The Shasta courier., 1869-09-04
S II ASIA COURIER.
The " ELIASES %

MT Urayton was sitting In his office on
the morning of the 18th of December, when
he felt his elbow touched. Looking down,
be saw standing there ragged, dirty boy
OF ten years old just such child as you
may see scores of in a great city.
Nothing was more unsual than for any
one TO penetrate into Mr. Grayton's sanctum
unannounced. Even business men found
this room in business hours difficult of en-
trance, for MIR. Grayton was doing an i'm
mense business and required the uninter
rupted use of his time
Here, however, now stood this boy, and
the moment he saw he had attracted the
merchants attention, he held out his hand
with the whine:
Please give me penny, to keep Christ
mas, please, sir.
s.Who are you?'' asked the merchant
looking at him with kind SUI le
The boy took courage on the instant, and
repeated his request :: /" A penny to keep
Christmas with, please sir"
Now Johnny" and Mr. Grayton' S
smile grew even kinder as he put down his
papers and gave his attention to the child
:" will make bargain with you. | don t
know how you came in here. How did
you! Tell me that. first; and mind, no lies
Let you and | tell the truth to each other
g / crept in behind the boxes through
the stores and then when the old feller
with light hair turned his back, cut and
run. I've watched you, sir, and his voice,
falling into whine again you'll give me
penny, cause its Christmas p
:" | will make bargain with you, John
ny, by aud by. Listen to me first. Your
name is Johnny, | suppose %
The boy shook his head without answer
ing
go, then, if am rot to know what it is,
then we can't trade. Good morning"
Stop, Johnny remember the first part
of our bargain is, that you speak only the
truth"
A faint color spread over the face, visi-
BILE even through the dirt. Then the boy
said, almost sulkily:
"There be SO many of them"
So many? Why that is the way they
christen royal children. You are in luck .
80, they are all Eliases "
Elias That's good name"
" No. Eliases. Johnny elias Tom, elias
Dan, elias Bill, Elias Sam Jones, elias"
. Yes, understand Well, now. drop
the Eliases, and tell me what your mother
calls you"
Little devil, sarse-box, imp of Satan,
brat; aud when she is drunk, darling"
These words the boy said standing on one
foot, swinging round on it as if it was pivot
Mr. Brayton looked down and saw the
foot, bare. cracked open, and bleeding.
"And yet" he said with look of ten
der pity in his face, " not enc Of these is
your real name"
90, that's Ted"
" Ted? Better yet. like Ted Now,
Master Ted" (no one had ever called him
so before eve will proceed with our bar
gain. If you will 60 out to the nearest
place where you can find water, and wash
yourself clean-mind, now, / say clean,
no streaks-I will give you aquarter when
you come back.
From under the shock of dark hair two
blue eyes smiled, but the mouth drew its
corners down, and said very plainly:
No, sir, you don't catch me that way,
when | come back you'll be gone. "A bird
in the hand is worth two in the bush >"
So, instead of moving, Ted said, holding
out his hand, but without whine, now
" A penny to keep Christmas with, please
Sir?
For shame, Ted Are you afraid to
trust me? Twill wait here until you come,
IT you come any time before two
Now it may perhaps not seem to my
readers, but l hold it to be one of the
greatest compliments ever paid to this good
rich man, that this little wicked boy, born,
had almost said, to lie and steal; never
spoke the truth to by others cheated and
abused by almost everybody with whom he
had come in contact, after looking sharply
IN Mr. Grayton's face moment, should
have, g Very well, sir" and have gone out.
The merchant was deep in his business
and so long had he been away that he had
almost forgotten him, when he felt another
touch on his elbow, and there was the bov
again.
80, so you are back he said, looking
at him from head to foot, and you have
done your work well. Now go to the reg
lster and warm yourself; you look cold.''
The boy literally grabbed know no
other word so well expresses the motion
the money, and the merchant looking up
only now and then from his paper, went on
until he had finished reading it, then put
ting it away he said. pleasantly
=" Are you warm, Ted p
"Yes SIR"
The kindly warmth and the unusual
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 cunning, wicked ex-