The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1888-08-15
The Little Stranger.

Ing 10 the mouse, lie was aCCOSIeu ny d
very little boy, who asked him if he
wanted any sauce, meaning vegetables.
The doctor inquired if such a tiny
thing was a market man. mo, sir,
father is," was the prompt answer.
The doctor said, "Bring me in some
squashes," and he passed into the
house, sending out the change. In a
few moments the child returned, bring
ing back part of the change; the doc
tor told him he was welcome to it, but
the child would not take it back, say
| ing his father would blame him.
Such singular manners in a child at
tracted his attention, and he began to
examine the child attentively. He was
evidently poor his little jacket was
pieced and patched with almost every
kind of cloth, and his trowsers darned
with so many colors it was difficult to
tell the original fabric, but scrupulous-
ly neat and clean withal. The boy
very quietly endured the scrutiny Of
the doctor while holding him at arms
ength and examining his face. At
length he said;
"You seem a nice little boy; won't
you come and live with ME, and be
doctors"
"Yes, sir" said the child.
"Spoken like man." said the doc
tor, patting his head as he dismissed
him.
A few weeks passed OH, when one
day Jim came to say there was little
boy with bundle down stairs want
ing to see the doctor, and would not
tell his business to any one else.
"Send him up" was the answer;
and in few moments be recognized
the boy of the squashes; he was dress
ed in a new though coarse suit of
clothes, his hair very nicely combed,
his shoes brushed up, and little bum
die tied in homespun check handker-
chief on his arm. Deliberately taking
off his hat, and laying it down with
his bundle, he walked up to the doc
tor saying.
II have come, sir"
"Come for what, my child ?"
"To live with you and be DOCTOR"
said the child, with the utmost natvete
The first impulse of the doctor was
to laugh immoderately; but the inn
perturbable gravity of the little thing
rather sobered him as he re
called, too, his former conversation,
and he avowed he felt he needed no
addition to his family.
"Didlyour father consent to you conf
ing ?" he asked.
"Yes, sir"
"What did he say ?"
II told him you wanted me to come
and live with you and be doctor |;
and he said you were very good man,
and might come as soon as my cloth
es were ready"
"And your mother, what did she
say?"
"She said DR.. Byron would do what
he said he would, and God had provid-
ed for me-" And said he, II have on
a new suit of clothes surveying him
self, land here is another in the bun
dle," undoing the kerchief and dis
playing them, with two little shirts
white as snow, and couple Of neat
checked aprons, so carefully folded, it
was plain none but d mother would
have done it. The sensibilities of the
doctor were awakened to see the fear
less, the undoubting trust with which
that poor couple had bestowed their
child upon him, and such child !!
His cogitations were not long; he
thought of Moses in the bulrushes
abandoned to Providence and above
all he thought of the child that was
carried into Egypt-and that divine
Savior had said, 'Blessed be little
children )" and be called for his wife,
saying, Susan, dear, I think we pray
in church that God will have mercy
upon all young children"
ITO be sure we do," said the won
dering wife; "and what then?"
"And the Saviour said, 'Whosoever
receiveth one such little child in his
name, receiveth me- Take this child
in his name, and take care of him."
From this hour the good couple re-
ceived him to their hearts and home.
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 it did not
occur to them that this little creature,
thus thrown upon their charity, was
destined to be their staff and stay III
declining age-a protector to their
daughter, and more than son to them
selves all this was then unrevealed
but they cheerfully received the child
they believed Providence had commit
ted to their care, and if ever beneficence
was rewarded, it was in this instance.
-Parlor Magazine.
A National Sin.