Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-08-08
Dick.



a little shop for candy and trimmings, and
poor enough herself, heaven knew but as
she said, he looked a little like what her
Tom might If he had grown up and been
neglected, and she couldn't stand it. She |
called to him:
Come here, sonny" said she, and the |
boy came. Before she could speak he said |
al didn't do it. I'll take my oath on
anything | didn't do it. amt so mean"
Didn't do what :" said the old woman
Break your winder," said the boy.
why, | broke that myself with my
shutter last night" said the old woman
I'm not strong enough to lift EN-"
off I'm round here when you shut up, III
come and do it for you" said the boy.
What was it that you wanted me for ?"
al wanted to know what you eat that dry
crust out of the gutter for" said She
Hungry" said he ave tried to get a
job all day. Im going to sleep in all area
over there after it gets too dark for the po
licemen to see, and you can't have good
nights sleep without some supper"
"l'll give you some that's cleaner" said
the old woman.
"That will be begging said he.
mo-" said She "you can sweep the shop
and the pavement, and put up the shutters
for it."
"very WELL" said he "Thankee then.
If | sweep up first I'll feel better"
Accordingly she brought him broom,
and he did his work well. Afterward he
ate his supper with a relish. That night he
slept, not in the area, but under the old wo-
mans counter.
He had told her his story. His name was
Dick; he was twelve years old and his
father, whom he had never seen sober, was
in prison for killing his mother.
The antecedents were not elevating, but
the boy seemed good. The next morning
the old woman engaged clerk for her small
establishment. The terms were simple, his
living and a bed under the counter"
When the neighbors heard of it they were
shocked. street boy-a boy whom no one
knew Did Mrs. Briggs really wish to be
murdered in her bed But Mrs. Briggs felt
quite safe. She had so much time now that
she was going to take in sewing. Dick at
tended to the shop altogether. He kept il
in fine order and increased the business by
introducing candies, dates on sticks and
chewing gum. Pennies came in as they
never came in before since he had painted
signs in red aud blue ink to the effect that the
real old molasses candy was to be got there
| "HN NiitNe 'hio Nu' Wv paw iOi BSuilhNo'
And in the evening" after the shop was
shut up, she began to take him into her con.
fidence. Her great dream was to buy her
self into certain Home for the Aged. Ii
would cost her hundred dollars. She was
saving for it, She had saved three year,
and had fifteen of it. But it cost so much
to live, with tea twenty-five cents quarter
and loaves so small and she had been sick
and there was the doctor, and Mrs. Jones
Martha Jane to be paid for minding her anC
the shop. After this Dick took the great
est interest in the savings, and the winte
months increased them as though he haC
brought blessing.
One night in spring they took the bas
from under her pillow and counted what i
held. It was thirty dollars.
"And III begin to make kites tomorrow
Mrs. Briggs" said the boy, land you'll SCI
the custom that will bring. If a little sha
yer sees the kites, he'll spend all he has TO
'em, and then coax his mother for more
"You're a clever boy yourself" said tn
old woman, and patted his hand.
1t was plumper hand than it had bee
when it picked the crusts from the gutter
and he wore clean, whole garments, thougl
they were very coarse.
How wrong the neighbors WERE" sh
said. -" That boy is the comfort of my life.
So she went to bed with the treasure undo
her pillow, and slept. Far on in the nigh
she awakened. The room was utterly dar
there was not a ray OF light-but sh
heard step on the floor.
"Who is that :" she cried.
There was no answer, but she felt tina
some one was leaning over her bed The
a hand clasped her throat and held her dow
and dragged out the bag of money, and sh
was released. Half-suffocated, She for
moment found herself motioness aud bewi
dered, conscious only OF draught of al
from an open door, and of some confuse
noises.
Then she sprang to the door and hurrie
into the shop.
"Dick Dickl" she cried. dick
Dick help wake up I'm robbed p
But there was no answer; the door int
the street was wide open, and by the moor
light that poured through it she saw as sh
peered under the counter, that Dicks be
was empty The boy was gone.
Gone gone Oh, that was worse t
poor Granny Briggs than even the los
OF the money; for she had trusted hiu
and he had deceived her. She had love
him, and he had abused her love. Tn
neighbors were right she was fool t
trust strange street boy, and had bee
served rightly when he had robbed her.
, When the dawn broke the wise neighbol
J came into poor Granny's shop to find he
crying and rocking to and fro; and the
told her they had told her so, and she onl
shook her head. The shop took care of i
self that day. Life had lost its interest fC
her. Her occupation was gone" but NJ
81 eatinns MnnAN hnt n
after all; he had come to be the only thin
she loved, and Dick had robbed her.
1t was ten o'clock. Granny sat moanin
by the empty hearth Good-natured Mr.
Jones from upstairs was seeing to things
, and trying to cheer her, when suddenl
there came a rap on the door, and a polio
man looked in.
Mrs Briggs ?" he said.
Z" Here she is" said Mrs. Jones.
"Yes, I'm that wretched critter," said sh
Some one wants to see you at headqua
ters," said the policeman. There is be
there and some money"
l. "Dick !" cried Mrs. Briggs. "Oh, | can
bear to look at him !"
But Mrs. Jones had already tied on h,
bonnet, and wrapped her in shawl, an
taken her on her arm.
THE wretch" she said "l'm so gla
he is caught You'll get your money back
And she he'd Mrs. Briggs along-poor Mr.
Briggs, who cried all the way, and care
nothing for the money. And soon the
: were at their destination, and then, and ne
before, the policeman turned to the tw
women.
Hes pretty bad" he said. They'll tal
ID, him to the hospital in an hour. | suppo.
you're prepared for that. He's nearly beate
to death, you know"
did you beat him, you cruel wretch
said Mrs Briggs. al wouldn't have la
that done for twice the money. Let him s
with it, if it's any comfort TO him."
81 beat him !" said the man. We'll, W
men have the stupidest heads. Why if
hadn't got up when | did, he'd have bee
, dead. He held the bag OF money tight, an
| the thief was pummelng him With a oadt
, stick and the pluck he had for little sh
ver--l tell you, | never saw the like
"'You shan't take grannys money fro
her. says he, and fought like little tige
If it's your money, old lady, he's given b
life for it, for all know"
Then poor old Mrs. Briggs clapped h'
hands and cried
"Oh, Dick Dick knew you were goo
must have been crazy TO doubt you" an
2 then she wrung her hands and cried 40
Dick, for just paltry bit of money! al
so she knet beside the pale, still face upc
the pillow, and kissed it, aud called 1t te