Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1875-04-03

father that ever i heard of and since
mother died old Meg does for me; and
every day she sends me out to beg; and
if don't get much she whips Mag"
L was growing strangely interested.
Whips Mag because you don't get
much9" L said, doubtfully. "What
forl'
81 guess there's hard place on me,
marm. She found that it didn't seem to
hurt much, when she whipped me; and
so one night Mag was teasing her to
stop, and she turned to and whipped
Mag, and that made me cry awful, and
ever since, if l don't get enough money,
she whips Mag. ... y.
care you sure you are telling the
TRUTH"
1 don't know why I asked the ques-
ton, for L saw honesty in those clear
eyes of his. He looked hurt. Yes, you
may laugh if you want to, I'm telling
you just as it was-the boy looked as
hurt as any of you would if I doubted
you. Then came sort of proud shame
into his manner. He clutched at the
placard round his neck, as if he would
tear it off, and answered, sadly:
81 s'pose can't expect anybody to
believe me with this round my neck; but
if you would go home with me, Mag
could tell you, and you could believe
her"
BY this time Laura had gone in, leav-
ing me to finish my interview alone. I
reflected a momert. The other day l
heard Tom say he wanted an errand
boy. Why should he not hive this
one2 Tom was my brother. I knew
just the difficulties he would make
want of reference, street beggar, a
regular rat of the gutter. could fancy
just how he would talk. L knew, too,
that [ could overrule his objections.
That's power women have when man
loves them; whether he be a husband,
or brother, or friend. [ hated the
thought of vice and ignorance and pow
erty. What if I could save just one
small boy from their clutches? 1 said,
resolutely
"Will you go home with me, and have
comfortable home, and good food, and
honest work, and no one to beatyou ever,
and learn to read"
had seen no assent in his eyes till l
came to this last clause Of my sentence.
Then he asked, shrewdly:
"Who'u teach me? I can't go to
school and do my work, too"
"I will teach you. Will you go and
work faithfully for my brother, and
learn to read 2"
"Won't I, iust?"
"Well, then, let me speak to the lady
who went in, and I'll take you home at
once"
He shufled uneasily.
eff you please, marm, I can't go till
I've been back to Meg's, and carried her
this board"
"But I'll get a policeman to send
messenger with that. If you go, per-
haps she won't let you come to me-"
" Yes, marin, shall come. But you
wouldn't believe me, sure, if [ could
steal away, like, and never say goodbye
to Mag, and let her cry both her eyes
out thinking I'd been shut up, or some
body had killed me-" And his own
great blue eyes grew pathetic again over
this picture of sorrowful possibilities.
"Well, you may CO." said, half re-
luctantly, for the little vagabond had
inspired in me a singular interest.
You may go, and be sure you come to-
night, or in the morning, to 70 Deer
ham street, and ask for Miss May"
He looked at me with grave, resolved
look.
{" I shall come" he said; and in an in
stant he was gone.
That night, after dinner, I told Tom.
He was mocking, incredulous, reluctant
just as knew he would be. BUTT all
ended in his promising to try "My Va
grant, if he ever came.
Just as I had brought him to this
pass, the bell rang, and [ sprang to the
dining-room door. The dining-room was
the front basement, and the outside door
was SO near that opened it myself. 1
was, indeed, my vagrant.
81 want Miss May" he said, with the
air which such a ganni'o puts on when he
speaks to seryant-an air which instant
ly subdued itself into propriety when he
heard my voice.
l took him in to Tom; and I saw the
blue eyes softened even the prejudiced
mind and worldly heart of Mr.. Thomas
May. He spoke very kindly to the boy,
and then sent him into the kitchen for
his supper.
"Where do you propose to keep this
new acqHisition9" he asked me, after the
blue-eyed was out of sight.
"In this house, if you please. There
is little single bed all ready for him in
the attic, and I've arranged with cook
to give him bath and then put him
into some of the clothes her own boy
left behind him when he went away tc
sea. I mean to rescue this one sou
from starved, and miserable, ant
wicked life, and I'm willing to take some
pains; and if you aren't willing to dc
your part I'm ashamed of you.
Tom laughed, and called me hi