The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-10-02
GRANNY BRIGGS CLERK.

lie WAS tall, thin, starved-looking
III boy, with little jacket, the sleeves
of which crept halfway up his arms,
and hat that was nothing but brim
and when she first saw him he was eat
ing q crust out of gutter. She was
only poor old woman who kept little
shop for candy and trimmings, andpoor
enough herself, heaven knew; but, as
she said, lie looked little like what her
Tom might be 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
again, he said:
81 didn't do it. I'll take my oath or
anything l didn't do it. 1 amt so
mean"
"Didn't do what ?" said the old wo-
man.
Break your wlnder," said the boy
nodding his head toward shattered
pane.
"Why broke that myself with my
shutter last night" said the old woman.
"I'm not strong enough to lift 'em that
is fact Pm getting old.''
C. If Pm round here when you shut
up, I'll come and do it for you," said
the boy. I'D just as soon. What was
that you wanted me for Y''
Il wanted to know why you eat that
dry crust out of the gutter for" said
she.
Hungry" said he; "I've tried to
get a job all day. I'm going to sleep in
an area over there after it gets too dark
for the policemen to see, and you can't
have good nights sleep without some
supper, if it is dirty"
"I'll give you some that's cleaner"
said the old woman.
"That will be begging" said he.
NO." said she, you can sweep the
shop and the pavement, and put up the
shutters for it.'
every well," said he. "Thankee
then. If 1 sweep up first I'll feel bet
ter"
Accordingly she brought him broom
and he did his work well. Afterward he
ate his supper with relish. That night
he slept not in the area, but under the
old woman's counter.
He had told her his story. His name
was Dick he was twelve years old, and
his father, whom he had never seen So
ber, was in prison for life.
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 bed un-
der the counter.'
When the neighbors heard of it they
were shocked. A 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 attended to the
shop altogether. He kept it in fine order
and increased the business by introduc-
ing candies, dates on stick, and chewing
gum. Pennies came in as they never
did before since he had painted signs in
red and blue ink to the effect that the
real old molasses candy was to be got
there, and that this was the place for
peanuts.
And in the evening after the shop was
shut up, she began to take him into her
confidence. Her great dream was to buy
herself into certain home for the aged.
1t would cost her q hundred dollars. She
was saving for it, She had saved three
years, and had fifteen of it. But it cost
so much to live with tea at 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 and the shop.
After this Dick took the greatest inter-
est in her savings and the winter months
increased them as though he had brought
blessing.
One night in the Spring they took the
bag from under the pillow and counted
what it held. 1t was thirty dollars.'
g And I'll begin to make kites to-mor-
row, Mrs. Briggs" and you'll see the
custom that will bring. If little sha-
yer sees the kites, he'll spend all he has
for 'em, and then he'll coax his mother
for more to buy the stick-dates and
chewing-gum. know boys"
you're clever bow yourself.'' said