The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1879-03-21

"Let him alone, Ona," said her mis-
tress, while the boy stood without max
ing the slightest resistance.
Saint he to be drug to de lock-upP"
asked Ona, with toss of her turbaned
swat until you hear what he has to
say" said Miss Peppard. Then, turning
to the boy, she asked, as mildly as
ever: "Of course you haven't brought
me back"
eyes, 1 have, 7" interrupted he. '.Here
'tis, money an all, 'cept what had to
take to fetch me out here. found your
name in it on card, and where you
lived"
"But, bless you'll" exclaimed the old
lady, more and more surprised, "what
made you take it If you were going to
bring it backp Come into the kitchen
and tell me all about it. Ona, give him
a drink of milk"
"By de Lor' Harry" said Ona, roll.
ing up her eyes until nothing but the
whites were visible, /" Nebber hear of
SIGH ting long as lib-gibbin' hull
sale robbers drinks of milk in my clean
kitchen! An 1 sha'n't do it. Spect
robbers gifts thirsty as well as odder
folks, dough-" And she handed him
the milk, which he drank eagerly.
SHOW go on" said Miss Peppard.
Why did you steal my pocket-book?
and why, having stolen it, did you bring
it back? Are you thief?"
"'S'pose-I-am," he stammered;
"but don't want to be no more. /
wouldn't a took it a year ago, when my
mother was alive; but she died, and ia
Their he went to prison soon after for
beatin' another man; and hadn't no
friends; and it's hard gittin' along
when your mothers dead, and you
hain't no friends, and your fathers in
prison"
"'Tain't soft, dat's de fac'," said
Peteona, gravely
$50 fell in with gang of bad fel-
lows, but I never stole nothin' but
things to eat till Yesterday. l come out
of the House of Refuge two weeks
ago"
"House of Refused" exclaimed Pete
ona, holding up her hands. can q
settin' in my clean kitchen, on nay clean
Oll-ciOf! WOt neX'!"
81 was there for breakin' q winder
and sassin' cop" said the boy, vita q
show of indignation, I" and nothin' else,
though they did try to make me out q
regular bad un." And then he went on,
under the influence of Miss Peppard's
steady gaze: "And the fellers said I
was softly not to have the game as well
as the name, and so I went into that
store cause l seed lot of folks there,
and l stole your pocket-book. And"
dropping his eyes and his voice
"there was picter of little baby in
it,
"My sister Polly's child" cried Miss
Peppard, her wrinkled cheeks begin
ming to glow.
'Her onliest child-'cept five," said
Peteona.
"And it looks like" continued the
boy, bursting into tears-'it looks like
y-little-sister.'
"Your little sister?' repeated Miss
Peppard, her own eyes filling with tears.
I" Is she-with her mother?"
as to be hoped she be-" said Ona,
with sniff, cor some odder place whar
sh'll be washed. Her brudder's dirty
huff for hull family"
"She's in place ten miles or more
from here,' said the boy, "with wom-
an who used to know mother. Mother
give her fifty dollars just afore she died.
She managed to save it and hide it from
father somehow, to keep Dolly till my
aunt in California could send for her;
but my aunt's dead too, and I'm 'fraid
Dolly'n have to go in the Orphan Asy-
lum after all. Father don't care nothin'
bout her. But if she does, if I'm good
boy, l can 90 to see her; but if Pm a
thief And when I saw that picture l
said 1 UiH be good. It seemed as
though the baby was a-lookin' at me
and wantin' me to kiss her. Nobody
ever kissed me but her and my mother.
Here's your pocket-book.
Miss Peppard took it from his hand,
opened it, found its contents as he had
described them, and then sat for full
five minutes in deep thought.
You want to be q good, honest
boy" she said at last, $50 as to be a
credit instead of shame to your baby
sister,"
eyes," answered the boy.
"It's mostly yes, n,a'ana, in desc
parts" corrected Ona.
"Well, I'll try you," said Miss Pep
pard.
"You!" starting from his chair.
eyes, I. / want some plants and
seeds from the store where you sto-
took the pocket-book, and am going
to trust you to get them for me. But
before you 60 there, do you know any
place where you can buy q suit of
clothes, from shoes to hat, for q very
little money?'
"Yes, ma'am," answered the boy, in
q voice that already had q ring of hope
in it. "Second-hand Bobby'sP''
swell, go to secondhand Roberts,
by the clothes By-the-bye, what is
your n ame?"
"Dick Poplar"
"And, Dick, continued the old lady,
''do you know any place where you can
take a bath?''
as to be hoped he do" said Peteona.
eyes, ma'am."
stake, a bath, put on the new
clothes, throw"-with a slight motion
Of disgust-''the old ones away"
as to be hoped he will" said Pc
teOna.
"Then 60 to the seed-store and give
hem the note will write for you. And
here are two five dollar bills.'
can dar money is soon parted"
exclaimed Peteona. "No matter bout |
lie fust word.''
But the boy fell on his knees before
Miss Peppard and sobbed outright.