The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1876-11-16
BERT'S THANKSGIVING.

red about the ears, and very blue aDOuG
the mouth. stood kicking his heels at the
door of cheap eating house, III Boston,
and offering solitary copy of morning
paper for sale to the people passing.
But there were really not many people
passing, for it was Thanksgiving day,
and the shops were shut, and everybody
who had a home to go to, and dinner
to eat, seemed to have gone home to eat
that dinner, while Bert Hampton, the
newsboy, stood trying in vain to sell the
last Z" Extry" left on his hands by the
dull business of the morning.
An old man, with face that looked
pinched. and who was dressed in seedy
black coat. and a much battered stove
pipe hat. stopped at the same doorway,
and. with one hand on the latch, he APP
peared to hesitate between hunger ana q
sense of poverty, before going IN.
1t was possible, however, that ne was
considering whether he could atford
himself the indulgence of a morning
paper (seeing it was Thanksgiving day.;
so at least Bert thought, and accosted
him accordingly.
"Buv a paper, sir2 All about the
fire in East Boston, and arrest OF safe
burglars in Springfield. DULY cents.
The little old man looked at the boy
with keen gray eyes, which seemed to
light up the pinched and skinny face,
and answered In a sbriu voice, that
whistIed through white front teeth:
''You ought to come down in your
price, this time of day. You can't ex-
pect to sell morning paper at II o'clock
for full price. u
"Weil, give me cent them" said
Bert. s'That's less'n cost; but never
mind. I'm bound to sell out, anyhow"
tYou look cold, y said the old man.
esCold." replied Bert, "Im froze.
And I want my dinner. And I'm going
to have a big dinner, too, seeing it's
Thanksgiving day" :.
s'Ah lucky for you, my boy /" said
the old man. " You've a home to go
to, and friends, too, hope"
emo, sir nary home, and nary
friend-only my mother. Bert hest
tated and grew serious, then suddenly
changed his Tome and Hop Houghton.
[ told him to meet me here, and we'd
have frst-rate Thanksgiving dinner
together-for it's no fun to be eatln'
alone Thanksgiving day 1t sets fell
Ter thinking-if he ever bad home,
and then hain't got home any more.
g It's more lonesome not to eat at all,
said the old man, his gray eyes twink
ling. ''And what can boy like you
have to think of ? Here, 1 guess l can
find one cent for you-though there's
nothing in the paper, know"
The old men spoke with some feeling,
his fingers trambl9d. and somehow he
dropped two cents instead of one into
Bert's hand.
Here you've made a mistake +
cried Bert. CA bargains bargain.
You've given me a cent too much -
mo, I didn't II never give anybody
a cent too much T.
But-see here I" And Bert showed
the two cents, offering to return one.
''No matter, " said the old man. g 1t
will be SO much less for my dinner
that's all. "
Bert mad instinctively pocketed the
pennies, when, on moments reflection,
his sympathies were excited.
Poor old man |" he thought; "he's
seen better days, I guess Perhaps he's
no home. A boy like me can stand it,
but I guess it must be hard for him. He
meant to give me the odd cent, all the
while and I don't believe he has had
decent dinner for many day"
All this, which l have been obliged to
write out slowly in words, went through
Bert's mind like a flash. He was a gener-
Gus little fellow, and any kindness shown
him, no matter how trifing, made his
heart overflow.
s'Look here" he cried "where are
2j0et going TO get your dinner, to-day 2"
. I can get bite here as well as any
where-it don't matter much to me, re-
piled the old man.
Dine with me, said Bert, laughing.
s'I'd like to have you"
HTm afraid l couldn't afford to dine
as gou are going to, said the man, with
a smile, his eyes twinkling again, and
his white front teeth shining.
''I'lI pay for your dinner !" Bert ex-
claimed. ''Comel we don't have a
Thanksgiving but once year, and a
teller wants good time then"
''But You are waiting for another
boy"
go! Hop Houghton. He won't come
now, it's so late. He's gone to place
down in North streer, guess-a place I
don't like, there's so much tobacco
smoked and so much beer drank there. +"
Bert cast final glance up the street.
@sNo, he won't come now. So much the
worse for him He likes the men down
there; I don't.
"Ah!" said the man, taking off his
hat and giving it a brush with his elbow
as they entered the restaurant, as if try
ing to appear as respectable as he could
in the eyes of a newsboy of such fastid-
ious tastes.
To make him feel quite comfortable
in his mind on that point, Bert FASTENED
to say:
81 mean rowdies, and such. Poor
people, if they behave Themselves, are
Just as respectable TO me as rich folks
u IL. Io,uA ..nsAo nu.nAro,.nA 10