The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1875-04-30

to carry 10 the binders. You can put Il
fright into your box carefully, and Il win
go e safe and dry a. an express bundle.
You aeele
"Yes, uir. " said Tom, putting The last
touches 70 his customers boot, 81 see. &"
"Of course you do" said the gentle
man, with a laugh. you're q bright boy,
that's the reason. Now for every book
that you'll carry that way, I'll give you
a quarter Of a dollar, and pay you an
, other quarter for the "shine." twill be
a first-rate bargain for you, In fact,
you can't earn so much anywhere else in
so little time. It wont be necessary to
. let anybody see you take the books; in
deed, 1 think 1 should be careful not to,
il I we're you, because people might
think you had taken them without leave,
and that would make trouble. Wouldn't
get you into trouble for anything; not
for my hand"
And the old gentleman shook hishead,
and patted Tom on the shoulder.
"When shall 1 come first, air2"
go, well, we con begin now. 1 have
a little book with me this very moment.
p
just here door in the lower part of
8 the library opened, and the speaker
waited while some person passed through
the entry. Tom thought this sudden ST.
lence was singular, and he instinctively
looked up to his companion with some
. thing like stare.
"Polish little more on the instep,
there" quoth the old gentleman, in ON
altered tone.
An soon as the outer door was swung
to, and they were alone again, he resum-
ed, 81 can lay il in your box here, SO,
with your things, and you can carry il
with the cover down, all snug" And
slipping small old her-covered book
from hispocket as Tom finished his work
he hastily showed the boy how to pack it
out of sight.
"There. that's all right. Now, if you'll
no, stop, " he reflected. "Iwont have
you take them to the book -bindery di-
; rectly. You take them to that place, "and
he gave Tom card on which was writ
ten certain number and a certain street
eyes, sir, said Tom, once more.
"And tomorrow come again, and you
may black my boots, and I'll give you
book, and also fifty cents. You'll oblige
me, and I'll oblige you, and wei be firm
friend. Ha, ha, hal !"
And the old gentleman patted Toms
back, and gently pushed him toward the
door. "But don't say anything about
this, and don't fail to carry the book to
the proper place. Promise to be care
full; and the gentleman smiled.
And Tom, whose head was full of
ideas, readily replied, 'I'n carry it
safe, sir" And Tom did SO.
The more Tom reflected upon this
whole affair, the more thoughtful he be-
came. He was sharp and keen, and il
was hard to deceive him,
That night he slept in an old iron
boiler that had lain for years on va
cant lot in C--street. In this rent
free tenement, he and Patsey Regan,
another boot-black, had contrived to
make bed of hay and shavings, that
kept them quite comfortable when the
weather was not severe.
No sooner had Tom and his fellow
lodger curled into their queer kennel for
the night, than Tom told Patsey his ad-
venture, but without exposing his en-
lployer's name.
''The ould villain p exclaimed Patsey,
getting up on his elbow.
That was pretty nearly what Tom
Thought:
"He's maxim cats paw of ye. He's
slatin' the buks, and that's way he has
of gettin' 'em home. He don't have 'em
bound That's all blarney."
''But he's the President, said Tom.
; "The President Otbotherl He's a
clark, or somethin'. To think ov him
callin' poor by from the strate, and
maxim him run the riskl Ye might be
TUX up for doin' his dirty work. Omy,
I'd like to fix himl". And, in the heat
of his indignation, Patsey gave the side
of the old boiler whack.
"And what would you dot asked
: Tom.
Patsey was for going out and telling
the first policeman. But Tom was long
er-headed. He knew that he must have
more certain evidence of the old gentle
mans dishonesty than he could show
: yet. The two boys talked over the mat
d ter, and finally agreed upon a line Of
action.
Tom appeared the next day at the
library promptly at p, M, and waited
for his new patron. Presently the ole
8 gentleman came down beaming as gra
z Iciously as ever, Sa0ugn Tom thought b,
A appeared just little nervous.
q He patted Tom on the shoulder again
l.4d - ,v.a aaA No, A., HE t.,,t.