Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1877-05-30
aelisttllanu.
A CITY Rat.

Dick Dick what! Nothing; and |
a aot think that he even got Dick through
RNhard given to him by godfathers and
a0amothers in the usual way. As child
h0 managed somehow or other TO escape
fhe nlassacres which those modern Her
ads. Want, Neglect and Disease are allow
ed IS hold in our great cities; and we find
him h small wild animal in the shape of a
BOY 0f twelve years old, living where he
naY eating what he can get; his hand
aoainst everything (that will sell at the
iauk-shop) and everyone's hand against
hini A human rata thing to hide itself
81 lark places, and to be chased and wor-
fiod when it dares venture into the light.
fiis costume is pair of old blue cotton
rants, kept up over faded flannel shirt
S. Il wonderful contrivance of old braces
and twine. His feet are bare. On his head
Il felt hat, which (whatever was its orig
inAl color) has now the hue of n well-soak-
81 iea-leaf, and (whatever was its origi-
hal shape) has long taken that Of jelly
Bag Perhaps if he were washed, he
6ald be u good-looking Rat, under his
3rinne; for his eyes are very bright He
does not know what school means. No
enc has ever told him it is wrong to steal,
4h0hgh the inconvenience of being caught
Atshling have been made manifest to him
81 many ways.
NWhy doesn't he work?" He does
work in his way.
The levee which Dick infests is that of
New Orleans; down by the foot of Jack
san Street, where the English steamers lie,
II lis happy hunting ground, and on the
dav when we make his acquaintance it
hos not been productive. The hunting has
been all on one side, and Dick discovered
hiding between two bales of cotton) is the
quarry. He is kicked, pushed, dragged,
ioslled backward and forward, by the
atefedorc's men, like II ragged shuttle
coek. Every one has curse and blow
f0r The Rat, with whom things are going
hard. when
oh, how shameful to beat that poor
child so!" exclaims soft voice, with a
ring of Indignation in it.
The speaker is a lady clad in crisp, cool
muslin, elegantly draped-a lady beauti-
fal Ia face and form, and assisted by every
aceessory that can heighten female charms.
From her dainty little bootines, which fit
IIko her gloves, to the soft curls Of her
haif, which the river breeze caresses, she
II stamped with the hall-marks of richness,
implicitly and good taste. She is half
way up the stage which leads to the Eng
llSh steamer, when the cries of our hunt
sd Rat attract her attention, and
Oh" she exclaims, chow shameful to
bent that poor child so! Do, please, Cap
faif Gilbert, make them leave him alone"
Captain Gilbert, whose guest she is,
ard who leads her up the stage, shouts
n IIalloa! quit that! Let the boy go,
and get on with your work" For you
sea, one cannot beat "Rats" and roll cotton
at ihe same time; and the latter occupa-
tlon, though perhaps more exciting, is the
less profitable of the two.
Dick-who, unable to dodge his tor
mentors, has emulated the example of Il
heagchog, and made himself as nearly
spherical rs possible against Il cotton bale
does not rise. The foe has not sutli-
aiently rctrcatcd, but he keeps bright
loQkout from the corner of one eye, so us
f8 be ready for jump.
They have hurt him." said the lady.
He can't get up, poor little tellow!' and
haloro any one can interfere, she trips
HoWn the stage, and is STOPPING over the
Rat," who is so taken aback by the appa-
rilion that he forgcts to jump and rolls
a4er straight His plight-when it appears
fhat no bones are broken-makes the lady
milo. He has been kicked into u coal
Afap, and is black, He has been cuffed
NHainst lot of oil cake, and is russell
blOwn. lie is fluffy all over with cotton
Nnstc. His mouth is open, and his eyes
are wild with astonishment, He had
never been so near to II lady, and he don't
Iliow what will be done to him,
! Come, get up" says the captain,
heres nothing the matter with you"
Il Can you rise?" asks the lady; and she
iohches him with the most wonderful
Ling Dick ever saw-her hand! The
Steamy glove upon it, the simmer of lace
and glitter of gold upon the wrist, and the
soGt, white flesh beyond; never had he
seen the like! Never had he felt such a
tohch, or had been spoken to in such
lone.
4 Oh, amt l in for it now" he muses.;
and then he looks up into the lady's face.
He saw IN expression there that he did
n0t understand. He had seen anger in the
ices of those who had caught him sud-
denly. Triumph-he knew the look Of,
when after u long chase he had been tax
en-. Scorn-that was common; plenty Of
that at all times. This was pity-so he
could not make it out ut all. A Hebrew
Inscription would not have been more un-
inlelligible to Dick.
There was no chance for bolt now.
The lady, the gentleman who came with
Hell, the captain Of the steamer and its
ehief officer, formed Il semicircle i'll front;
behind was the bale of cotton against
Which he had rolled himself for protection.
lle sits up, drinking in that strange ex-
0fession which at once scares, puzzles,
md pleases him, till sort of sleepy, faint
ceiling makes him close his eyes.
p He's going to faint" says the lady. Il
kiseU he was hurt Oh, see how he is
Needing"
He is bleeding badly. Big dark drops
nc trickling fast down his ragged sleeve,
Nhich will soak no more. These come
Hom an ugly tear Caused by II nail in the
Fharf planking) on his arm. just above the
albow.
Don't look, Mrs. Austen" says the
eaptain "I'll have him attended to. Oh,
anarter-master! come and carry this boy
10 board, and give my compliments to the
doctor, and ask him TO plaster up his cut" "
Dick has no powerTo resist. He is car
He'd on board, muttering Come, l amt
done nothing to you"
A cold lunch is served under the avn
lbg on the main deck. Two other ladies
nd their escorts arrive, but the meal is
Delayed by the appearance of some of the
rev, bearing squat. heavy boxes, which
iinge as they are lowered through II trap
Dor in the deck, partly under the lunch
able
-" Mexican dollars" explains the cap
hin.
" What Il lot of money" the lady re-
marks.
(" Not so much as you suppose, but a
LILY sum. Each box contains two thou
and dollars, and there are fourteen of
Bench, Mr. MansieldP" This to the
Nicer in charge, who confirms the count.
They have got to their first glass of
thampaigne when the doctor joins them.
"Well, how's your patienl?n asks the
captain.
"All right; and clean, for once in his
FIFE, but rather weak" is the medical re-
port upon the Rat.
Poor childn sghs The lady. "Wbat
ought he 10 take?"
II should prescribe something to eat