Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-01-29

Z f.
The back of his hand-"when The cana
closed up, l had nothing more to do, and
| couldn't get any thing to do in Albany
| stayed there till my money was almost
gone, and one day | thought il | could
get into the country, sombody nigh
give me work. | went over 10 Green
bush in a boat with another boy, and
seeing baggage train ready to start. go,
into one of the cars, and they didn't see
me till the car lef, the train where YOU
first saw me-"
"Yes, and wha. have you been doing
there!"
"l've been living with Mr..
He gave me my board to look after his
horse and COW. and chop wood"
"Did not Mr.. ---- treat you kindly
why did you leave him!"
"Yes. sir; he treated me well, but he
wouldn't let me go to SCHOOL, want to
ea,s enoug.:: % keep me TO school awhile,
and so left Mr.. go, " iieas !e.t him
he gave me twenty-five cents. anu ss-.id
he hoped i should do well. I've got the
twenty. FIVE cents now, all of it,
. As he said this he pulled from his
pocketa Spanish quarter of dollar, and
held it up in the moonlight with an air
OF satisfaction at his economy and busi-
ness tact in preserving his capital.
Curiosity had prompted me to make
the ehluiries that brought out the boys
history and now began to feel real
intereslin him. pilled the lad, that he
should nus early in life be thrown upon
the worh, and forced to buffet the cur
rent thatexperience had taught ine was
the full wsrk OF more mature years. |
felt SATISFIED he was not bad boy, and
that with poper training he might be
made wofhy man. But he was obli-
ged, in ordelto carry out his plans--and
1 could not hve better planned course
for him--to blk with set of youths OF
the worst clas-ihe drivers on the tow,
path Of the Ese Canal. Our dialogue
ceased, and ink short time Tell asleep.
Tow ards midnght the train stopped at a
watering statioI The lad moved from
my size, and Awakened me in SO doing.
He wished 10 leHe the car for short
time, and at bis tques, assisted him to
the ground. In W minutes he returned,
bringing with him two apples and two
..doughnuts. II had Judged rightly,
iha, at watefik station some one
would be kept up Anlgh,, and that then
he coulc procure fad. / assisted him
back into the car, All went again to my
ma,lrass, but he wob not allow me TO
lie down until had accepted one apple
and one ..doughnut. He, perhaps, tho't
was hungry, and likshimself not over
rich, and saw that toSefuse his hespi-
,ality would lnortify him Before accep-
ling the food, however, Mold the lad he
would need it all himself and reminded
him of his slender finaces. But he
overrode my argument byhe exhibition
of twenty-one cents, andAdeclared the
amount was quite enough n his neces-
sites until he should be Bile to earn
more. After our lunch bottof us slep,
until the train arrived at the sllion where
| was 10 leaye--some miles tst of Al
bany. Both of us were awae, howev-
er, when the conductor came 10 inform
me that / had arrived at the plae enga.
ged passage for. and as left Ne car,
put into the boys hand some suAA coins
that found in one of my pock$. He
seemed surprised at the presdl, and
feared might be "robbing myself but
| assured him that could spare he a.
mount without inconvenience, andnsis-
ted that he accep.it. shook hi by
the hand and left The car as the trail ilar-
ted on It's way, inwardly sorrowinl iha.
il was not in my power to afford m a
more substantial protection.
AT about the time Of the circumsfAce
related above occurred, ] was on tens
of intimacy with young man VIII
though poor and unknown TO the worh
was person Of brilliant wit and gres
talent. Had he lived he might hav
shown brightly at this day, in the galax
ol fame. But he died in growth lik
an unrlpe apple, that falls from the tire
when worm gnaws il at its core. an
| the quality of the frui. is never known
One evening, as we were walking arm j
! arm on Boston Common, somethin
drew from him, half jokingly, half Sc
riously. his favori,e expression, "Allah
just" In order to provoke little pleas
ant discussion, | r:;;t.:culsaa bis Mahome
tan quotation, and finally the debate be
coming somewhat more serious, reia
ted what have written above. Th
story OF the orphans hardship put hin
into serious mood, for ne knew frtn
experience how TO sympaihise WI
youthful sorrow and we finished OF
walk in silence.
/ Years passed on, and the busy scene
Of life sunk into my memory the reco
lection Of the orphan boy, and il migl
never have been revived but for eli
cumstance tha. happened within the la
year. One day, while my residene
was among the mountains of the Sierl
| Nevada, business or pleasure. | don
| recollecs which. called me to a dista'
par: of the mining country. | mounte
my horse, and taking trail that LED
the valleys. was on the way in time
meet the smiling sun face to face, as
passed over the hill tops. Towards e
| n lo..,s.c.1 vYanov