The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-03-08
Misfellaueons.
HE TRUSTED Me-

the merchant who had caused u TO he writ
ten had not yet come down town. SO the
boys waited, all hoping TO get the situation
and each one expecting his would bc the
great fortune.
Apart from the rest was boy whose face
was sad and thoughtful TWAS a good
face. clear and open, bat that boy had just
served term In the Bridewell. He had
stolen loaf otIbreud from baker who en-
ployed him occasionally TO run crrands-a
hard. grnsping avaricious man, who had
repeatedly charged him with derelicion from
dury when he was innocent and who had
no merry ON him when he was guilty.
His moihcr-his poor toilng, patient
morher-thr ouly friend Inc had ever known,
hal died while he was In Jail, and now that
he was free again with the disgrace cling
ing to him, he Eel, like an alien from human.
iy.
While the boys were waiting the bells
sounded an alarm Of firr, and they all scam
pcrcd off after the cngine-all but the boy
from Jail who waited in n sort Of dumb ex.
pectuncy.
Presently gentlemen drove up in car.
riage ane stopped before tho shop door
His horse was rcstivc, and rs he was get
ting out, lie would have fallen, but the hoy
started forward and caught the animal by
his head, holding him firmly in one po-
siti0n.
Thank you, my boy said the gentle
man, THAT'S for your trouble and he hand
ed him some loose change, which the hoy
refused.
1T was no trouble. he said, and was turn
ing away.
Stop said the gentleman 'hnve you
been in there'' pointing to the shop in
whose window the placarl was.
NO, sir D; the gentleman rs wants n hoy
hasn't come down.
'Wcll, ! ain the gentleman, Suppose
you come in with me would like to talk
with you. Do you want place to make
yourself generally uselhl?'
Yes, sir said the boy, 'but,-but and
then his counge failed. He could not say
he had been in Jail.
'Come into the Office said the mer.
chant; and he passed through the long
store, with its row Of important looking
clerks. into small apartment where sever.
al men were busy writing. They looked
upa moment, bowed to their employer,
and rcsuming their writing, were deaf to
all other sights and sounds.
sit down, said the merchant kindly, and
tell me your name and age
john Dawson age fourteen
.And now, John, where did you live
last p
There was long silence-a long strug.
gle in Johns breast, when he answered Us
calmly as he coud.
'In jail
The merchant started as if pistol ex.
plotlei before him. For a moment he wns
too surprised to spcak. lie was no type Of
thief or rogue-,his fair, frank looking
boy. There was no vilaniously low fore.
head, no round, cropped head, no lear in the
blue cyes-yet he was a Jail hoy.
'what was you convicted of! he nske,
at length.
And John Dawson told him tho whole
sorrowfiil story ofhis sick mother, and l'is
long struggles with want und temptation
and sin, how at last he stole the loaf Of
brcu,l, when they were too poor to buy food
and fuel, and must have both.
oh, SIR he went OF, shat baker was
such hard man. lie never trusted me, he
accused mc Of stealing when ! had never
touched pin, and ] believe he was glad
when I did fall /; hut if you will only trust
me. will never deceive you, sir, or lay my
hand on anything that is not mine.'
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