Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1868-12-23

looking incredulously at the child What
on earth could you do p
''Oh, please sir. l could do lots O. things
First | went into the moose line, and sold
papers but that didn't pay me muffin to
speak of, and l was nearly starved afore l
left it; then | took to seIin' apples, oran-
ges and vegetables of all sorts; and when
there fall of snow | have plenty of work,
scraping afore the doors, and get we'll paid
| tor it too.
Since you have told me so much of yonr
life, Joe, tell me what you were thinking
about when L saw you just now watching
with such serious face the making of that
snow ball in the street, for you were think
ing of something more than the mere col
lection of quantity of snow !"
| Joe turned his keen eye for moment on
his questioner and appeared to hesitate !;
then replied with something like knowing
twinkle of the eye.
Il was thinking that chap who wants
TO get on in the world ought to be like that
snow ball-always gathering as he goes.
True, quite true" said Maudsey smil-
ing, ''but it is not to worldly wealth alone
that the maxim applies the mind should
be equally dilligent in the pursuit of knowl
edge and virtue, without which.the posses
| sion of riches adds nothing to mans happi-
ness. If he be truly great he must be truly
good Patience and perseverance are his
handmaids-truth, justice and humanity lie
in his path-the wise man makes these as
his own, and gathers peace and happiness as
he goes.
There was something in the manner in
which these few words were spoken which
sank into the child's heart He uttered not
word, but Mr.. Maudsley perceived that he
felt what had been said, and he secretly de-
tcrmined to make an attempt to rescue the
poor outcast from his degraded position.
The little fellow was, by his direction, i'm
mediately placed in the hands of servants,
and by the application of soap and water,
combs and brushes, and an entire change of
costume for a suit of Master Maudsley's
clothes, was shortly transformed into a re-
spectacle looking boy Being thus rendered
presentable, he was introduced into the
kitchen, where he quickly ingratiated him
self with the members of ''the lower house
by his obiiging manners His stories of life
among the wandering tribes of New York
were immensly relished, and his limitations
of some of the fancy young men were decla
red by the cook and housemaid to be equal
to play.
The Thanksgiving dinner at Mr.. Mauds-
ley IS was great affair for large party of
the relations on both sides of the house had
assembled on the occasion. There was the
three unmarried sisters of Mr.. Maudsley.
two rich maternal uncIes-who being bache-
lors, were looked up to with great respect
by the family-a married brother of Mr.
Maudsley, with his wife and five children,
Mr.. Maudsley's mother, and aunt, to say
nothing of three or four cousins who had
standing engagement for Thanksgiving day.
| viii briefly pass over the details ofthe din
ner and dessert; but if any of my readers
imagine that the roast turkey was not of the
largest and fattest that the market could
supply, that the sirloin of beef was not the
juiciest and primest ever obtained first
class prize at the Cattle Show, that the
plumpudding was not the richest and rareSt,
that the mince pies were not the incest, that
the toasts were not the most cordially pro-
posed and the most eloquently responded to;
that, In word, the feast was not the most
glorious and the company not the happiest
that had ever been known, then | must
take the liberty of saying that | entrely diff
fer in opinion with them.
Later in the evening there was a general
demand for a dance amongst the young peo-
pie, and one of Mr. Maudsley's sisters, who
didn't dance, undertook to supply the
music on the piano. Little Joe, who heard
In the kitchen the beating OF the merry feet
overhead, expressed a strong desire to wit
ness the dancing, and by the contrlvance of
one of the servants was smuggled behind a
large India screen that had been placed in
front OF glass door at the upper end OF the
room communicating with the conservatory.
Mounted on flower stand, and hidden from
observation by the screen, Joe Climber peep
ed through the evergreens with which 1t
was decorated and beheld scene which
completely bewildered him. As the light
and graceful forms of the children fitted be-
fore him in the dance, their eyes sparkling
with enjoy ment, he fancied himself trans
ported to some fairy land his heart beat
violently, and his eyes dazzled with light;
he vainly tried 10 follow the walters in their
may round his head became giddy, and
forgetting for moment where he was, he
clapped his hands in controllable delight,
and leaning forward with too little caution
to get a nearer view of pretty little sylph-
ide in pale blue frock. who had, more than
any of the others, attracted his admiration,
the screen was thrown down, and Joe Gim-
Der falling with it, rolled suddenly in o the
midst of the dancers. A general scream
greeted the unexpected appearance of this
strange guest, who hastily picking himself
up, would have made precipitate retreat
had not Mr. Maudsey come forward and
called him to remain. The matter was short