Year: 1877




not have been more surprised. 1t was
press day; l was very busy in my sanctum,
when heard the door open and curious
shufiing noise followed, which made me
look up for moment from my paper. 1t
was but for a moment; l saw, as | sup
posed, crippled beggar, shuffling his way
on his knees toward my chair. l waved
him away with my hand. "Nothing for
you," said resolutely, little impatiently,
possibly, and turned back to my desk,
caught up the broken thread, and wound
up the completed sentence from the edito-
rial distaff. But the beggar was not re-
PEELED. He answered something; with
divided attention l could not make out
what. Nothing for you," l repeated,
somewhat more vigorously than before.
The answer was plain enough this time,
and in tone that commanded attention:
Z" am no beggar, sir"


lie was on his knees his legs from his
knees to his feet were useless appendages,
which dragged after him and produced the
shuffling sound which first attracted my
attention. His whole body was disjointed; :;
his arms alternately hung down like
the wooden arm of great toy, and moved
about in a grotesque attempt at gesture
like the toy arm when the image is pulled
by the string from below When he spoke
he wormed and twisted his head from side
to side, and contorted his face with the
vigor of his endeavor, as though the words
were stored below and could not be brought
up out of reluctant throat only by a
wrestling and invincible will. But his eye
was clear, and his whole face, when in re-
pose, not unhandsome


"I have got something to sell sir, and it
is no humbug, either"


Then noticed for the first time a leath-
ern bag slung over his shoulder. With a
curious spasmodic twist he dove into it and
brought out tin box labelled Prof. -'s
soap; warranted to take out grease spots,
etc. In this as in every motion, his arms
and hands and fingers made wild attempts
before they succeeded in their purpose,
like those of three or four months old
babe, that has not yet come into possession
of itself.


"What brought you into this condition,
my friend?" said +, looking down upon
him.


4" i was born a cripple, sir" he said
But" he added, quickly, as though he
saw some sympaty in my face, and would
refuse it, "you must not think that | suf
fer, for don't. ! have no pain; it is only
weakness; weak ness Of the spine, the doc
tor tells me, so that / don't have good use
of my arms or legs or face But l dom
suffer. And am not unhappy


could hardly look in his face while h
was speaking, his endeavors were so dis
tressingly labored. i rarely give to beg
gars; for that very reason l am always re
luctant to turn away any one, from tn
gamin who is sweeping the street crossin
up, who is endeavoring to earn an homes
living. | bought his patent soap and CAV
HIM the price-a quarter. He turned t
go away; should as soon have thought c
offering charity to any other independen
merchant as to him, but l stopped hir
with question. 1t needed but very lii
tie touch of sympathy to open his hear
He told me his story:


"My father was a mechanic. | wa
always from my birth as you see me now
lie supported me till l was 49, But
didn't like it. wanted to be selfsuppor
ing"


| noted a curious feature in his languag,

1t was that Of one born in the lower rank
but selfeducated by courses of readin
outside the literature of his companions.
thought this at the time; it was confrme
by suggestive hint afterward.


/" l told my father. He laughed at m
What can you dor said he. l told hi
that he could not always support me;
must die some day, and he had no none
THE Lord will PROVIDE said he. b
that did not suit me. l resolved that if
could not have my own way would ri
away"


There was something pathetically hume
Gus in this picture of a man-boy of % ru
ming away on his knees from a tyrannc
father who despotically insisted on pro,
hAhe lOf bluls UuSbhcE nc dCbuhliy II
away or not he did not tell me and d
not ask him.


81 bought this recipe for soap. At fiji
| hired man to 60 around with me al
take care of me, but that did not pa
Then / went to hotel and hired port
to dress and undress me. In the daytir
| took care of myself"


All this and much more-for / am co
pressing a long story in short one-wi
labored speaking; and labored listenir
for it was always not quite easy to und
stand what was the word which the col
screw brought up. Like an old cork it v
broken, and always came up in fragmen


"Inever expected to get married, fol
never thought that any woman whom
would have would have me. But J
know, sir, the old proverb, Every ia
has his Gill / and found my Gill; A
don't believe there's man in this c
~