Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-02-01
THE MISSING PAGES.

Have paper, sir ? Something to
read in the cars, ma am ? H0rper'S, At
iu1,tic, Scri5aer! All the magaeines.'
But the people hurried past Johns lit
tie stand in the station, as they had done
all the morning. Only u Post and Jo'tr-
mol sold, and here it was noon Profit,
three cents On sunny days his sales
were brisk but it was drilling. The
thick PittsSurg air was full OF failing soot
and nobody cared 20 stop to buy.
No wonder they want to hurry out Of
this horrible place = muttered John,
locking about at tho wet, dingy houses,
tho pools of black mud through which
the horses tramped, and the clouds OF
smoke rolling through tho stroots. lie
/ thought of the sunny Ohio farm on which
he was born, and felt that he never could
grow used to this place. Three cents
profit! Not enough to buy loaf Of
bread.
John thought Of his mother, aud of the
scanty breakfast which they had eaten
together in their bare garret, with its
windows opening on the sooty roots. II
he could but have had good trade ho
might have carried homo nico ltto
treat to her. But tho crowd hurried past
and nobody stopped.
Magazines, ma'am ? something to
read on
Tho lady stopped. 'GodeyP An,
your books are dirty?' dropping tho
sooty magazine with shrug.
AS if no could help that Butt he began
blowing away tho SCOT for the twentieth
time that day. 1t was fou years since
his father died, and he and his mother
had como down to town, and in that time
he had done nothing but fight weakly
/ against SCOT and starvation. lie opened
one Of the story papers for boys. Thoro
was sen story in it boy goes or in
| the first chapter as II stowaway, in the
third tho gallant leaped upon tho deck,
and the commodore clasped him in his
arms
On the next page was an account ofa
boy going homo from work, who arrived
just in time to scale the walls Ola burn
ing house and rescue II child, for which
daring net he was the next day taken in
to partnership by the child's father, II
millionaire.
Some follows have such splendid
chances Q said John, laying down tho
book with a sigh. Now I've been here
four years, and nothing grand or noble
ever turns up for mo to do. Buy ten
Posts, fifteen Journals, daily; sell them
If can. On Saturdays, buy the week
iios. Onco II month, the magazines. --
That's the hoft Of il, year in and yenr out.
llow's n follow to mako strike Mt that
sort of work p
An old gentleman who had missed the
train sountored up, and began idly look
ing over the boys stock.
John watched him anxiously. If he
should buy one OF the six bound books (!
Profit on each was twenty-five cents. II
he should buy one Of these he could take
homo little treat to his mother after
all.
The boys eyes fairly glistened, for
besides being fond Of his mother, no was
hungry and tho smell OF fried oysters
and coffee, from the restaurant near by,
was almost more than ho could bear.
The old gentleman took up one Of the
books. John thought he certainly was
going to Luy ono. What should the
treat be ? A bit Of flesh meat? A minco
pie ? He decided tho steak would DO best.
An here is book which l bayo
wanted for long time, said the gentle.
man What's the price Of this, my
boy p
Those are one dollar each, sir
IN take this. No you needn't wrap
it up. I'll read it on tho cars
lie laid down bright trade dollar.
John could almost smell tre delicious
steak, and he thought Of his mothers
starved face. They had not tasted meat
for days. But glance at the book, rs
the gentleman dropped 1t into his satche,
caused him TO say, laintly--
Stop, sir | did not sec which one
you had takon. That is an imperfect
copy. There are four leaves missing in
the middle.'
Too bad l'-lhrowing the book down,
The dollar please
win none Of the others suit you, sir!
said John
mo. | have wanted this book fol
some time
You can have it for soventy-Gvc
cents, said John, eagerly.
! don't want mutlatcd copy at all.
John handed him back tho dollar, and
closing the satchol, the man walked on n
few steps, and sat down in an open door.
way to wait for tho train. lie was a rud
dy, fat old gentleman, with a kindly,
shrewd blue eye. Having nothing to do,
he thought the occurrence over lesurely.
That's an honest lad no said to the
proprietor Of the shop in which he stood
lie might have cheated mo Just now,
but he did not
Who ? John McTavish ? As honest
as steel. He's been under my eyes for
foGr years, and | know him to be as
truthful lad as ever was boln OF Scotch
blood
Um, am = said tho old gentleman.
But he put up his speetacles and eyed
John from head to foot.
The next day no stopped ut the same
shop and walked up to the proprietor
'IIow's he for Intelligence, now 2, he