Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-07-06
AN HONEST ARAB.

Scotchman, Xpress, Mercury, fusees,
penny hunder-tais days Scotchman, ;
Sirp shouted shrill-piped, ragged little {
fellow, at the end of cold, wet, bitter
day in October, as we stood at the door
Of the New Royal in Princes Street,
while stopping for day or two in Edin-
burgh short time since.
No, we don't want any,
Fusees, penny hunder, Sir; this
days paper, Sir-half price, Sir-only
bswbee, persisted the young country
man of Adam Smith.
Get along, don't want any, growled
my travelling companion, Phillips.
They're guide fusees, Sir, penny
hunder.'
Don't smoke
They're guide fusees, Sir, hunder and
twenty for a penny. Sir coming round
on my flank.
No, don't want 'em, my boy
The keen, blue face, with its red, bare
feet ingrained with dirt, and bundle of
scanty rags, looked piteously up at me,
moved off little, but still lowered round
US. Now, when | put down my fist
subscription to the Ragged School in
Westminster, / took a mental pledge
from myself to encourage vagrant chill
dren in the streets no more. Somehow
in this instance that pledge wouldn't
stand by me, but gave way.
Give me penn'orth, young 'un.'
yes, Sir-they dinna SMELL
Ah, l haven't got copper, nothing
less than shilling; SO, never mind, my
boy, I'll buy from you to morrow
Buy them the NIGHT, if you please
Pm very hung-grey, Sir
His little cold face, which had tighten
ed up, now fell, for, from his bundle of
papers, saw his sales had been few that
day.
I'll gang for change, Sir
Well, I'll try you-there is a shilling
now be good boy, and bring me the
change tomorrow morning to the hotel
ask for Mr.. Turner
AS sure's death, Sir, I'll bring the
change the morn,' was the promise Of
the boy before he vanished with the
shilling.
Well, Turner said Phillips, as We
strolled along Princes Street, you dom
expect to see your ragged friend again
do you?'
i do
The boy will dishonor his I. o. U
as sure as
Well, l won't grieve about tn
money but think / can trust the boy
Can? Why, you haze trusted him
Well, we'll see.'
Yes, good many remarkable thing
but not young Birthstone and you
money
Next morning we spent in seeing til
lions.
On our return to the inn, inquired
Waiter, did a little boy call for m
to-day?'
boy, Sir?-call, Sir? No, Sir
'Of course, he didn't said Phillip
Did you really expect to see your your
Arab again
Indeed, did
Later in the evening small boy WI
introduced, who wished to speak with N
He was duodecimo edition of the sm;
octave of the previous day, a shoele
shirtless, shrunk, ragged, wretched, kee
witted Arab of the streets and closes
the city. He was so very small, a
cold, and childlike-though with the sar
shivering feet and frame, thin, blue-ct
face, down which tears had worn th
weary channel-that l saw at once
child was not my friend of the previc
night.
He stood few minutes diving a
rummaging into the recesses of his ras
at last he said :;
Are you the gentleman that bouI
fnsees frae Sandy yesterday 2
Yes, my little man.
Weel, here's seven pence Count
out divers copper coins,) Sandy cal
come; mes no weel; cart run o
him the day, and broken his legs,
lost his bannet, and his fusees, and y
four-pence piece, and his knife, and
no weel. He's no weel ava, and the
tor says-says he's dee-dee-in,
and that's a he can gle you moo
And the poor child, commencing !
sobs, ended in sore fit Of crying.
/ gave him food, for, though his Gu
sorrow was full enough, his stomach