Year: 1860

The sick man could not say No.
though in uttering that half-extorted as
sent he manifested no warm interest in
the case of poor Tom Hicks.


On the next day the cripple came TO
the sick man and received his first lesson;
and every day at an appointed hour, be
was in Mr.. Croft's room eager for the
instruction he received. Quickly be
mastered the alphabet, and as quickly
learned to construct small words prepar-
atory to combining them in a reading
lesson. After the first three or four days
the sick man, who had undertaken this
work with reluctance, began to find his
heart going down into it. Tom was so
ready a scholar, so interested, and so
grateful, that Mr.. Croft found the task
of instructing him real pleasure. The
neighbor who had suggested this useful
employment of the invalid's time looked
in now and then to see how matters were
progressing, and to speak words of en-
couragement.


Poor Tom was seen less frequently
than before hanging on the gate or sit
ting idly on the bench before his moth
er's dwelling and when you did find
him there, as of old, you saw different
expression on his face. Soon the child
rem, who had only looked at him, half
in fear, from distance, or come closer
to the gate where he stood gazing with
strange eyes out into the street, in order


to worry him, began to have different


feeling for the cripple and one and anoth-
er stopped occasionally to speak with
him; for Tom no longer made queer


faces or looked at them wickedly, as il
4 he would harm them if in his power, MOI


retorted angrily if they said things tC
. worry him. And now it often hap,
/ pened that little boy or girl, who hat


pitied the poor cripple and feared hin


at the same time, would offer him {


flower, or an apple, or handful of nut
o in passing to school and he would taxi
e these gifts thankfully, and feel better al
:, day in remembrance Of the kindness witt
d which they had been bestowed. Some


times he would ask to see their book
II and his eyes would run eagerly over tn
e pages so far in advance of his compre
d hension, yet with the hope in his hear
ie of one day mastering them-for he ha


grown all athirst for knowledge.


As soon as Tom could read, the chile
ID ren in the neighborhood, who had grow
I'd to like him, and always gathered aroun
he him at the gate, when they happened
is find him there, supplied him with book
at so that he had an abundance of ment
10 food, and now began to repay bis ben
Sc factor, the bedridden man, by reading
r. him for hours every day.


ad The mind of Tom had some of Il
d, qualities of a sponge; it absorbed gre
er deal but like sponge gave out freel
an at every pressure. Whenever his mil
ur came in contact with another mind,
Mt must ether absorb or impart. So
90 was always talking or listening when
y had anybody who would talk or listen
ng There was something about him th
he strongly attracted the boys in the neig
IN borhood, and he sually had three
er- four of them around him, and often
ing dozen, late in the afternoon, when
10 schools were out. As Tom had enter
-he a new world-the world of books-a
nto was interested in all he found there, |
hat subjects on which he talked with the bC
you who sought his company were alws


instructive. There was no nonsel
m about the cripple; suffering of body g
SO mind had long ago made him serioI
8 and all nonsense, or low, sensual talk,
To- which boys are sometimes addicted, ,fot
md, no encourapement in his presence. |
Tor influence over these boys was theref
ade of the best kind. The parents Of so


of the children, when they found II
cry sons going SO often to the house of /
ling Hicks, felt doubts as to the safety of s
d to intimate intercourse. The report
: of these boys took their parents BY surpr
uct- but, on investigation, it proved to
the true, and Toms character soon ros
Is the public estimation.


end; Then came, as natural conseque
and, inquiry as to the cause of such cha
] be in the unfortunate lad; and the ne
lch Dor of the sick man who had instru
and Tom told the story of Mr.. Croft's Al
fore cy in the matter. This interested
Vhen whole town in both the cripple and
.lone bedridden instructor. The people '
one taken by surprise at such noiabl'
may stance Of the great good which may Sc
nght. times be done where the means look