Whig and tribune. [volume] (Jackson, Tenn.) 1870-1877, 1872-06-01
liz nIsEn,s sroRY.

the woman who sometimes fed and
often beat me was my mother, can
not say. All / know about IL Is,
that l had a miserable, drag-about
life of, going round after cold Victu-
ais, knocking small boys down 10
get the contents Of their broken bas-
Eets, and hunting for rags in the
gutter.
/ suppose l was rather a good
looking boy; they call me gOOd-look-
ing now for an old man. know /
was smart, comparing myself with
other children as / see them.
OF course was like the rest Of
my class. could fight little, swear
a little, and steal a little, and eat a
good deal; that is, when l got a
chance, which was seldom l was
ignorant-I didn't know one letter
from another, and didn't want TO.
What did L care about education
l. who never saw book from one
years end to another? And love,
gratitude, hope, i could Of course
understand neither. Nobody loved
me, therefore / loved nobody. No
body had ever made me grateful
had ever held out hope TO me.
Some strange impulse was given
me one day. 1 walked up, sprang
from my bundle of straw, and in
voluntarily the words came from my
lips. 81 am going to do somethin z
TO daV." What that something was
had not the remOtest idea, but
put on my apologies for clothes, and
sailed out in my VagabOnd way,
whistIihg, and caring for nobody.
1t was about noon, and had not
vet tasted mouthful of food. was
hungry, and skulked about grocery
shops, hoping | could get an OppOr-
tunity to take something that W Ould
stay my appetite Till l felt in the hu-
NOR for begging. Passing round
the corner of public street, l saw
a genteel-lOoking man, standing at
his horse, gazing about him some
what perplexed.
"Boy,7 said he, "wOIft you take
care of my horse for about half an
hourl"
es, sir" said 1.
| think it was the first time l ever
put on the "sir."
"That's a man." he exclaimed,
sPye got considerable fruit here,
and you must guard il well. Here's
a couple of peaches for you. Just
stand here quietly, nobody will dis
tlIrb you."
He went away, aud l stood awhile
till was tired Then, thinks /, III
get handful of the fruit and run.
And for the first time i felt an in
stinct of shame of the suggestion.
"He trusted me-he saw that
was a mcan-loOking fellow, too; but
he trusted me, aud [ won't abuse
his kindness"
Something like this reasoning ran
in my head, aud / squatted dow n ON
the curbstone, feeling the impor-
tance of an honorable trust as /
had never felt before. Presently
some of my fellows came along and
hailed me. l told them TO go on.
They peered about the cart, and saw
tho sunny faces of the peaches.
Gwen have some Of them," they
said.
'No, you won't" says l. 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 m9ll upon me, and we fought
till the blood came; but l vanquish-
ed them.
Just then, out came the proprie-
tor.
"What's the matter?" says he.
ooh, nothing; only ! had to ight
for your stuff here, /" says I.
"You did, eh? You've got 4 black
eve for it.''
ssNo matter" says /, 81 meant
them boys shouldn't steal peach,
and they didn't neither"
"Well, you're good pluck here's
a crown for you.
My eyes stood out
"a whole crown" says /.
''Yes; do what you please with it,
but I'd advise you to get you a pair
of shoes"
"Thank you,'' says /, with beat
ing heart, 'tIt pays to be good, don't
itS''
He smiled a curious smile, asked
me several questions, and ended by
asking me home with him.
Homel l thought was in heavenl
albeit i had seldom heard of such a
place. Ny heart beat heavily every
time dared to put my foot upon
those rich carpets. The mirrors
were something new to me. was
washed clean, and had on a good
suit of clothes. Says he:
"Youngster, am going to where
you live, and probably l can make a
bargain with your people. l want
a boy, just such bold, clever boy
as you are, and If you behave your
self, promise you that you shall
have as pleasant Il home as you de-
sire"
"Well, that was good. l hardly
dared to speak or breathe, for fear
of breaking the illusion. Twas new
er so happy as was that day
They gave me light tasks TO do. i
wished they were more important.
From that day was treated as one
of the household. The man was a
widOwer, and had no children; con-
sequently | became TO him as a son.
He educated me handsomely, and
when l was tWenty-one he died and
left me three thousand pounds.
Well, considered myself rich
man. | gloated over my wealth; it
became as an idol to me. How to
increase il was now my first desire.
| consulted competent men, and un-
der their counsel l put my money
out at interest, and bought stocks
and mortgages.
l grew wealthier; my business
(my benefactor had stocked me with
a fancy shOp) prospered finely, and
l was IN fair way, l thought, to
marry Lucy Manning.
Sweet Lucy ManningI the most
artless, winning maiden in all the
world to me. 1 loved her deeply.
dearly. She was bluc-eyed, auburn
haired, her disposition was that of
an angel, and l had plighted my
vows TO her.
One night [ was invited to the
house of a prosperous merchant,
and there 1 met a syTeu in the per-
son of his niece, and black-eycd girl.
whose charms and whose fortune
were equally splendid. She was an
heiress in her own right, and she
was beautiful and accomplished.
Heavens, what a voice was hers
pure, clear, sweet raviug: 1 was
charmed, and she was pleased with
me. Alas, met her too oftenl In
her presence l forgot my gentle Lu-
cy; she magnetized, thrailed me.