THE YOUTH’S CABINET.

187

 

Why it was, I cannot tell, sir, but at
this sight I felt my heart smitten, and
I burst into tears. Now it was that I
comprehended the meaning of the words,
« John is dead.”

I became more enlightened during the
following days; at every meal, old Kitty
lessened for my brother and sisters the
allowance of the bread, which seemed
to them blacker and dryer in proportion
as it was more begrudged. At last she
came one day to the farmer with whom
I lived, and said to him in my pres-
ence.

_ “Neighbor, I am resolved to keep
the brood of children no longer.” |
started.

“And what do you wish to do with
them, Kitty ?” I demanded.

, What they will soon do with me,”
she replied, “the beggar brats !’’

“Oh!” eried I, ‘‘ you would not have
the heart to turn into the street those
poor children, whom you have brought
up, and who till now have looked upon
you as a mother.”

“Then find me the means of feeding
four mouths with the allowance of one,”
returned the old woman; ‘‘ rather would
I abandon these orphans to the charity
of the public, than see them suffer with
me ; poverty makes me harsh, and I feel
as if I should hate them, were I to keep
them any longer. None can do more
than they can, and those who are richer
than I will help them.”

I made no answer; for, after all, I
could find no argument capable of
touching dame Kitty. But my heart
was broken. Oh! if I were only as
strong as my brother John! If I could
but be a father to these orphans! Un-
fortunately, I was a full head shorter

than my eldest sister, and farmer Dick-
son hitherto had given me no wages, ex-
cept the old clothes about the farm and
two pairs of wooden shoes a year. While
I was thus reflecting, the conversation
between Dickson and his old neighbor
went on.

“If we were only near the coal-
mines,” said she, “the eldest of the little
ones could be sent there.”

“Tt is a sad life,” said the farmer,
shaking his head.

“T do not say that it is not ; but they
pay well, and her earnings would be
nearly sufficient to maintain the other
one and little Richard.”

‘‘ But there are coal-mines eight miles
from here,” I eried.

“What then?” demanded the old
woman.

“What then? Why, I ean go and
work in them, and give up to you the
greater part of my wages, if you will
keep the three children.”

. Dame Kitty raised her head and
looked at me.

“ And would you do this?” said. she.

“He knows not what it is to work
under ground,” inter;osed Dickson.

“I do not,” I replied, “but since
others submit to it for the sake of a liv-
ing, I can well submit to it from love to
my sisters and Richard.”

The old woman became pensive, and
after a moment added, “that would still
be the maintaining of three little ones
with the labor of one.”

But Dickson rejoined, that if I went
to the coal-mines, my eldest sister could
supply my place with him, so that dame
Kitty would be encumbered with two
boarders only. The whole was thus
concluded, and on the very next day, I