The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1879-05-08

word until the old lady asked him, iu
mild voice-she never spoke unkindly to
dirt and rags: "Well, my boy, what
do you wantT
"Then you lost your pocketDook, yis-
terday W he blurted out.
eyes" said she eagerly. "That is,
it was stolen from me; for felt it in
my pocket moment before missed it.
Do you know the theft"
"Pm him." was the answer; and he
raised pair of dark eyes, that looked
like the eyes of a hunted animal, to her
face.
"My conscienceP' exclaimed the old
lady, and fell into chair that stood
near, while Peteona darted out and
seized him, shouting: "Golly! got yo'
wish mighty soon dis time, Miss Peppar'.
Run for de constable. Tll hold him.
Could bold dozen like him-or two or
free"
"Let him alone, Ona," said her mis-
tress, while the boy stood without max
ing the slightest resistance.
"Ain't he to be drug to the lock-upW
asked Ona, with toss of her turbaned
head.
"Wait till we hear what he has to
say" said Miss Pep2ard. Then, turn
ing to the boy, she asked as mildly as
ever: "Of course you haven't brought
me back"
eyes, have" interrupted he. Here
tits, money and all, 'cept what I had to
take to fetch me out here. l found your
name In it on. card and where you
lived"
"But, bless youp exclaimed the old
lady. more and more surprised, "what
made you take it if you were going to
bring it back? Come in the kitchen and
tell me all about it. Ona, give him a
drink of milk"
"By de Lor' Harryr said Ona, roll
ing up her eyes until nothing but the
whites were visible, "nebber hear of
such thing long as 1 lib-gibbin' hull
sale robbers drinks of milk in my clean
kitchenl An 1 shan't do it. Spect
robbers gifts thirsty as well as oddeF
folks, dough-" And she handed him the
milk which he drank eagerly.
"Now go on" said Miss Peppard.
"Why did you steal my pocketbook ?
and why, having stolen it, did you
bring it back? Are you thiefT'
S'pose-I-am," he stammered;
"but I don't want to be no more. /
wouldn't "a took It year ago, when my
mother was alfve; but she died, and
father he went to prison soon after for
beating another man; and / hadn't no
friends, and it's hard gittin' along when
your mothers dead, and you haint no
frieads, and your fathers in prison"
| "'Tain't soft, dat's de fac'," said Pete
ona, grayely,
lers, but never stole nothin' but things
to eat till Yesterday. l come out of the
House of Refuge two weeks ago"
"House of Refugep' exclaimed Pete
ona, holding up her hands. !" AN a-set-
tin in my clean kitchen, on my clean
oil-clofl Wot next?"
az was there for breaking a winder
and aassin' cop" said the boy with
show Of indignation, "and nothin' else,
though they did try to make me out
reg'lar bad un." And then he went on,
under the influence of Miss Peppard's
steady gaze: "And the fellers said l was
softly not to have the game as well as
the name, and so l went into that store
cause seen lot of folks there, and l
stole your pocketboek. And drop
ping his eyes and his voice" there was
} picter of little baby in it."
"My sister Polly's childw cried Miss
Peppard, her wrinkled cheeks beginning
to glow. >. :.
"Her onliest child-'cept fve,H said
: Feteona..
"And 1t looks like" continued the
boy, bursting into tears" it looks like
-my-little sister,"
: &c Your sister," repeated Miss Pep
, pard, her own eyes filling with tears.
r !" Is slle-with her mother?"
3 as to hoped she be-" said Ona, with
a sniff, cor some odder place whar she'll
3 be washed. Her brudder's dirty enough
for hull family"
t "She's in place ten miles.from here, =
said the boy, with a woman Who USED
5 to know mother. Mother give her fifty
r dollars Just afore she died. She managed
| to save it and hide it from father some
. how, to keep Dolly till my aunt in Cali
:. fornia could send for her; but my aunt
t dead too, and Pm 'fraid Dolly'll have
t to go in the orphan asylum after all
Father don't care nothin' bout her
y But if she does, if I'm good boy, car
e 90 to see her; but if Pm thief-Ant
e when l saw that picture l said l will b,
It good. 1t seemed as though the bah,
> was a-lookin' at me and wantin' me t,
o kiss her. Nobody ever kissed me bu
her and my mother. Here's your pocket
r book.p
e Miss Peppard took it from his hand
it opened it, found its contents as he ha,
II described them, and then sat for full
five minutes in deep thought.
" you want to be good, honest boy,
n she said at last, {" so as'to be credit in
, stead of shame to your baby sister? ?"
k Yes" answered the boy.
a, "It's mostly yes, ma'am, in des
o parts" corrected Ona.
r "Well, I'll try you," said Miss PEI
e pard.
IF "Youp-startiDg from his chair.
eyes, 1. I want some plants an
re seeds from the store where you sto-t0o
T. the pocketbook, and am Going to trus
t, you to get them for me. But before 20
as go there. do you know any place whel
eff you can buy suit of clothes, from Shot
m to hat, for very little money!
e. eyes, ma'am," answered the boy,
10 a voice that already had ring of hoE
;; in it. Secondhand Bobby's."
b. "Well, go to secondhand Robert
buy the clothes-By-the-bye, what
IA your name?"
ng "Dick Poplar"
a "And, Dick" continued the old lad
m ado you know any place where you cs
y, take bath"
nd as to be hoped he do" said Peteon
IT eyes, ma'am."
as "Take a bath, put on new clothe
Ill throw with slight motionof disgu
ma -" the old ones away" r..t.s .
he as to be hoped he WILL" said Pet
vs. ona
~, "Then go to the seed store and gi'
them the note will write for 20
And here are two five dollar bills"
re An dar money is soon parted
ly, exclaimed Peteona. "No matter 'bo
q the fust word"
But the boy fell on his knees befo
m Miss Peppard and sobbed outright.
us "An' he'll nebber come back no mo
I4zuuro Ono of tha ton of hor roioo nc :,