Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1879-09-17

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Luke 7" she asked, In q alvery tone
OF real kindness
i was thinking Miss Judith return
cd the cooks hoy aud rs he spoke,
he gszed into tho face Of tho girl as
though she was one whom he could al
most worship
"Don't call me Miss. | don't like
II, Luke, But tell me what you were
thinking about, III ever have trouble
II always does me good to tell them
to somebody Now tell yours.
"ll couldn't interest you, Judith,
to hear the story ofa poor boy like
me,
"Oh yes IL could the little girl
cried, elapping her hands together
with much eameslncs. "You were
thinking ofyour father and mother, "
"Alas, lhaye none.'
"No parents T.
"No."
"Then ytiiwere thinking of your
brothers AMI sisters
III have 90 relations on earth, Ju.
dlh - "A Luke said this he drew
his sleeves across his eyes to wipe
away the drops that were springing
fourth. -,
The little girl gazed into Luke's face
with look OF pity aud sorrow that
seemed TO make her tender heart
bleed.
"Tcll me your story. Come, do"
she said aud she laid her hand so
afftctionately upon the boys arm, and
looked so kindly at him, that he began
to weep again.
at is but ashort story--a few words
will tell it ALL Luke returned, as be
struggled like giant to keep back
his emotion. "My mother died when
! was only four years old, and before
my father had taken the mourning weed
from his hat, he too, was LAID in the
cold grave. They were both OF them
kind parents; and after my father
Was buried, | sat upon his grave all
night longtA cried o. Judith, you
don't know what it Is to lose a father
or mothert but TO lose them both
Yes you know something how you
would feel. In the morning they
came and took me away from the little
churchyard, and a man who lived near
the cottage my father had hired, gave
me some breakfast"
"My parents were very poor and
otter the tune:al expenses were paid
there was not q cent left. l knew of
no relation, Ikuew not that l bad one
on earth, anaI was sent to the aims
house. Thee / staid till | was nine
years old, aud during that time ! suf.
tered more tban words can tell. 1t
WASH, bodily suffering, for I had
enough to eft and drink, and clothes
enough to year /; but it was the sui
terings oftle heart. went to school
a part Of ,hAsar; but I wasn't like
other school boys. l was poor
mouse child, and they stunned me
If they had aone no more than that
] should ave been content +; but
thsy tauntesme with my misfortune,
and made lght of my orphanage. If
they had krpwn what pain their words
gave me *sn't believe they would
have spoken them but they knew j
not my feeliigs, and why should they - I
They had ltver suffered like me, and ,
they realizs nothing ofthe crushing t
spirit that sas battling against the
cold cruelty Oftheir sneers. 9
n''+'''ured Judith
and wheatbe boy looked into her face '
he found that she was weeping. /
SAT Length he continued after he
had wiped BIS eyes, ian old farmer Il
iook me from the almshouse, and set :
me to work ,pon his farm. AT first l
felt very thankful but soon found I
hat I wss w,rss off than before /; for 1
was i'll treted, and l had to work I
ike doc. The farmers wife was [
,ard bearledand often beat me. That o
xas worse ,lan all The rest for never 5
deserved it, lor did l openly complain.
staid with he man over four years; I
,ut matters yfew worse and worse, b
ind often wlea l went up to my little q
,ed in the arret of the barn, did l O.
,ray that I night die before I awoke G.
gain. BuI 4 lived on, and l lived "
,nly to suff. AT length l resolved o
hat wodd bear it no longen One 81
lark and iormy night secured few u
trusts of Fead, and after the folks had W
etired l 4oIe out from the barn and al
E,r poorlv n fofpioht