The circumstance soon passed from my mind, and I thought no more of the boy till the following day, when I saw him again by the gate.
I directly sent a domestic to bring him into the kitchen, but before he could effect his errand the child had fled.
This conduct appeared unaccountable, and the more so, when I learnt from my man James, that he had seen the same boy almost daily during the fortnight past about the same hour.
I directed him to watch the succeeding day, and by all means to detain him; his appearance being altogether so wretched and destitute, that I could not feel easy till something was done for its alleviation.
The third morning James succeeded in stopping him, and with much difficulty brought him into the house, and was leading him to the fire, when he found that one of his feet was frozen, and his hands quite chilled. Proper restoratives were immediately applied, which soon had a good effect; yet it was long before the gentlest persuasions could induce him to speak. We gave him food, which he ate greedily, and asked for more. After some hours, when he had been left to sit quietly, he appeared to gain confidence, or rather to be restored to feeling. I asked his name, to which he replied, “John Williams, ma’am.”
“And where is your home?”
“I haven’t got any.”
“Where did you last come from?”
“The glass-house.”