Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-06-14
r,.y4 A Lesson for Hard Times.
Rx LRman A bett, in the Christian Union.

ID "
Ifene Of the, characters out Of Dick
ems novels had walked into the room,
/ could not have been more surprised.
1t was press day; WAS very busy il
my sancfum, wfen heard the door
open anda curious shuffiing noise fol-
lowed, which made me look up for a
mpaIfntfrom myspaper. IL was bui
for moment; l saw, as supposed, 3
crippled beggar, shuffiing his way on
his knees toward my chair. i waved
him away with my hand. Nothing
for you,' / said, resolutely, little inn
patiently, possibly, and turned back tC
my d@K, caught up the BROKEN thread,
and wound of the completed sentence
from athe editorial distaff. But the
beggar was not repcled. Heanswered
sonsetbipgs With divided attentionE
could not make out Whist Nothing
fof you, I repeated, somewhat more
vigorously than before. The answer
was plain enough this time; and in q
tone that commanded attention: lam
no beggar. sir. - Is =. - -, -
He was or, his knees, bis legs iron
his knees TO Ms feet were useless ap.
pendages, which dragged after him and
produced the shuffling sound which
Iirst attracted nay attention. His
whole body was disjsinted; his s7arns
alternately hung down like e the wooden
arms of great toy, and moved about
3 in a grotesqne attempt at tgesture-iiks
the toy arm when, the image is pulled
by the spring from below. When ht
spokeFhe wormed and twisted his head
8 fremaside TO side, and contorted his face
with the ivigOr of his endeavOr, al
though the words were stored below
and could be brought out of reluctant
throat only by wrestling and in yiDci
bic VIII But his eye vas clear, ihk
brow bigh, and his whole face, wheI
in repoSe, not unhandsome. i4
i have got something to sell, sir, an6
it is no hunbug, either vaLzsy a
Then noticed for the first time q
leather bag slung over his shoulder,
With u curious spasmOdic twist be
dose into il and brought cut tin box
labeled Prof-'s soap; warranted to
take out grease spots, etc., etc. Intbis
as in every motion his arms and hands
and fingers made wild attempts before
they succeeded in their purpose, like
those of two or three months old bs be
that has not yet come into possession
of itself.
THAT brought you into this eondi-
tion, my friend p said looking down
upon him. ~ ~ .
Il WAS born cripple sir he answer
ed. - Butt he added, quickly, as
though he saw seme sympathy in my
face End would refuse it, you must moi
think that suffer, for don't. / have
no pain; it is only weak ness; weakness
-ffo-snt1o ha dnaf,,ro foil
that don't have good use OF my arms
And am not UNHAPPY
"a Icould hardly look IN his face when
he was speaking, his endeavors were
sedistressingly labored. Irarely give
tobeggars;s tor that very reason am
always reluctsnt to turn away any one,
from The gamin w-hofs sweeping the
street crossings up, who Is endeavoring
to earn an honest living. bought his
patent soap and gave him the price-a
quatter. He turned to GO away; l
should as soon Thought of offering
charity to any other independent mer.
Chant as 20 him. AID I stopped him
with . question. 1t needed 0ut a very
little touch of sympathy to open his
heart. He told me his story: -
My father was.a mechanic. l, was
always, from my birth, as you see me
now, HIS supported me till 1 was %.
But I didn't like it. 1 wanted to be
self-supporting.i ~ai9 .sas, "a
- 1 noted q curious feature of his Ian
guage. = 1t wss that born iu the lower
ranks, but self-educated by courses of
reading outside the, literature of his
companions, I thought this at the
time; It was confirmed bya suggestive
hint afterward.' 8 -cth sisH t,HsSs
Il told my father. He laughed at
me. What can You do% said he. II