St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1877-12-07
Bobby's Thanksgiving.
BY HOPE LEDYARD.

''Oh, Tommy! l be so glad you're
come Seems the day 'ud never end
Did you sell all your papers ~
This reads as if it were a very dis
cOntented speech, but the glad tones of
the child's weak voice showed there was
no grumbling there. The weary day
was forgotten at once as the poor little
crippled boy felt his brothers arms
about him and laid his head on the dear
brothers shoulder.
"Well, Pm home, and every one of
my papers sold What do you think ?
1 was in Sixth Avenue car, calling
out Evening Post, Telegram, Graphic =
and not soul wanted paper, so l was
just going to jump off whep-would you
believe, that feller l told you teached
our class last Sunday was sitting in a
corner! He put out his hand and says,
Here, my boy, III buy the rest of them
SOS you can keep Thanksgiving One
feller laughed and some of 'em looked
pleased, and first one handed me a
penny and then another. didn't like
to take 'em, but l wanted the money so
much for you that 1 just did, and look
at there There's a Thanksgiving
What'll you have, Bob ?" Tommy
poured out lot of pennies and FIVE
cent pieces and even ten-cent piece
on the miserable bed.
"Now, what'll you have for your
Thanksgiving dinner ?" Tommy re-
peated.
'.Oh, you know what's good better
than / do. There's pie and potatoes.
But, Tommy, the landlord Hadn't we
better save this ? And what's Thanks
giving Day ?"
'sOh, the landlords all right, cause
Pm sure to sell papers tomorrow.
Thanksgiving Day is the day that
everybody gets good square meal
they give 'em away only, you see,
can't get you to any of the places.
sBut you can go. Yes, Tommy, you
must,n for the brother shook his head.
81 tell you, if you don't mind spending
money, what I'd rather have than a
big dinner-you know don't eat much.
I I'd like book that book the teacher
teaches you out of. You see Pve read
the paper through that you gave me,
and you said the teacher told that book
was every word true and that it had
lots of stories-true stOries-in it about
sick people. Could you get me one Y
Tommy listened in silence. Boh
wanted Bible! Wouldn't the the boys
laugh if he asked where to get one
Tommy had been to a mission school
for the last three Sundays, and though
! he liked the singing and the kind words,
vet he did not live upon what he heard
as poor little Bob did. When he found
Bob enjoyed hearing of the Sunday
school he had tried hard to remember
every word the teacher said, and so haC
told Bob about the Bible-and now he
wanted onei "Why,' he thought te
himself, ''it'll cost heap of money
But Bob was all Tommy lived anC
worked for, and since he wanted Bible
and would even go without dinner tt
have it, Tommy resolved to get it.
"The stores will be all shut to-mOr
row, but T'll get it the next day"
"Oh, Tommy, can't you go tonight
It's early YETI
1t was early, for the kind gentleman
had bought his papers before six O'Clock
but he was very tired and the only store
he knew of to go for Bible was Ions
wav off. Maybe there were some near
er, but who could he ask
.Well, see here, little 'un, if you'll
eat all of this bread I'll go off for thu
Bible. MINI you, IL ii oo ut'i "
get back, for it's a good ways"
.And you're tired, Tommy Oh, III
wait till Friday"
sNo, you won't. Pm off! Dali,
Graphicr Commercial = Telegram =
This call was sure to bring pleased
smile to Bob's thin face, and with I
Tommy ran off. The boys lived IN on
of the alleys near Pearl street, ant
Tommy's aim was the big square re'
brick building near Cooper Union
Hadn't he read "Bible House. on tn
front of it only the other day, and see
great big book, like the one the ma
used at the mission, in the window
By hooking on to stages and jumpIn
on carts Tommy saved his steps an
made good progress. About half wa