Connecticut western news., 1876-09-08
HARRY, THE ERRAND BOY.

"Papa," eaid little Lucy Weston, climbing upon her fathers knee, "what pleases you so much to-day2 You have been smiling to yourself all dinner time."
 "Something has pleased me to-day, Lucy. If you aud Johnny would like to hear the story, draw up your chairs"
 GA story" said Mrs. Weston, looking up from her sewing. "May I hear it too ?"
 elf you are very good," said MT. Weston, smiling. "Let mo see, how old arc you, Johnny?' "Twelve, sir.
 Well, my story is about boy just your age. It is nearly year since first saw him. I was busy one afternoon last winter, when saw little boy coming into the store, whoso face attracted my attention at once. It was earnest and bright strong, good face, if ever I saw one. Tho boy was poorly clad, but his clothes were clean and whole.
 " May 1 see tho boss?" he asked.
 "' | am tho boss,' I answered, swhat can do for you2'
 "' want to ask the price of first rate sewing machine; not fancy one, sir, but good worker?'
 "'Sixty dollars.
 "'Wcll, mister, said he, earnestly, can I work it out I have every after noon from half past two till seven, and can run errands or do any work about the store. You see, sir, this is how it is: Father died two years ago, and mother she wants me to stay at school for year or two longer, but she has to work awful hard to keep me there Father was bricklayer and mother owns the little house he almost built himself, and that is all. She sews, sir, so l thought would sec if could earn one. ,
 "' But it will take long time, said l. If l give you dollar week, it would take sixty weeks.'
 "' Will you give me that2' he said, his eyes fairly dancing. l can come all day Saturday.
 "Can you ? suppose we say dollar and a half And If you do we'll, you can have the machine little less than retail price.
 You see, Lucy, was interested al- ready in the boy, with his honest, frank face, and resolved, if he was faithful in his duties, to help him along. So we made an agreement, he to give me all his spare time out of school, and to credit him each week with dollar and fifty cents toward the purchase of ma chine.
 Every day he came, punctual to the minute, rain or shine, and he was the most prompt errand boy I ever em- ployed. Little by little the dollars rolled up on the account, until one eve ming ill the fall I was here after dinner, just before you and your mother came home from the country, when the door bell rang, and in walked Harry Cummings, my errand boy.
 "' I found this, sir, he said, 'when l was.sweeping out the store, and he handed me roll of bank notes thought safe in my pocket.
 "' Please to see if it is all right, sir; it was under the counter counted the notes, two hundred dollars, and then taking out one twenty dollar note, I said:
 "' I should have offered reward for this, Harry, if you had not found it.
 "' am glad I saved you that, sir, he answered. 'Ill bid you good night,
 l said, putting down the twenty dollars twill you take it, or pass it down to the machine money?'
 "' Mine all that Oh, sir, pass it to the machine. You see, I'd have to tell mother where got that money, and the machine is to be surprise
 |" never spent twenty dollars with SC much pleasure in my life, Lucy This was great lift on the machine, and this afternoon, when Harry came, told him to pick out one for his mother.
 G Wn coloItNl RccA kn some, too, and I promised him one oi our best teachers should go and slow his mother how to work upon it. "When it was on the cart, ready tc go, invited myself to go with Harry tc see it delivered. He asked me to write Q note telling his mother the price was honestly earned, and 1 told him would tell her.
 "SO away we went, and when we reached the little house, tho cart was just turning the corner of the street Harry opened the door very softly, an6 the man lifted the machine into the par Tor. Then Harry led mo to small sit ting-room at the back of the house where pale woman in a widows dres. . was sitting sewing busily. She rose anc offered me chair, and told her I came to see if could obtain Harry's services at five dollars week. Ycu should have seen the boys eyes.
 He can go to tho evening school, } l said, land I will see that he has some time to read and study. I cannot spare him now, having had his services st long,
 "' My afternoons and Saturdays mother Harry said. I told you wa not ill mischief. I was earning you { present. Come and see.
 "And he fairly danced into the pa Tor, his mother and following. :, "'It's yours, he said, dancing rount the machine; all paid for, and lesson