Peter's Journey, and Other Tales, by the Author of 'Marion Howard'. (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1873. Excerpt: ... his look was weary and disconsolate. But the weary look passed away, and a bright smile hovered in its stead, as a little picture of the Sacred Heart caught his eyes, and, altered as were the pedlar's face and features, that smile was unmistakeably the smile of our old friend Jeremy. The little close room must have been a sad change for a man accustomed all his life to the fresh country air, and whose sturdy legs had for so many years tramped mile after mile unwearied. But one severe attack of rheumatism after another had gradually disabled the poor pedlar, and had at last entirely prevented him from pursuing his calling. It had been sad uphill work with him for the last three or four years, and his savings had been spent on doctors and medicine all to no purpose. Three months ago a more severe attack than usual had laid him up, and now poor Jeremy thought himself happy, if he could contrive to crawl to church and back, and about his little room. It was not often he broke down, but this morning he had certainly had a desponding fit. Jeremy hated dirt and untidiness, but he could neither clean his room himself, nor pay any one to clean it for him, and the wretched state of his poor little apartment was a sore trial to him. But this was not all. The last of his money had gone, his clothes had followed, and nothing now remained to him but the contents of his pack and his large silver watch. The former lay scattered over every article of furniture in the room, for Jeremy had just been looking them over to see if there was anything he could dispose of to advantage. His stock-taking had been very disheartening. What a lot of money he could have made just now out of that calico What a good price those coarse stockings would have fetched, if his old legs would o...