The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1883-06-07
~ Have no Mother"

"Mayn't stay, ma'am? I'll do any
thing you tell me-cut wood. 20 for
water, and do all your errands."
The troubled eyes of the speaker were
TILED with tears. II was lad that stood
at the outer door pleading with a kindly
looking woman who still seemed to doubt
the reality Of his good intentions.
The cottage stood by itself on II bleak
moor, or what in Scotland would have
been called such. The time was near tn g
latter end of September, nnd fierce
wind ratified the boughs of the only two
naked trees near the house, and fled with
shirering sound into the narrow door
way, as if seeking for warmth ut the
blazing fire within. Now and then n
snowflake touched with its soft chill the
cheeks of the listener or whtened tho
angry redness Of the poor boys bcuumb-
ed hands
The woman was evidently loath to
grant the boy request and the peculiar
look stamped upon his features would
have suggested to any mind an idea of
depravity far beyond his years.
But her woman's heart could not resist
the sorrow in those large, but by no
means handsome gray eyes.
Come in, at any rate, till the good
mai comes home. There ! sit down by
the lire; you look perishing with cold -
and she drew rude chair up TO the
warmest corner then, suspiciously
glancing at the child from the corners OF
her eyes, she continued setting table
for supper.
Presently came the tramp of heavy
shoes, the door WAS swung open with n
quick jerk, and the goodman" presented
himself, wear:sd with labor. a look of
intelligence passed between his wife and
himself; hc, too, scanned the boys face
with an expression not evincing satisfac-
ton, but nevertheless made him come to
the table, and then enjoyed the zest with
which lie dispatched his supper.
Day after day passed, and yet the boy
begged to be kept "only till to. morrow :"
so that the good people, after due consid-
Grafton, concluded that rs long as he was
80 docile and worked so heartily they
would retain him.
One day, in the middle Of the winter.
pedler, long accustomed to trade at the
cottnge. made his appearance and dis.
posed of his goods readily, as if he had
been waited for
"Iou have a boy out there splitting
wood, l sec." he said, pointing TO the
yard
Eyes. DO you know him?"
i have seen him." replied the pedler,
"And where? Who is he9 What is
he?"
"a jail.bird," and the pcdler swung
his pack oyer his shoulder. "That boy.
young as he looks, | saw in court myself,
and heard his sentenco-'Tcn months
hes hard one; you'd do well to look
carefully after him."
On, there was something so horrible
IN the word "jail," the poor woman trem.
bIed as she laid away her purchases !;
nor could she be easy till she called the
hoy in and assured him that she knew
that dark part of his history.
Ashamed, distressed, the child hung
down his head his cheeks seemed burst.
ing with the hot blood Ills lips quiyer-
ed, and anguish was painted as vividly
upon his forehead az if the words were
branded into the flesh.
well" he muttered, his whole frame
relaxing as if 8 burden Of guilt or iuy
had suddenly rolled off; II may as well
60 to ruin at once; there's no use in me
trying to do better; everybody hates and
despises me; nobody cares about me; l
may as well go to ruin at once"
Tell me-" said the woman, who
stood off fur enough for flight if that
should be necessary; chow came you to
go,, SO young to that dreadful place !?
Where was your mother-where ?''
"Oh - exclaimed the boy with burst
OF grief that was terrible to behold-"O.
hain't got no mother. 0, hain't had
no mother ever since was baby I
If I'd only had mother" he
continued, his anguish growing mors
vehement and tho tears gushing out from
his strange, looking gray eyes; II
wouldn't ha' been bound out and kicked
and cufied and laid on to with whips I
wouldn't ha' been snucy and got knocked
down and run away and then stole
because l was hungry. 0, hain't got
no mother! l haven't had no mother
since was baby"
The strength was all gone from the
poor boy, and he sank on his knees, sob.
ping great choking sobs and rubbing the
not tears away with his poor knuck les
ana did that twomanstand there unmoved9
Dld she coldly bid him pack up and be off
the Jall-bird9 No, no she had been q
mother, and though all her children slept
N1oS' VIZ Soio SUI III Inc CuurCny0rd she
was mother STILL
She went up to that poor boy, not to
hasten him away, but to lay her fingers
kindly, softly on his head-to tell him to
look up and from henceforth find in her
a mother. Yes, even put her arms about
the neck ofthat forsaken, deserted child !;
she poured from her mothers heart
sweet, womanly words words of counsel
and tenderness.
., how sweet was her sleep that night I
how soft her pillow She had linked a
poor suffering heart to hers by the most
sllken, the strongest bonds Of love abe
had plucked some thorns from the path
OF little shining, but striving mortal.
Did the boy leave herr Neverl He
is with her still, q vigorous, manly,
promising youth. Tho unfavorable cast
OF his countenance has given place to an
open, pleasing expression, with depth
enough to make it an interesting study.
His foster.father is dead ; his good foster.
mother aged and sickly, but she knows
no want. The once poor outcast is her
only dependence, and nobly does he re.
pay the trust.-BeLfast Witness.