St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-01-12

stepped from the street into the wide
hall then, without stopping to knock,
he had opened the great door which
led into the gentleman's room. On the
threshold of the saloon he stopped
frightened at what he had done.
"What is it, my small man 2"
Mr.. Arthur Leonard had a pleasant
smile which came easily to his hand
some face; but the child shrank back
although he looked into the big brown
eyes as if he saw something there he
had been looking for great while.
"YOu came to beg, l suppose" and
the gentleman's hand went readily into
his pocket.
"Oh, no, sir, never thought of that
l wanted-I mean-please sir, will &C
now"
He moved back awkwardly, but Mr.
Leonard stopped him with a gesture
The child's face interested him. His
manner, too, at first so eager, now sc
embarrassed, had reused his curiosity.
"YOu are cOld," he said, noticing
that the child shivered and that his
garments were thin and poor.
He rose, took the boy by the hand
and led him to the crate fire which was
dancing, on the hearth, big, jolly fire,
which seemed trying to light up the
room and make the chandelier notice
how big and bright it was.
Mr.. Leonard did not seem to think it
queer for poor little boy with patched
clothes to sit in one of the crimson sat
in arm chairs big enough for throne,
He drew up one for himself opposite.
"Are you hungry ?" he asked. ~
will give you something to eat, and a
little wine will warm you up"
'Oh, no, SIR" and the child shrank
further back into the big chair.
"YOu will tell me your name, at
least ?r
eyes, sir. My name is Eddie Boyn-
ton and l am ten years old"
"Ah?"
Mr.. Leonard was smiling now as he
saw the boys courage coming back.
"You will not be angry with me, STRIP
"Angry! why in the world should !
be angry with you9"
81 didn't know but you might, sir, il
l said what l wanted to-"
"Never fear, Eddie; am anxious to
know what you have to tell me-"
The little boy stretched his little
thin hands, red with the cold, out tow
ards the glowing fire, and said:
81 work in the dye house now, and
get a good deal of money, a dollar a
week.
Mr.. Leonard could hardly help laugh
ing. The wine he had offered the child
cost more than that.
81 come past this big window every
night on my way home. l shan't come
again, though, because we are going to
move away. l like to look in here,
because it is so warm and pleasant,
and because you are sitting here and
have eyes just like my fathers"
"What a strange child ~ Mr.. Leon
ard was thinking.
He was so handsome and TALL
went on the little fellow, looking back
into the freight. "He wore nice
clothes, too, like yours and we lived
in a great big house, most as big as
this. used to sit next him at the TIA
BILE, and he gave me that to drink, u
pointing to the wine glass. ''Mother
would cry sometimes; but he would
kiss her, and tell her that good wine
would make me strong and handsome.
One day he went away for long time,
and mother cried all the time he was
gone. When he came back he struck
her, and then fell down OH the floor. |
screamed, because 1 thought he was
dead. The black man who drove the
horses came up stairs and helped moth
er get him to bed. She said he was
sick. He used to scream and fight if
any one went near him. 1t was the
red wine that made him so, mother
said. And then one night he died, and
there was a great funeral. After that
mother packed up our clothes and went
to live where she could earn some
money. We've only got two little
rooms now. Mother sews on a ma
chine. Sometimes she cries all night,
! guess"
He had been talking very fast, but
stopped suddenly.
Mr.. Leonard moved uIeasily.
"This was what you wanted to tell
me2r
"Yes sir. Every time 1 come by the
window and see you sitting here, you
make me think of my father; and
wondered if you had any little boy at
home, and how he and his mother
would feel if you should die because
of the red wine;" and then the tears
came, and Eddie Boynton slid down
from the big chair and stood beside
Mr.. Leonard, who had turned his face
away. Eddie wondered if the gentle
man was crying, too. He could not
see the big, brown eyes, for his head
was dropping upon his breast.
''I'm going home, now, sir. Mother
will have my supper all ready and be
frightened if L don't come," and before
Mr.. Leonard reused from his painful
reverie, the child had slipped from the
warm CHEEKY room, and was running
down the dark street, home to his wait
ing mother.
In all the years to come, Arthur
Leonard and Eddie Boynton, man and
boy, may never meet again. The room
in the luxurious club house is deserted /;
the fire is out, the room dark, the heavy
curtain drawn at the big window but
in beautiful home the brown eyes
look lovingly at sweet woman, and to
the rosy boy who hangs about his neck
the father whispers: "God bles you,
my child, and keep us all from the de-
struction of the red wine"
Mr.. Moody and Mr.. Bliss.