The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-02-24
THE DAILY EMPIRE.
H. II. ROBINSON,
PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR.
THE MIsER's STORY.
BY MRS. NJ. A. DENIsON.

Il was born in England. remember
| nothing but poverty-stalking crime aud
absolute want. The houses where lived
were all In various stages of filth and de-
cay. Whether the old blear-eyed man who
| Kicked and commanded me was nv father.
| never knew. Whether the woman who
sometime fed and oftener beat me, was nv
mother, can not say All know Is that /
had miserable, drag-about life of it, 90
Ing round after cold Notwithstanding
| smaller boys down to get the contents OF
their broken baskets, and hunting for rags
| in the gutter.
| | suppose | was pather good looking
boy; they call me good looking now for
1 an old man. | know | was smart. compar-
! ing myself with children as ! sec them.
1 or course | was like the rest of my class.
l. could fight 4 little and swear little steal
a little, and eat good deal-that is, when
got chance which was seldom.
! was ignorant-didn't know Que letter
from another and didn't want to. What
did care about education-I. who never
saw book from one years end to another ?
And gratitude-hope--I could of
course understand neither. Nobody loved
me: therefore | loved nobody. Nobody
had ever made me grateful-had ever held
out hope to me.
Some strange impulse was given me one
day walked up sprang from my bundle
OF straw, and involuntarily the words came
from my lips-''l'm going TO do something
to-day" What that something was, had
not the remOtest idea but | put on my
apologies for clothes. and sailed out in nv
ngabond way, whistling, caring for
nobody.
IL was about noon, and / had not vet
tasted mouthful Of food. / was hungry,
and skulked about grocery shops, hoping
could get opportunity to take an apple,
or something that would stay my appetite
till felt in the humor for begging. Pass
ing around the corner of public street, ]
saw genteel looking man, standing at his
horses head, gazing about him somewhat
perpleXed.
Boy" he cried out "wont you take care
of my horse half an hour?"
eyes, sir" said |.
l think it was the first time ever put on
the sir.
There's manr' he exclaimed. "Pye
got considerable fruit here, and you must
guard 1t well. Here's a couple OF peaches
FOR you; just stand here quietly-l guess
nobody'll disturb you"
He went away, and stood for while,
till was tired. Then, thinks /, I'll get n
latful of the fruit and run. But for the
t1rst time felt an instinct of shame at
the suggestion. "llc trusted me--he saw
| was mean looking fellow, too, but he
4
ness"
Something like this reasoning ran in nv
head, and squatted down on the curbstone,
feeling the importance Ofan honorable trust
as had never felt such thing before
Presently some of my fellows came along
and hailed me. told them to 60 on. They
peered about the cart, and saw the sunny I
faces of the peaches.
'We'll have some of them" they said. |
"NO yOu won't" says / (; "I'm put in
charge here, and | won't see the first thing |
stole"
With that they began rumpus. They
reached over the cart. | struck them. and |
used such efforts that they all came pell- |
nell upon me, and we fought till the blood |
came-but vanquished them. Just then !
out came the proprietor
whats the matter ?" said Ire.
20, nothing, only had TO fight for your !
stuff there" says /.
"Yon did, heyS You've got black eye
for it,"
"No omatter," says /. 81 meant them BOYS
shouldn't steal cursed peach, and they |
didn't neither.n
"Well, you've got good pluck, my boy /; |
here's dollar for you-but don't swear" |
My eyes stood out.
"A whole dollar?" says ].
"Yes; do what you please with it, but I'd |
advise you to bny pair of shoes"
"Thank you" says |, with beating heart |
1T pays 10 be good, don'titY"
He smiled a curious smile, asked me
several questions, and ended by taking me |
home with him In his wagon.
Homei ! thought was in heaven, albeit {
j had seldom heard of such n place. NV |
heart beat heavily every time put my feet
upon those rich carpets. The mirrors were
something new 10 me.
The next day there came d man TO see
me. was washed clean, and had on
good snit of clothes. SAYS he:
'Youugster I'm going in where you
live. and probably | shall make a bargain
with your people. want a boy-just such
a spunky, clever boy as you are, and il you
viii behave yourself ! promise you you
shall have as pleasant home as You de-
sire"
Well, that was good. / hardly dared to
speak, TO breathe, for fear OF breaking the
Illusion. never was so happy clear through
as ] was on that day. They gave me some
light task to do; / wished they were more
important. s.
From that day was treated rs one Of
the household. The man was n 'widower
and had no children; consequently be-
came to him as a son. He educated me
handsomely, and when l was twenty y-one.
he died and LEFT me seventeen thousand
dollars.
Well, considered myself a rich man. |
gloated over my wealth; II became as an
idol TO me. How TO increase IL was now
my first desire. | consulted competent
men, and under their counsel put my
money out at interest-bought stocks and
mortgages. grew wealthier--my business
my bencfaetor had stocked me fancy ;
itore) prospered, aud l was In fair way
thought 10 marry Lucy Manning.
Sweet lucy Manning! the most artless,
winning maiden in all the world 20 me.
owed her deeply, dearly. She was bIue