The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1876-11-12
NUMBER 20.

But Bob was not born in Fifth Avepue. He
| wore barely clothes enough to cover his naked
ness. His feet like his hands, had never
known covering of any sort they were used
| to the mud and the snow, and once q string Of
red drops along the icy pavement helped 20
track him to his den after he had been COM
Knitting theft. In this case. however, the
blood which flowed from his poor foot proved
blessing in Disguise, for Bob spent the coldes&
of the winter months in the lookup: clean
straw, q dry floor, regular meals-what happy
month";
AS for not being able to read-why, II q boy
in such ragged raiment hiB were to show
himself at public school, other boys would
jeer at him, and the pedagogue eye him ask
ance.
Bat Bob proved the metal that was in him
by taking, when he was just aght years Of
age, place In factory. Yes" he said to
the man who brought him there, I'd rather
1t were difficult to describe his look Of won
der when he first entered the vast building.
There seemed to be no end of peopls-old men,
young mon. and children like himself, an
silent and busy Around them, above Them
on every side of them, hugo belts of leather,
and rods of iron, and wheels and coR-wheele
were whirring, darling in and out Of holes,
clearing this follows head by few inches.
grazing that ones back SO close that, II he
CHANGED to faint or drop asleep, off in an eyes
twinkle the machinery would whirl him, rags,
gether. And the air was foil of o o1d. mourn..
full hum, like ten thousand sighs and Rroane
Presently Bob eat down on bench then, HklV
q good boy, tried to perform the task set forS
wheel right in front of him ard close by aud
80 fixed and prolonged was his gaze that by
common consent, the operatives ohristened him
work in eaEnest, and 1t was not long ere he be-
came the best worker Of them all.
When Bob was an infant, We remember, he
used to creep toward the sun streak on the eel
lar floor, and cry when it faded away.
NOW, although the buildinU wheFa ha kniIa1
twelve hours day WIS gloomy and depressing,
and the sunshine Rodsend to the spirits, the
boy never lifted his eyes for q single moment
when it shimmered through the sooty windows.
at bis age one grows apace; ono 10 likewise
tender and easily moulded into we'll nigh any
shape.
SO, like as the insect, emerging from the
ohrygalis, takes the color of the leaf or bark 70
which 1t clings, Bob grew moro and more like
unto the soulless machinery hummiuR round
aim. II whispered to, he made no response.
Wen toward evening his poor back would feei
weary, no look OF impAtienoe revealed itself on
lis counteDance. If ever he heAved q sigh, NO
'ars heard it, not even his own; and the fore
nan declared that he was q model boy for all
bio other boys to imitAte-So silent, so indus.
rious, so heartily cooperating with the wheels
md cog wheels, boiler, valves and steam in
act, he was the most valuable piece in the
Whole complicated machinery.
Bob was really study. There are children
rho look forward TO happy days to come who
ften, too, thro W heir minds eye back ward ON
he Christmas last gone by. This Bob never
id. His past had no Santa Claus. his present
ed none, his future had none 1t we're dihi-
nit to say what life did appear to him. as day
fter day be- bent over his task. Msyhap he
ever INDUCED in thoughts about himself
hat lie bad been. what he was, what he
tight become. Certainly, If we may judge by
70 long crysta'lized, Bob was indeed what the
brennan sad--s Bit of the machinery. And
ore AID more akin to it he grew as time
Dlled by. Bob had never beheld it except in
otion; and on Sundays, when he was forced
remain idlo, his arm would ever and anon
art CT on Wild, crazy whirl round and
'und and round it would go; wbereupon the
her children would laugh and shout: Hit
} Look at Flywheel Bob~
The child's fame spread. In the course Of
me Richard Goodman, the owner of the fac
lown, was subject to the govt; at least, he
I'VE IL that name, which sounded better than
en mstism, for it spscked of family, of gentle
rtb though. verify, IL snch an atlment
ight he communicated through proboscis,
ere was not enough old Madeira in his veins
have given morquito the govt.
When thus laid up Mr.. Goodman was wont
send for his superin tendent to inquire how
sinesS was getting on; and it was upon one
these OCCASIONS that he first heard Of Bob.
though not person given to enthusiasm,
even when expressing himself on the sub
e OF money-money, which lay like a little
Id worm ia the of his hesrt-he became
excited when be was told about the model
lid, who smiled, who never sulked,
10 never asked for higher wages, that the
eman felt a little alarm; for he had never
n his employ er's eyes glisten they did
", and even the paiD in his left knee did not
svent Mr. G oodnIan from rising up out Of the
" chair to give veut to his emotion. BE
re me-" be exclaimed, this child is the be-
ming OF race of children. Believe
!, when our factories are flled by workers
Q him. then we'll have no more Btrikes;
likes will be extnguished forever" Here
. Goodman sank down again in the chair.
n, pulling out = elk handkerchief, wiped
forehead. Bat presently bis brow con-
cted. There 10 some talk" he continued,
{ introducing bill in the Legislature 70 ox-
do all children from faetoEies HndsE ten
70 ef aGa. Wonld asch q hi e1elule ,sp