The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1877-01-25
THE RATS TALE.

He was a levee Rat. And he was being
kicked, pushed, dragged, jostled back
ward and forward, by the stevcdore' S
men, like a ragged shuttlecock. Every
one had q curse and blow for the
Rat" and he would have suffered Sc
verely had not lady on her way to the
steamer observed it and called the atten-
ton of her escort, the captain of the
boat, to the unfortunate. The young
Rat was rescued, and, at the lady's re-
quest, taken on board the ship and his
injuries attended to.
"What is your name, little boy p asks
the lady, as she sees her protege taken
care of.
Dick"
"hre you hungry, Dick ?"
"R1-ther ~
"Only rather?' in tone of disap-
pointment.
Rather" explains the captain, Gin
that tone, means "'very.'"
The lady takes plate and fills it with
cold chicken, stufiing, salad, bread and
what not, adds knife and fork, and
gives it to Dick.
The knife and fork are no use to him.
He squats on the deck, and eats with ma
tures implements. He has no idea of
gastronomic combinations. First he eats
the chicken, then the stuffing, then the
salad, then the bread; and this done,
takes a long breath, and looks up with a
look that says more, as plainly as Oliver
said the word. More he gets, from the
same kind hand, which he watches with
dimly awakened feelings of delight, and
filed he takes his departure.
The party remained ON board till about
six o'clock, and by the time it broke up
every one had forgotten the "Rat;" but
as Mrs. Austen was crossing the levee,
he ran up, much to the annoyance of her
companion, who had had enough of his
company.
81 say" says the Rat EDO you like
him 2" with chuck of his thumb toward
tie steamer.
Captain Gilbert ?"
"Yes-is he your feller?"
sect out, you scamp!' cries the gen.
tloman, Indignantly.
"Let him speak, Fred" the lady
pleads. "No, Dick, 1 am married, and
this is my husband; but Captain Gilbert
is our kind friend. L crossed with him
once, and he was very good to me when
/ was sick"
YOU'D hate for anything bad to hap
pen him?"
"Why, of course to him or to any
one else
"Wot, to me ?"
"Indeed I would, my poor boy. Oh,
Fred see how wistful he looks Mayn't
| give him some of Charley's left-off
things? / have a little boy at home, /"
she goes on, seeing assent in her hus-
bands eyes" about your size"
So they bid him follow them, and more
wonders are in store for him. He sees
Charley. He is taken up to the lady's
own room, where the promised things
are produced and tried ON over his rags.
Here he stands, lost in admiration. The
great broad bed, with it's satin coverlet,
its lazy lace bound pillows, and snowy
mosquito bar held back by silken ropes
of the same color rs the little knots
which, here and there, light up the
varied greens of the fern spread carpet !;
the armoirs with their plate glass doors !;
the dressing table all a-glitter with crystal
and with gold, and a score of crincum,
crankums. such as he never before be-
held the pictures on the wall the
flowers in the balcony the perfume of
the place (no fixed odor, but q combina-
ton of all sweet things), bewilLered the
Rat. If he had ever heard of fairyland
he would have thought himself there.
He had never heard Of fairyland, or Of
the enchanters, giants, dwarfs, genii,
and all the dear old myths which sur
round its beautiful princesses and the
exemplary third sons of its kings.
\ drunkard who would drop a dime as
he staggered from the barroom was the
nearest approach to a good fairy that
DlcEknew. He gazed about him be-
wlldered, and some dim sense Of shame
stole over him as he saw his own rehec-
uon IN the looking glass doors.
Mayn't put 'em on now 2" he asks.
ss the things are selected.