American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1878-05-25

"'Ihey re not DeSSarsi tney re all OF
use,' said my aunt, placidly. They
earn their bite and sup
"'Old Molly, nowp She can not hear
it thunder suggested.
"'Oh, she sits in the sun and looks
after the hens
"'And lame DavyP'
"'He-he goes for BARN YEAST twice
week. triumphantly.
"'And the idiots, Patsy and Barneyp'
"'Why, child, they're innocents!
God have them in his kceping!'
"My uncle's way of life was that of
his neighbors. 1 suppose it was extrav-
agant and foolish; and yet, when 1 re-
member how the poor and helpless
were received and fed, as if sent by
God, 1 wonder sometimes if there were
not better wisdom than economy in it.
There was one young lad in the
house with whom I soon formed a
friendship. His name was Dick Clancy.
He was a hard student, and was read
ing his humanities' in the village
school, preparatory to entering Trinity
College at Dublin.
".ls Clancy a kinsman of yours?'
asked my aunt.
"'No. He is whs. is called spoor
scholar When poor lad wishes to
receive an education, he is taught with
out charge at any school, and goes from
house to house, staying at each as long
as he chooses. A poor scholar Is al.
ways welcome. We think Gods bless
ing goes With him for the love of learn
ing n
eve were at supper. I remember,
when she said this. 1t was q wild,
stormy night. The ground was cover
ed with snow, and the wind blew fierce.
ly from the sea. In lull of the storm,
we heard q knocking at the gate.
"'Runl' cried my uncle; who can be
abroad on such a night as thisp'
"When the men unbarred the door,
one of them stepped hastily back.
"'ft's Kit in his coffin, sir!'
"The snow blew with frightful gust
into the open hall, as four men entered,
carrying a bier, which they set down,
and then hastily retreated. On the bier
rested what seemed to be an open coffin.
The cloth was thrown off, and from
within the coffin a mans head rose up
God be with all here!' said a hearty
voice.
"'God be with you, Kill replied a
dozen voices.
"'Who could have turned you out on
such night, ladP' said my uncle.
"sOh, would come. was at Larry
O'Neill's, and they were 10th to see me
go. But said I'm due at the Squirrels
and I'll not disappoint him. And had
the salve for the misthress's burn to
bring, and the wash for your throat,
Molly. knew yccs couldn't do with
out mo anuder day.
tThrue for you, Kit came from hall
TIN. people in the room.
"sTake him. to the fire. said my I'M
Gle, who was cutting the best slices OF
meat for his supper.
exit as, found, man who had
been for twenty years paralyzed in his
legs. He lived in narrow box like a
coffin, arranged as a comfortable bed,
and went from house to house, staying
week or month at each, as suited him.
The poorest houses in the county took
their share of entertaining him. When
my aunt whispered this explanation to
me, looked at the wretched creature,
with one half of his body dead, and
wondered how he could bear so much
misery.
"Why doesn't he make them throw
him in the bog and make an end of it?'
asked. Il don't see how man can
endure to be dead weight on others
for 50 many years.
"sWait, and you will see,' said my
aunt.
cater supper, I went out to the
kitchen, from whence came loud shouts
of laughter. Kits coffin was placed
near the fire, and square box, which
he carried under his head, was open be-
fore him. He was distributing, at
once, his jokes and cures-for burns,
toothaches, corns, and more serious
diseases-patterns of children's clothes,
recipes for buildings, every kind of use
full information, in word, which could
be carried in his head or in his box. ]
stood listening to him, and, boy as
was, noticed the remarkable tact and
homely kindness which he displayed
under all his fun. He turned his bright,
shrewd eyes on me presently.
:" You see, young gentleman. I cant
follow a profession or trade, SO have
to take up the odds and ends which no.
body else attends to, to make myself
useful
"My uncle told me that Kit had &C.
quired much skill in the cure of simple
ailments, and that, with his odds and
ends, he was in fact one of the most
useful men in the country.
"The storm increased, and Kit re-
manned all night. He was carried in
front of the kitchen fire, the straw Of
his bed renewed, and warm coverlids
spread over the coffin.
"My own chamber was over the
kitchen. There were cracks in the log
flooring through which I could look
down, and through which, too, rudy
flashes of freight came up cheerfully
After the house was all quiet, Patsy,
the Innocent came into the kitchen,