The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1875-04-22
Toms Adventure.


One dismal afternoon, late in the fall,
a young boot black, box in hand, was
moping gloomily along the sidewalk,
near one of the large library buildings of
New York.
From the sky the heavy clouds were
weeping a cold November drizzle. The
walks and pavements were slippery with
wet, and the caves of all the houses
dripped with changeless patter, patter,
that to the boy with nothing to do
seemed likely to keep on forever.
1t had rained steadily for three days,
and in all that time Tom, the boot black,
had not had a single ''shine." Men did
not care to have their boots polished in
such weather.
He had spent his last cent yesterday
for his dinner. Since that he had eaten
nothing, and it was evident that he could
earn no more money till the weather
changed.
Tom had reason enough to feel gloomy.
He was beginning to think where he
could get a broom to sweep the crossings
with. AS he moved slowly along, re-
volving this and other plans in his mind
to earn dinner, he came opposite the
great library door, and heard some one
calling him. He turned, and looking up
the broad stone steps, saw gray-haired
gentleman standing at the entrance of
the library.
"Shine, sir?" exclaimed Tom, and he
darted straight up the steps.
The man smiled, and opened the door
wider. "Come in, my boy. said he,
81 want to speak to YOU"
Impressed by the kind tone, Tom
dashed off his cap and walked in.
He found himself in lofty corridor,
walled with stone. No other person was
there but himself and the man who called
him. The man shut the door and looked
at the boy steadily for moment, and
said
You're an honest boy, [ think"
Tom twisted his cap, and looked down
to the little box of tools in his left
hand, and did not reply.
=" can always tell an honest boy when
see one, continued the other. can
honest boy is shy, and he doesn't say
much. Yes, you're honest, / think.
Here, here's something for you" and he
held out fifty cents.
Tom seized it eagerly. "Thankee,
sir !" said he, and thrust the money into
his pocket.
"Right An honest boy likes money.
You like money. Therefore you are an
honest boy"
The old gentleman chuckled and
looked over his glasses. Tom blushed,
but somehow did accept the logic.
"Eh blushing? Well, well, there's
another sign. For one to be trusted
anywhere, give me boy that bushes.
A boy that doesn't blush most likely is a
rascal" Tom got redder.
"He's queer old peep" thought he.
"Now,'' continued the gentleman, in
lower voice, "you give my boots a
shine, and while you're at work I'll talk
to you"
And the boy unloaded his brushes and
backing, and fell to polishing with a
will, at the same time wondering what
his odd customer intended by all this
fattery and unusual friendliness.
Sc want you to do something for
me-" said the old gentleman, STOPPING
down and speaking in the same low tone.
81 am President of this Library Associa-
ton, and am here in the library just
now to see to some repairs myself. am
very particular about the books, very
particular indeed. am having some OF
them bound over again, and want some
body to carry them from here to the
bookbinders. I've been looking for a
good, honest boy to do it, and you're
just to my liking. shall want my boots
polished every afternoon at 3 o'clock,
and you can come here, and will let you
do the backing, and at the same time
give you the book that I wish you tc
carry to the binders. You can put il
right into your box carefully, and it will
go as safe and dry as an express bundle.
/ You see ~
" Yes, sir, said Tom, putting the last
"Of course you do, said the gentle
man, with laugh. "You're a bright boy,
that's the reason. Now for every book
that you'll carry that way, I'll give you
quarter of dollar, and pay you an
other quarter for the "shine." It will
be frst-rate bargain for you. In fact,
you can't earn 50 much anywhere else in
so little time. 1t wont be necessary tc
let anybody see you take the books in
deed, [ think I should be careful not to,
if I were you, because people might
think you had taken them without leave,
and that would make trouble. Iwouldn't
get you into trouble for anything not
for my hand"
And the old gentleman shook his head,
and patted Tom on the shoulder.
When shall come first, sir?'
go, well, we can begin now. / have
a little book with me this very moment.
1 l. !.
i Just here door in the lower part OF
the library opened, and the speaker
waited while some person passed through
the entry. Tom thought this sudden 81
lence was singular, and he instinctively
looked up to his companion with some