one Baptism!' Well, the
readin' that's in that Catechiz is mighty improvin', glory be to God!"
It would be utterly impossible to detail the affliction which our poor
scholar suffered in this wretched shed, for the space of a fortnight,
notwithstanding the efforts of those kind-hearted people to render his
situation comfortable.
The little wigwam they had constructed near him was never, even for a
moment, during his whole illness, without two or three persons ready to
attend him. In the evening their numbers increased; a fire was always
kept burning, over which a little pot for making whey or gruel was
suspended. At night they amused each other with anecdotes and laughter,
and occasionally with songs, when certain that their patient was not
asleep. Their exertions to steal milk for him were performed with
uncommon glee, and related among themselves with great humor. These
thefts would have been unnecessary, had not the famine which then
prevailed through the province been so excessive. The crowds that
swarmed about the houses of wealthy farmers, supplicating a morsel to
keep body and soul together, resembled nothing which our English readers
ever had an opportunity of seeing. Ragged, emaciated creatures, tottered
about with an expression of wildness and voracity in their gaunt
features; fathers and mothers reeled under the burthen of their beloved
children, the latter either sick, or literally expiring for want of
food; and the widow, in many instances, was compelled to lay down her
head to die, with the wail, the feeble wail, of her withered orphans
mingling with her last moans! In such a state of things it was difficult
to procure a sufficient quantity of milk to allay the natural thirst
even of one individual, when parched by the scorching heat of a fever.
Notwithstanding this, his wants were for the most part anticipated, so
far as their means would allow them; his shed was kept waterproof; and
either shovel or pitchfork always ready to be extended to him, by way of
substitution for the right hand of fellowship.
When he called for anything, the usual observation was, "Husht! the
crathur's callin'. I must take the shovel an' see what he wants."
There were times, it is true, when the mirth of the poor fellows was'
very low, for hunger was generally among themselves; there were
times when their own little shed presented a touching and melancholy
spectacle--perhaps we ought also to add, a noble one; for, to
cont
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