The morning star and Catholic messenger., 1875-09-19


sibly occur to him. But on the day my story
opens, Florry's birthday, chance fortune
favored him.
A friend of his, q stranger in the city, asked
him to obtain for him the privilege of going
through the Catholic Orphan Asylum for Boys
lie knew the place well it was one where his
peculiar generosity had often found Objects
memories of himself growing up in desolaton
and ignorance made bis heart look kindly upon
the home for such as he had been in the days
when 10 swept crossings. SO he often visited
the place, and as often left behind him solid
tokens of his presence. He often watched the
boys and was allowed willing admttance to
their rooms by the Superiors. To sec him
amongst them, you would indeed scarcely be-
lieve him to be the Luke Lawton denominated
stingy and cruel by the public. The hard,
brown face softened, lit by genial smiles; !;
the friendly hand extended to the little crowd
full of clamorous joy that he was there; the
hearty, kind voice answering their welcome,
would mystfy you completely. He was meta
morphosed as by spell--a spell truly
about him there, for there, as he often said to
himself, he always forgot there was such a
thing in the world as The Dollar. Accompany
ing his friend to the place this day, he found u
and then betooll himself to the boys play
ground, saying, "A view of what went on
there would interest him more than view of
| the building
After five minutes of hand. shaking, and five
more spent in answering exclamations, he was
informed by one busy little fellow, who held
on to his coat, that they'd "got new boy"
since he was there.
| II: ~, ockn
boys, don't your"
| "Yes, sir we git 'em every day, but you
wern't here for a MORN month, and he's the
only un all that time, so you see he's aw-
fully new"
| "Where is he 7"
"Why he's got mother, an she came to see
him to- day, so he's with her."
! t"And what kind Of u boy would you call
him, now, Dick'"
"a precious queer one, tell you, Mr.. Law
ton--not like us, no how"
"Is he goodf"
.'Yes, sir, awfully good he never plays,
nor licks nobody, nor does nothin. Gosh
he's like girl" (this with inc fable contempt
A smile upon the listeners face.
lies a swell, think" broke in one of the
larger boys; stuck up, You see, Mr.. Lawton
that's it."
emo he isn't, Mr., Lawton," said delicat,
little fellow he's good to me, and reminds me
of NV brother that died. Aud, to-day, hi
mother brought him two peaches, and h'
slirpcd away and gave one of them to me
because he thinks I'm sick" His thin cheek
, was flushed with the speaking, and he shrunl
back as if he ashamed of having said 81
much.
.
head
+ "Stapd up for him then, boy, you're right.
; His voice was very tremulous-a vision of
, ragged little crossing sweeper long ago, shar
n ing his crust with another, was copjured u
o by the childs words.
Z WANT to see him, Mr.. Lawton 7" cried Dick
, the frst speaker, want to see Paul-that's tn
t new boy 7"
Eyes but is not he with his mother 7"
@ "She don't care; they're right down there,
t pointing to little summe house covered wit
It vines.
IS "Come along them" he laughed ringiu
IS laugh, and threw handful of nickles in th
l. air, " who'll leave nowf"
l. How he enjoyed the scramble! how he rul
l. bed his hands and roared, while they tumble
Vt over each other, and "ptched into" eac
d other, and performed that wonderful crowd
n gyrations that no other known animal but
of boy can perform!
X Soft easy" he whispered to himself, AL
te on the backs of the STOPPING scrambers
h sent a shower of nuts.
il Did you ever hear boy cry "ouch," mo-
T. osyllable peculiar to boys alonei If you di
Of you can imagine the extraordinary din th
# saluted his ears in return for the blows. b
v. when the blows turned out to come from nut
is what a scene Luke Lawton grew scarlet
es the face with his merriment, and sat down
" laugh comfortably. What were dollars to hi
SO then They were heaps of dust-he had mad
Sc che boys happy.
l. Softly, softly, wee, spare hand was laid u
v his arm. He turned and saw the pale-fsc,
al child.
II; "Mr. Lawton please"
pit "Well, my boy, run get some nuts al
of cents"
be uSo air thank Won air thew may have the