Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-08-06


she would give him some of them.
Grandma had said that she would give
two bits to get that letter, and he was
sure there was good many five centses"
in two bits; and visions of an unlimited
amount of candy passed before him.
He knew the school where Wosie went,
watched her go down street so many
times.
So, without saying word TO anybody,
he put the letter in his little Jacket
pocket and started off. The letter stuck
up so high that it scraped his soft skin,
so he doubled it up and crowded it down.
He walked along very complacently,
with his ragged straw hat on one side,
totally unconscious that his face was
dirty and his hair in his eyes; in fact, he
felt perfectly satisfied with himself.
BY and by it occurred to him that he
was pretty hungry, and it was queer that
he did not find the High School. My
dacious!" he thought to himself, won
der if Wosie doesn't get awful tired
going to school," He thought little
rest would do him no harm, SO he found
a nice, shady doorstep, and sat down.
When he put Mr. Affords letter into
his pocket he had felt something hard in
it, and now, being reduced to great ne
cessity, he much wondered if that some
thing hard wasn't something to eat.
Perhaps" thought Digglybones to
himself ait is five cents. | dess it is;
and dess Wosie would just as lieve dive
ii to me as not"
He could not imagine tenderer mark
of affection on Mr. Affords part than his
inclosing five cents to Wosie.
He opened the letter as carefully as
his clumsy little fingers could do it, and
out slipped-not something to eat, and
not five cents, but a round, firm curl
clipped from Mr.. Affords black, curly
head.
go dear!" said Digglybones, dis
gusted.
He tried to slip it back again, but his
small fingers were "all thumbs" and it
slipped down to the sidewalk beside him;
he thought, however, that he had got it
in again all safe, and he stuffed the let
ter back into his pocket, feeling rather
dubious about what Wosie would say
when she found that he had opened it.
Not being in the habit of borrowing
trouble, however, Digglybones dismissed
the subject from his mind and started off
again on MS journey.
The farther he walked the more forci-
bly, it occurred to him that it was queer
that he did not find the High School; and
the more certain he was that he felt de-
cidedly hungry.
These two circumstances together
caused Digglybones' spirits to descend to
zero and putting his fingers in his mouth
and rubbing his eyes with his dirty fist
he began to cry bitterly.
For some time he walked along, crying
harder and harder every minute, and no
body noticed him but at last brown
eyed gentleman, who, perhaps, had a
halfdoZen little brown-eyed children at
home, stopped Digglybones and said:
whats the matter, little MANI"
Digglybones took his fist away from
his eye to see who il was that had spoken
to him; and being won at once by the
kindly light of the brown eyes he took
his finger out of his mouth and an
swered:
"Pease, sir, want TO find the High
School; and | hain't had no lunch, and
I'm HUNGRY"
The last words came out with below
that would have made grandmother
| heart ache for her pet If she could have
heard IT,
Hungry said the gentleman, who
could not suppress grin at the nature
of Digglybones' complaint. "Well, well,
my boy, Wen soon cure that. Now tell
me which High School you wish to find,
the boys or the girls'?'
This was poser for Digglybones, who
instantly clapped his finger in his mouth
| again to consider the subject; and he
came ont bravply
81 want TO find Wosie," he said.
"Ah, hal" said the gentleman. els
Rosie your sister?"
Digglybones nodded.
"Take my hand" said his new friend,
land we will find something to eat first,
and Rosie afterward."
They walked along together very con-
fdentially indeed; for the indiscreet
Wosie's letter, and what grandmother
had said, and what his naughty eye saw
at the parlor keyhole, and the curl of
black hair that had dropped out of the
letter; all of which made the gentleman
laugh so uproariously that Digglybones
was profoundly astonished. He filed his
little companions pockets with cakes,
candy and nuts, however, so that the lit
tie boy could not feel hurt at his laugh.
ter, and took him to the very steps Of the
High School.
"Where is your letter, my little manf'
he said. "Let me see the curl"
Digglybones took out the letter and
shook it, but no curl fell out; then the
gentleman took the letter and shook; and
all in vain.
"Why, my boy" he said, "what will
Rosie say to your You've lost the curl
of hair"
Digglybones looked little puzzled
| and worried for a moment, but his face
soon cleared, and he replied, very calmly
"Oh! Wosie can Diet another; his head
is all covered with 'em."
Whereupon the gentleman took out his
handkerchief and wiped his eyes, and
shook very hard; Digglybones looking on
wonderingly.
Just then young girl came down the
steps, and the young gentleman said:
"Can you tell me If Miss Rose Sitting
fleet attends school herey"
Yes, sir, she does" said the young
girl
VIII you take this little boy SO that
he can find her?'
Certainly she answered.