River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1883-12-06
John IL. Coughs BOyhOOd.
Sarah X. Bolton in Wide A wake.

H. n
His life had been a peculiarly bitter
one. Born in very humble bone at
Sandgate, on the English coast, cleaning
with his mother and sister after the
reapers. that they might have ..bread to
eat, or cleaning knives or shoes in the
gentleman's house where his father was
servant. there was little to make a
boys life bright. When he was Il, a
family offered to bring him to America
if his parents would pay 500 for his pas
sage. 1t was difficult to earn this; but
his mother thought, after the manner of
mothers, perhaps in the new world,
our John will be somebody" So, with
tears, she packed his scanty clothing,
putin g in little Bible, and pinning
these lines on shirt:
Forget me not when death shall close
These eyeiids in their last repose;
And when the murmuring breezss wave
The grass upon your mothers grave,
o then, whate'e Ter thy age or lot
May be, my child, forget me not.
JANE GoUGH.
Then, again and again she pressed her
only boy to her heart, and stole out be-
hind the garden wall, that unobserved,
she might cast last look If the stage
which carried him to London.
The voyage was long one of nearly
two months. The little lad Of
ten cried in his cabin, and he wrote
back, II wish mother could wash me to-
night" showing what a tender mother
boy he was. When New York narbor
was entere d, and he was eager to see
his adopted country, he was sent below
to black boots and shoes for the family.
His school days were now over. after
two years of hard work in the country,
he sold his knife to buy postage stamp,
and wrote his father, asking
and learn trade. Consent was
given, and, in the middle of the winter,
our English lad of IA reached the great
city, with no home, no friends, and only
fifty cents in his pocket. Hundreds
passed by as he stood on the dock,
holding his little trunk i'll his hands,
but nobody spoke to him. But at last.
by dint of ernestness, he found place
to enter as err4nd-boy and learn book
binding. receiving 1925 a week, and
paving $500 for his board. How his
employer supposed he could live on ST
month, for clothes and washing, has
never appeared.
The first night he was placed by his
boarding mistress in an attic, with an
Irishman who was deathlyi i'll. The sec
ond night the man died, and the hor-
ror stricken young boy stayed alone
with the dead till morning.
Nearly two painful years more went
by. Finally. though he earned but S.
a week, he sent to England for his moth
er and sister. When they arrived, two
rooms were rented: the girl found work
in a straw bonnet factory, and, poor
though they were, they were very hap
Ply. John was now Is, devoted to bis
mother, and still noble, unseltish, per
servering boy.
At the end of three months, through
dullness of business, both children lost
their places; and now began the strug-
giles which the poor know SO well in our
large cities. They left their two decent
rooms, and moved into garrett. Winter
came on, and they had neither fuel nor
food. John walked miles out into the
country, and dragged home old sticks
which lay by the roadside, He pawned
his coat, that the mother, who had now
become ill, might have some mutton
broth.
One day he left her in tears, and went
sobbing down the street.
What is the natter" said stranger
ppm hungry ana so is my mother"
well, l can't do much, but I'll help
you little" aud he gave John three
cent loaf of bread.
When the boy reached home, the
good woman put the Bible on the rickety
pine table, read from IT and then all
knelt and thanked God for the precious
loaf
In the spring he obtained employment
at $3.50 q week, but poverty and priva-
ton had fallen too heavily, rested toe
long upon the mother. One day, while
preparing Johns simple supper of rice
aud milk, she fell dead All night long
the desolate boy held her cold hand IN
his; then, in that Christian city, she was
put in pine box and, without shroud
or prayers, carried in cart, her two
children walking behind it, was buried
in the Potter's field.
For three days afterward. John and
his sister never tasted food Probably
the world said, Poor things," but it Is
certain that nobody offered to her
them.