Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1874-09-24


slice of bread and cheese in its place.
"There." said he, "we1l let the black
birds have that, If they want it. A
| change of fare won't hurt you"
Benny now had friends in abundance
each one DESTROYS Of atoning for past I'M
| kindness Lunch-time after this was q
season of such enjoyment that he hailed
its arrival with as much qualification as
| any of the number; and so much liberali-
ty was shown him that he needed his
| potato and bit of bread only for the sake
of appearance. Indeed, If hop-picking
| had lasted much longer, and his friends
| continued as generous, he would have
filed out his rags in quite creditable
N inner.
All this happiness did not make him
| law. or cause him to relax his energies
| in the smallest degree. Indeed, il seemed
as if his cheerfulness was so inspiriting
| that i, made his own fingers nimbler and
also impelled the others to fresh activity.
Jack, his warm ally now, often won
dered why he worked so increasingly;
/ but his questions concerning the subject
only called forth a knowing look and a
bright smile.
Benny had carried his precious secret
| so long that he did not feel like impart-
ingit now; but at last Jacks importantly
prevailed, and, in reply to some ques-
| lions and conjectures that shot wide of
| the mark, Benny said: Its Boots"
"Bootsp repeated Jack, nowise en-
| lightened, "what does the youngster
| meaD?"
The secret once out Benny's tongue
| was loosened and he poured forth the
whole story. How, the previous winter,
| his feet had ached with the cold, and all
| he had to cover them were such odd or
cast-of shoes as he could manage to OBJ
| tain; and how he had watched other
| boys playing in the snow, or on the ice,
| and he unable to join in the fun. So
| when he heard some lads talk of earning
money by picking hops he thought per-
| haps he too might, through this means,
earn enough to buy the long-desired
| boots-top boots, too--and he had worked
50 hard he did think he'd have them
| after all. And here he gave sigh, part
| ly at the remembrance of h0ao hard he
had worked, and partly of satisfaction
over the coming realization of his hopes.
Jack listened with interest, and also
with sympathy, and resolved in his own
mind to give Benny "a shove" While
he was wondering how he could do so,
and plying the child, as he watched the
odd little figure ck-picking away, the
big wagon came along, filed with bags
of hops to be conveyed to buyer. A
good thought came to Jack and he acted
upon it.
"Here, Benny" said he, Jump on
this wagon; needn't hurry back, either;
I'll take your place while you're off"
At first Benny hesitated about leaving
his work, as if he feared Jacks pickings
would not amount to as much as his own;
but when he saw how vigorously the big
fellow applied himself to his task, and
how quickly he stripped the hops from
the vines, he gave joyful shout, and
climbed up to the wagon seat, where he
perched himself as proudly as if he was
monarch of all he surveyed. 1t was such
a nice change for him, and he came back
looking 80 pleased, that Jack had a taste
of the JOY that follows kindness done.
Of course Benny's secret soon ceased
to merit that name; in fact Jack told 1t
the first chance he could find, and every
one seemed as much interested as Jack
had been, while many of them likewise
tried to give Benny a little assistance.
They would call ON Boots" to draw
fresh water, or make some other excuse
to relieve him, while the willing hands Of
the sender took his place. Boots" was
the name he went by among them; and
he liked it, as it was reminder of what
ne hoped to possess by and by.
Hop-picking season came to an end
Benny was half sorry for this, even
though it brought pay day, for he had
never known such happy time as the
past two weeks had been. The men
were gathered around the door of the
barn, while their employer was reckon
ing up accounts, and paying them one by
one. After receiving his money, each
man and boy loitered till Benny's turn
came.
"Pass Boots along" said Jack, a. he
urged the shy but expectant child through
the group.
"Come, little man, you are one of my
best pickers," said the master, as he
reckoned up Benny's earnings. Fifteen
boxes, at forty-five cents a box, that
amounts to six dollars and seventy-five
cents, and here 1t is"
Six dollarsl Nearly seven! The labor
was forgotten in the Joy of its reward.
No dread Of Jack Frost now, and in an
ticipation he was already clothed from
head to foot.
NOW, Salu one man, move tnaJ
we see this thing through. When do you
get your boots, boys"
Right off" answered Benny another
said might have 'cm as soon as earned
'em"
"That's fair" said the other. "Boys,
what dye say to going along and giving
him the benefit of our advice?"
The others gave willing assent, and
the great wagon was packed full, Benny
occupying the seat of honor by the
driver.
"The boys are glad their work is over
said one or two lookers-on as the wagon
passed through the streets. They thought
| so because of the merry talk they heard,
but / know it was because the boys
hearts were so full that they overflowed
ut their mouths.
The wagon stopped at the Four Corners
and the group formed sort of process
sion, with Benny and Jack at the head
and thus they marched up the street and
| into the shoe-store. The shoemaker
looked up in surprise as they filed in, all
| laughing rather boisterously. Perhaps
| he thought he was going to sell out a
large portion of his stock on very short
| notice; but Jack soon brought him TO