Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-07-29
hand, but without whine, now,-"A
penny to keep Christmas with, please,

come any time before two" Now,
it may perhaps not seem so to my
readers, but hold it to be one of
the greatest compliments ever paid
to this good, rich man, that this
little, wicked boy, born, l had
almost said, to lie and steal; never
spoken the truth to by others;
cheated and abused by almost every
body with whom he had come in
contact, after looking sharply in
Mr.. Grayton's face for a moment,
should have simply said, every
well, SIR aud have simply said
I,'Very we'll, sir,n and have gone out
The merchant was deep in his
business, and so long had almost
forgotten him, when he felt another
touch-on his elbow, and there stood
the boy again. 5 G-@
90, so you are back" he said
looking at him from head to foot !;
"and you have done your work
well. Now 60 to the register and
warm yourself; you look cold"
The boy literally grabbed
know no other word that SO we'll
expresses the motion--the money,
and the merchant, looking up Only
now and then for his paper, went on
until he had finished reading it :;
then, putting it away he said, pleas
antly: J S~A @-'.af
care you warm, Tedr'
"Yes, SIR ~s -,.- -. ,-
The kindly warmth and the unu-
sual application of water had so
changed the boy, l think even his
mother would hardly have known
him. AS Mr.. Grayton drew up his
chair and sat down beside him he
saw pale, old face-how could it
have been otherwise "a cunning,
wicked expression, which use had
made natural to small, somewhat
delicate features; large, blue eyes,
and lashes SO long that they gave a
peculiar, softened look, utterly at
variance with every other story that
the face. told.
Every particle of dirt had been
removed, and in some places the
skin with it The feet tied up in
bits of old play bills and some OF
THE rags on his clothes were tied
1 together, also, with ends Of colored
| tWine. sz---- =.-..-r
Altogether, the boy was, if any
thing more pitiable- looking than
before; for now the wear and tear
Of his life of sin and shame was dis
tinctly visible.
"Ted,': said Mr.. Grayton, after
looking at him a few minutes in
silence, s'would you like to be rich
man -
'.Kinder guess 1 would,' said
Ted, quite readily.
store, filled up to the top of the
sixth story with goods, as 1 do to-
day p
Guess I would" again answered
the boy.
! Mr.. Grayton took out "a we'll
filed purse and laid it on the table
near him, Ted watched him mar
rowly, his eyes opening wider and
wider every moment.
NOW, suppose left my purse
there and ment out into the next
room, shutting the door between us.
could you help taking one of these
bills ?''
1t was enough to make the tears
come into anybody's eyes to see. the
wild, longing look that dashed into
the boys face, and to. watch the
almost convulsiue twitching of his
long, supple fingers.
''You couldn't could you? Well
I'm not going to tempt you, poor
little Ted y
Poor little Ted! Poor little
Ted."i The boy kept repeating
these words over and over again, as
he sat there looking from the open
pocket book to the merchant. and
from the merchant back to the oper
pocket book. Nobody had evel
said poor to him before. Did this
great man, when his gentle, kindly
face looking down into his, pity
him ?-him, with only his Eliases
and his mothers profanities for his
names. .-.. -
"You have stolen, Ted Z" asked
Mr.. G., at last.
Ted nodded his head.
Gotten ?'' ---. -.--.- -..s
He nodded his head again, ane
then added in a whisper, "but thej
didn't cotch me, though
Mr.. Grayton put up his money
walked two or three times up anc
down the room, then come back tc
the spot where Ted still sat, intently
watching him. .a H
INST you steal, and lie, ana swear
Don't you think you could ge
along without them, IF you hat
something else to do ~ |
Ted sonlo opened his eyes wider
dropping his. mouth, open now
also. 80; : +ftSi.5Aig 7jfis
"Listen, Ted;'' and Mr.. Graytol
put his hand gently on the boy.
rough, dishevellei hair. ssYo,
asked me for penny to keel
Christmas with. Do you know
what Christmas is?
"Dress 'em up pretty in green
have lots of green have lots Of slicl
things to buy and sell; bouncing
big turkeys, and my eyes !"-th'
old, wicked look settling down agail
-"don't they go it p
;, lssBut what made Christmas
What does it mean ?'' ssF aE
"Guess it growed,"' replied Ted