, through
which he gazed with q rapt face. The
picture which he looked at was beau
titul one. A great room with painted
ceiling overhead, and chandelier
which seemed to make real sunshine.
The walls were covered with fine paint.
ings. A marble table, heaped with de-
| licious food, stood near the center ofthe
room. The bright light struck through
the great decanter, and made q BIG
crimson stain on the white hand of a
gentleman who sat at the table reading
a newspaper. A large diamond ring on
one finger seemed to wink and blink al
the little boy outside. Twish he would
look up" the child was thinking.
But though he waited and watched,
the man did not move for q long time.
Then he flung the paper down, and
reached out the hand with the diamond
for wine-glass, which he filled and
drank, never once looking towards the
window.
"Please, SIR"
That was all the boy said. He had
stepped from the street into the wide
hall then, without stopping to knock,
he had opened the great door which had
led into the gentleman's room. On the
! threshold Of the saloon he stopped,
frightened at what he had done,
"What Is it, my small MANI"
Mr. Arthur Leonard had pleasant
smile which came easily to his handsome
face; but the child shrank back, al
though he looked into the big brown
eyes as If he saw something there he had
been looking for great while.
"You came to,beg, l suppose" and
the gentleman's hand went readily into
his pocket.
ooh, no, sir, never thought of that.
L wanted mean-please sir, will go
now"
He moved back swkwardly, but Mr..
Leonard stopped him with q gesture.
The child's face interested him. His
manner, too, at first so eager, now SO
embarrassed, had aroused his curiosity.
| hYou are cold," he said, noticing that
| the child shivered and that his garments
were thin and poor.
| He rose, took the boy BY the hand
and led him to the great fire which was
dancing on the hearth--a big, Jolly fire,
which seemed trying to light up the
room and make the chandelier notice.
how big and bright it was.
Mr.. Leonard did not seem to think
how queer for poor little boy with
patched clothes TO sit in one of the Grim
son satin arm-chairs big enough for a
throne. lie drew up One for himself
opposite.
,"Are you hungry" he asked. Il will
give you something to eat, and little
wine will warm you up"
sob, no, sir" and the child si,rank
further back into the big chair.
I aYou will tell me your name, al
! least?"
"Yes, sir Ny name is Eddie Boyn-
ton; and | am ten years old"
"Ah?"
Mr.. Leonard was smiling now, as he
saw the boys courage coming back.
You will not be angry with HE.
Angry. why in the world should
be angry with you?"
II didn't know but you might, sir, if
| said what wanted to-"
s.Neyer fear, Eddie L am anxious to
know what you have to tell'me."
The little boy stretched his little thin
hands, red with the cold, out toward the
glowing fire, and said:
IL work in the dye-house now, and
get a good deal of money! dollar i
week"
Mr.. Leonard could hardly help laugh
ing The wine he had offered the child
cost more than that.
~ come past this big window ever,
night on my way home. l shan't come
again, though, because we are going 10
move away. like to look in here, be-
cause it is 80 warm and pleasant, and
you have eyes just like my father's."
what a strange child" Mr.. Leonard
was thinking.
"He was so handsome and tall"
went Oh the little fellow, looking back
into the freight" He wore nice clothes
too, like yours; and we lived In great
big house, most as big as this. used
TO sit next to him at the table, and he
gave me that to drink" pointing to the
wine-glass. ''Mother would cry some
times; but he would kiss her, and tell
her that good wine would make me
strong and handsome. One day he went
away for long time, and mother cried
all the while he was gone. When he
came back he struck her, and then fell
down on the floor. screamed, because
l thought he was dead. The black man
who drove the horses, came up stairs
and helped mother TO get him to bed.
She said he was sick. He used to scream
and light II any one went near him. Ii
was the red wine that made him 50.
mother said. And then one night he
died, and there was great funeral
After that mother packed up our clothes
and went 10 live where she could earn
some money. We've only got two lit
tie rooms now. Mother seWs ON a ma
chine, Sometimes she cries all night,
guess"
He had been talking very fast. hut
stopped suddenly.
Mr.. Leonard moved uneasilv,
This was what yon wanted 10 tell
me?'
Eyes, sir, Every time come by the
window and see YOU sitting here. Won
make me think of my father, and | Won
dered if you had any little boy at home.
and how he and his mother would feel
if you should die because of the red
wine;" and then the tears came, and
Eddie Boynton slid down from the bio
chair and stood beside Mr.. Leonard who
had turned his face away. Eddie won
dered if the gentleman was CRYING, too.
He could not see the big big brown ewes,
for his head was dropping upon his
breast
.I'm going home, now, sir. Mother
viii have my supper all ready and be
| frightened if don't come" and before
MIR. Leonard reused from his painful
reverie, the child had slipped from the
warm, CHEEKY room, and was runnin0
down the dark street. home to his wait
ing mother.
In all the Years TO coiEe, Arthur
Leonard and Eddie Boynton, man and
boy, may never meet again. The room
in the luxurious clubhouse is deserted.
the fire is out, the room IL dark, The
heavy curtain drawn at the big window;
but in beautiful home the brown owes
look lovingly at a sweet woman, and 10