The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1882-03-30
Our Young People
The Little Stranger.

The Little Stranger.
Though man of very strict
principle, no man ever enjoyed
joke more than Doctor Byron; he
had vast fund of humor, an ever
ready wit, and with children, parti-
cularly, he loved to chat Familiarity
and draw them out. As he was
one day passing into the house, he
was accosted by very little boy,
who asked him if he wanted any
sauce, meaning vegetables. The
doctor inquired if such tiny thing
was q market-man. "No, sir, my
father was" the prompt answer
The doctor said, ''Bring me in some
squashes,' and passed Into the
house, sending out the change. In
few moments the child returned,
bringing back part of the change;
the doctor told him he was welcome
to it; but the child would not take
it back, saying his father would
blame him. Such strange manners
in a child attracted his attention,
and he began TO examine the child
attentively; he was evidently poor,
his jacket was pieced and patched
with every kind of cloth, and his
trowsers darned with 50 many
colors it was difficult TO tell the
original Fabric but scrupalously
neat and clean withal. The boy
very quietly endured the scrutiny
of the doctor, while holding him at
arms length, and examining his
face. At length he said:
You seem a nice little boy;
won't you come ami live with me
and be a doctorY'
yes, SIR" said the child.
spoken like a man." said the
doctor, patting his head as he dis
missed him.
A few weeks passed on, when one
day Jim came to say there was
little boy with bundle down stairs,
waiting to see the doctor, and would
not tell his business to any one else
"Send him up,' was the answer;
and in few moments he recogT lied
the boy of the squashes, but no
squash himself, as we shall see; he
was dressed in a new, though
coarse, suit of clothes, his hair very
nicely combed, his shoes brushed
UP, and a little bundle, tied in a
homespun checked handkerchief,
on his arm. Deliberately taking
off his hat aud laying it down with
his bundle, he walked up to the
doctor, saying:
Il have come, sir"
"Come for what, my child?"
"To live with you. and be
DOCTOR" said the child, with the
utmost naivette.
The first impulse of the doctor
was to laugh immoderately: but the
imperturbable gravity of the little
thing rather sobered him, as he re-
called, too, his former conversation,
and he vowed he never felt so per-
picked In his life. At that time he
felt he needed no addition to his
family.
did your father consent to your
coming" he asked.
~ eS, SIT.
"What did he say"
II told him you wanted me to
come and live with you and be
doctor; and he said, you was very
good man, and / might come as
soon as my clothes were ready"
"And your mother, what did she
say?"
"She said DR.. Byron would do
just what he said he would, and
God had provided for me-" And
said he, 81 have on new suit OF
Clothes" surveying him self, "and
here is another in the bundle" IN
doing the kerchief, and displaying
them, with two little shirts, white as
snow, and u couple of neat
checked aprons, so carefully folded,
it was plain none but a mother
would have done 1t. The sensibIli-
ties of the doctor were awakened
to see the fearless, the undoubting
trust with which that poor couple
had bestowed their child upon him.
and such child. His cogitatioDs
were not long; he thought OF Moses
IN the bulrushes, abandoned to
providence; and, above all, he
thought of the child that was car
ried into Egypt, and that that di
vine Saviour had said, blessed DE
little children;" and he called for
the wife OF his bosom, saying, "Su
san, dear, | think we pray In
church that God will have mercy
upon all young children"
ITO be sure we do" said the
wondering wife; land what then"
'And the Saviour said, Whose
ever receiveth one such little child
in my name, receiveth me- take this
child in His name, and take care of
him; and from that hour the good
couple received him to their hearts
and homes. 1t did not then occur to
them that one of the most eminent
physicians and best men of the age
stood before them in the person Of
that child; 1t did not occur to them
that Chis little creature, thus thrown |
upon their charity, was destined to
be their staff and stay in declining |
age--a protector To their daughters,
and more than son TO themselves;
all this was then unrevealed; but
they cheerfully received the child
they believed providence had com-
mitted to their care; and if ever be-
nefcence was rewarded, it was in this
instaDce.- Family Circle.
Didn't Want His Name in the Paper.
Not long since we happened to
meet young man who had recent