CHARLOTTE. 1. Before the house that Charlotte's parents lived in, you must know there was a little opening, ornamented with a grass plot, and quite overshadowed with a noble tree, from whence the eye could plainly see whatever passed along the public road. 2. Miss Charlotte frequently would come beneath this umbrage with her little chair, and in her hand the stocking she was making for her dear mamma, who had instructed her to knit. One day, as she was sitting there, she saw a poor old man advancing very slowly towards her, on the road; his hair was of a silver white, his back was bent with age, he rested on a stick, and seemed to walk with pain. 3. Poor man said Charlotte, looking at him, he seems very much in pain, and probably is poor. If so, then he is doubly miserable. 4. Further on, she saw a company of boys together, who came after the old man. They very quickly reached him. They remarked his thread bare coat, that was exceedingly long skirted, and had sleeves much too short. hat, quite rusty, did not escape their notice, as the flaps hung down upon his shoulders: he had hollow cheeks; and seeing him they all burst out a laughing. His 5. As it chanced, there lay a stone upon the ground before him, which he stumbled over, and was almost down. This set them once again a laughing, while the poor old man, for his part, sighed. 6. I was once young as you are, said he to the boys, and did not laugh at the infirmities of such as I am now. You will in time if you live, be old yourselves; and every day you are approaching towards my time of life. You will then be sensible of the injustice of your ridicule. 7. So saying, he went on again, but made a second stumble, and in struggling to preserve himself from falling, lost his cane and down he went. At this the boys renewed their laugh a third time, crying out, Ah! ha! old daddy; well now, how will you get up? 8. Miss Charlotte, who had heard the old man speak, was touched with pity for him; and seeing his situation, she put her stocking down upon the chair, ran towards him, picked up his cane, put it back into his hand, and taking hold that moment of his other arm, as if she had been very strong, exhorted him to lean upon her, and not notice any thing the boys might say. 9. The poor old man looked at her; Lovely child, said he, how good you are! I am at once consoled for all the ridicule with which they treat me. May you be forever happy! and so saying, they walked on together; but the boys no longer followed him, as they did before, being, I suppose, a little ashamed of their conduct. 10. Some few moments after, one of them fell down himself, and all the rest burst out a laughing as they had done before; but for his part he was quite angry, and thought at first that he would seek revenge upon his compan ions. But upon reflection, he thought again that he was justly punished for laughing at the old man's distress, and formed a resolution, never to be so wicked again. 11. So he followed the aged person whom he had abused, though at a distance, hoping he might have some opportunity of making atonement for his fault. 12. In the mean time, the good old man, assisted by the friendly aid of Charlotte, now went on with slow, but yet with sure steps. She offered him the opportunity of stopping to repose himself a little. Do you see our house? said she, pray stay and sit a little under that large tree; my parents are neither of them at home, but you will not, on that account, be worse received. 13. The poor old man accepted Charlotte's offer. She brought him out a chair, and then to hearten up his spirits, let him have some good small beer, and bread and cheese. The child had nothing else to give. 14. Her guest could not refrain from thanking her continually. You have still got parents, said he. They love you; you love them. They cannot therefore but be very happy; and may they always be so ! 15. And you, good old man, said Charlotte, have not you got children? I had once a son, said he; he lived in the city, affectionately loved and often came to see me but alas! he is now dead, and I am left with no one to comfort me. 16. His widow, indeed is rich; but she takes it upon her to be a lady, and imagines it not worth her while to know if I am dead or living, as she wishes to forget that her husband's father is a peasant. I do not even know her children, which in truth are mine. 17. He was so much affected while he spake these words, that tears rolled down his withered cheeks. The gentle Charlotte likewise was affected, and cried out, Can any one be half so cruel! Ah! my mother, my dear mother would not act so wickedly. She then spake of other matters that she might not grieve him. 18. When he arose to go away, he gave Charlotte his blessing; but she would not leave him yet; she meant to go a little way farther with him. 19. On the way they saw the little boy who had been following them; for he had run a great way on before, and now was sitting on the grass. He cast his eyes down when they looked upon him, got up after they had passed, and followed them again. 20. The little girl observed him, but would not speak of him. She asked the old man if he lived alone. No, little lady, answered he, I have a cottage. See, 'tis there, beside yon tree, across the meadow. You observe 'tis no great distance off. 'Tis in the middle of a little garden. 21. I have an orchard, and a field likewise, and I told a poor old neighbour, who a few years since, lost his cottage, which fell down through age, that if he would come and live with me, he should in future cultivate my grounds. 22. I told him I would live with him; that he should enjoy whatever I might have, and I would only ask him to provide me necessaries. He agreed. He never had a child. He is extremely good and honest; and for the most part, I am quite at ease in his society. 23. Yet, in spite of all his diligence, at times I think myself deserted. I no longer see my son, from whom I was accustomed to receive the tenderest tokens of affection. In the very place, where I have seen him run up towards now assisted only by the hand of me, 24. I never see his children, who have utterly forgotten me. I shall live far distant from them. I shall die, and very likely never see them more. Alas! if their poor father were but living still!-He could not utter one word more. 25. The gentle Charlotte, touched with those complaints, said to him, I will come and see with mother. my We will frequently visit you, you. 26. But her kindness only served to aggravate his grief. It made him recollect, how much consolation he was utterly deprived of; and in returning her his thanks, the tears he could not keep from shedding, hindered him from seeing where he walked. 27. He took his handkerchief to wipe his eyes, and troubled by sad thoughts, instead of putting it into his pocket, he let it drop upon the ground, without perceiving what he did; nor did his young companion notice it. |