Milford chronicle., 1878-10-04
THE CARMAN'S BABY.
A LITTLE EPIsoDE-oNE TOUCH OF Ma
TURE, ETC.
"Eveu as you'do unto one of these.

Even as youdo unto one of these
Do you fancy that the rough and un-
cultured surface of a common laboripg
man does not cover as tender a sensibili-
ty and heart as capable of fine feelings
as beats time to the life breath within
our cuticle ?,
Perhaps not. But opinions .lifer, by
reason Of different experiences,
Tbo prettiest little bit of spontaneous
sentiment ever witnessed was associ-
ated with an illiterate baggage car driver;
q great big, sandy complexioned, check
shirted fellow, with a face about as ex-
pressive of fine feelings as a curbstone.
had engaged him to take some baggage
I bad promised to ship for friend at
Albany, down to the steamer, telling
him would meet him there and settle
after the job was 3omplished. Faith
full to agreement met him, and putting
my hand INTO my pocket for my purse,
to my CONSERVATION, behold, it was gone.
The thief had left his card in the shape
of a generous cut in my overslirt, which
told its own tale.
I felt bad, and no mistake. The sum
I had lost I could lily spare, and my face
was doubtless expressive of my grief as
I said, striving to repress the tears I felt
yelling up:
81 cannot help 1t, my man you will
have to call at my house and get your
money" =
"That's all right, mum; don't you
be after frettin' about thai. Devil the
good may the thafe get by stain
from a woman the loike Of yerself An
if it'll be more convaniSrt, I'll not be
calm till after Saturday"
Good soul felt myself blush at his
sympathy, and quickly replied
"Oh, no. Tomorrow morning, by
all means; or this evening will do quite
as well if you drive by that way"
The next day and the next and a week
went by, and was still in his debt. 1t
began to vex me, and 1 went to the
street where I had engaged him, but
could not find his we ron, so inquired
about him and was told by some of the
men lounging around for job that he
was not working, because he had a sick
child at home.
obtained his address, ana found my
man sitting on a low wooden rocker, in |
r clean little tenai2ent house in the |
On his lap he held a
wee, skinny, big-eyed babe, about year
old. On chair at / is side stood a cup 4
Of Jnilk pdnch, with which he wins eVf-
IDENTIFY feeding the dying child. He |
looked up, and a faint smile 'beafned I
from his troubled face as told him why |
had hunted him up. Our business
settled, / displayed enough interest in
aie- present occupation by asking
" Has the little ope,uO mother ?"
None as I'm acquainted with, num-"
&C Is it not your child?"
"Only by accident, num-"
6 You seem very fond of it."
It's all I've got il the worreld, but
)ne horse and cart. found it on the
wharf one mornin' airly, like squirm-
n forsaken morreen, and fetched it
nome, and one o. the neighbors wimmin
5iv it the breest. and it got SO live and
risky like in a few days that I got the
lotiOn of adoptin' it on the bottle. As
re see, I've fetched it on till now wild
he kindly help of the neighbors, an,
low, mum, the doctor says, tke teeth is
KILN of it oh, IIum, II"
The poor fellow burst into tears.
cit my own keeping him company, as
observed the increasing struggles of
hat dying little waif, who had found so
arm heart upon which to rest its
hort span of life. A living episode in
he history of that humble mans record,
lscribed and sung by voices that our
arthly bearing cannot hear, but will
esound in sweet blessing upon the ten
er hearted carman.