Year: 1860

Mayn't | stay ma am I'll do anything
you give me-cut wool, go after water,
and do all your errands.


The troubled eyes of the speaker filed
with tears. 1t was lad that stood at the
outer door, pleading with kindly looking
woman, who still seemed to doubt his
coed intentions.


The cottage stood by itself on bleak
moor, or what IN Scotland would have
been called such. The time was near the
end of November, fierce wind ratified the
boughs of the only naked tree near the
house, and fed with shivering sound into
the narrow doorway, as if seeking for
warmth at the blazing fire within.


Now and then snow fake touched
with its soft chill the cheek of the listener,
or whtened the angry redness Cf the poor
boys benumbed hands.


The woman was evidently 10th to grant
the boys request, and the peculiar look
stamped upon his features would have sug-
gested to any mind an idea of depravity
far beyond his years,


But her mothers heart could not resist
the sorrow in those large, but not hand
some gray eyes.


Come in, at any rate, until the guide
man comes hame; there, sit down by the
fire 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 con-
tinued setting the table for supper


Presently came the tramp of heavy
shoes, the door swung open with quick
jerk, and the "gudeman' presented him.
self weary with labor.


\ look of INTEL gence passed between
himself and wife-hc too scanned the boy S
face with an expression not evincing salts
faction, but nevertheless made lin come
to the table, and then enjoyed tie zeal
with which he dispatched his supper


Day after day passed, and yet the boy
begged to be kept only It'll tomorrow !;
so the good couple concluded that so long
as he was docile and worked SO heartily
/ they would retain him. ESQ .aa.


One day in the middle of winter ped
dler, long accustomed to trade at the cot
I tage, made his appearance, and disposed
of his goods readily, as he had been wait
ed for.


You have boy out there splitting
wood, see, he said, pointing to the yard,
Yes; do you know him?


have seen him, replied the peddler, eva
sively.


And where? WHO is he? What is he?


A jail-bird and the peddler swung his
pack over his shoulder that boy. young
as ho looks, | saw in court myself and
heard his sentence-ten months, he's a
hard one-you'l do well to look keerful
arter him.


Oh? there was something so horrible in
the word jail, that the poor woman
trembled as she laid away her purchases,
nor could she be easy till she had called
the boy in, and assured him that she knew
the dark part of his history.


Ashamed and distressed, the child hung
down his head; his checks seemed burst
I ing with his hot blood his lip quivered
and anguish was painted wildly upon his
forehead. as if the words were branded in
his flesh.


Well he muttered, his whole frame re-
laxing as if burden of guilt or Joy had
suddenly rolled off | may as well go to
ruin at once--there's no use in my trying
to be better = every body hates. despises
me-nobody cares about me. | may as
/ well 90 to ruin at once


Tell me, said the woman, who stood far
enough off for light, if that should be ne
cessary, How came you to 90 so Young to
that dreadful place /? Where was your
mother?


| Oh. exclaimed the boy with burst of
grief, that was terrible to behold, Oh |
bain't gotno mother-Oh! hahn had DO
mother since | was babe. If only a
mother, be continued his anguish growing
vehement, and the tears gushing out of
bis strange looking eyes, ] wouldn't a been
bound out, and kicked and cufed, and laid
onto with whips, | wouldn't a got knock
ed down, and then run away and stole be-
cause | was hungry. Oh. ! hain't got no
mother since | was baby .


The strength was all gone from the poor
boy, and he sat down on his knee, sobbing
great choking sobs, and rubbing the hot
tears away with his knuckles. And did
that woman stand there unmoved? Did
she coldly bid him pack up and be Off
I the jail bird? pay


No, no-she had been a mother, and al
though all her children slept under the
cold sod In the church yard, 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 q
mother. Yes, she even put her arm
around the neck of that forsaken, deserted
cbild-she poured from her motherly heart
sweet womanly words, words of counsel and
tenderness


Oh how sweet was her sleep that
night-how soft was her pillow She bad
linked poor suffering heart to hers BY the
most silkens the strongest bonds of love.-
She had plucked some thorns from the
path of a little shining but striving mortal
None bnt angels could witness her holy
/ joy and net envy.


/ Did the boy leave her? a
Never.-he is with her still vigorous,
manly, promising youth. The low charac-
ter Of his counteuance bad given place to
] pleasing expression with depth enough