Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-08-25
Susie Pool.
A ROMANCE oFTHE STREET.
BY EMILE J. MERIMAN.
"Don't steal, little boy I"


tie, though directed towards little thiev-
ing, black. eyed fellow, about her own age,
who, thinking the apples unmatched, had
put out his hand TO take one. Without
looking to see whence the voice came, be
flew down the street as rapidly as bis
slip-shod feet would carry him and on
ly looked back when half block away.
The little girl saw him stop and called
out
"See here, little boy--if you want an
apple, III give it to you, but you should
always ask"
But the boy was afraid to come back,
and was soon lost to her sight.
The little apple. girl was one Of the
city poor, who had been taken care of,
when her parents died, by Mr.. Pease at
the Five-P Points House Of Industry. She
was pretty-faced, intelligent child, and
when eight years old Christian lady had
given her a small sum of money for a
Christmas present, with which she had
set up in business near Broadway, in one
Of those streets running from that great
thoroughfare of wealth down to that sink
of poverty and sin, in whose foul air that
humble missionary--that good man
gave bis life, that his work should live
after him.
The little girls name was Susie Pool,
out some OF the mean children, who hated
her because she was good and trying to
earn her living, wounded her feelings by
calling her "Sukey." Some children
would not have cared, or would have be-
come accustomed TO it, but she remem-
bered how sweetly she had heard her
name pronounced by her dear mother
and father-and had heard beautiful
song called What shall my angel name
be ?" sung by gentleman at Mr.. Peases
and she loved her pretty name of Susie.
The little boy was Levi Roaehe but
every one who called him at all, called
him "Leevy." He had been landed, or
rather stranded. upon our shores, no one
knew how, or where from. His parents
If he ever had any-had died or for
saken him on the passage from a foreign
land. He had curly dark hair, aquiline
nose, and a German accent.
Two days after the circumstance re-
lated above, drove Of ragamuflins were
passing on the opposite side of the street
from where Susie sat, and scarcely know
ing where she looked, she saw, in the
midst OF them, the same pair Of black,
roguish eyes which she bad frightened
away, from behind her barrel that rainy
day. His eyes met hers and looked
frightened, and were seeking TO hide them
selves, when a smile from Susie rear
rested them.
Susie was a good-natured girl and
could only not help smiling at the Temem-
brance OF how nicely she had detected the
sly little fellow in his attempt to purloin
her apples and now she smiled to see
him trying to avoid her.
Now, if he had seen stick, stone or
an old boot whizzing through the air at
his head, he would have taken it as a
matter of course, and with an oath passed
on; but to see the one whom he had
tried to wrong look at him pleasantly,
and with smile that betokened no ill
will, he was perfectly astonished and
somehow, although he kept sloof, he did
not exactly avoid her again and at the
end of week he actually passed right
by her and her applestand, with a some~
what dubious attempt at whistling a tune.
Whether he did this to show her how
brave be was, or that he would not at
tempt to steal again, we cannot say.
Now the hardest work Leevy ever
did in bis life was trying to earn a pen
ny that he might go and patronize the in
jured Susie in a really magnanimous
way. AT the end of a week he succeed
ed, and went straightway to her apples
stand. Putting on large air, he demand
ed-as if he had never seen her nor her
apples before:
whats the best bargain you can give !
for & penny p
"Well," said Susie, in seemingly utter
ignorance of his identity, "these are three
cents piece-very large and nice, you
see these two cents a piece, and those
.wo for three cents"
"None for penny ?" said Leevy, with
a plainly disappointed look.
"Apples are very high at this late sea-
son." said Susie.
81 know they are, but I've come
ong way to buy, you see."
"How far ?"
"From beyond the Pints.' +" and then
putting on sort of injured business air,
ne continued--"and it's mighty long
way to come to spend yer money. But
| noticed yourn was perty nice lookun,
md so thought I'd come up h'yer," and
till continuing, while Suise was busily
engaged with rubbing her apples and
urning their reddest cheek toward him,
'bu: l know everytbing's dearer as you
yet near Broadway"
~ believe it is" replied Susie, who
vas really interested in her would-be GUS.
omer, "but don't you have apple stands
lown where you live 2"
"Yes--a few; but the felIers grab and
teal, here he almost choked, for he
nad unwittingly uttered the last word in
he world which he wished to but he
,ontinued-"it don't pay y
Snsie had too much consideration to
ook up, but she well knew what remem.