Do you think I have charity to bestow, or a morsel of bread to spare ?' The child recoiled from the door, and it closed upon her.

Impelled by strong necessity, she knocked at another: a neighbouring one, which, yielding to the slight pressure of her hand, flew open.
It seemed that a couple of poor families lived in this hovel, for two women, each among children of her own, occupied different portions of the room.

In the centre, stood a grave gentleman in black who appeared to have just entered, and who held by the arm a boy.
'Here, woman,' he said, 'here's your deaf and dumb son.

You may thank me for restoring him to you.

He was brought before me, this morning, charged with theft; and with any other boy it would have gone hard, I assure you.