The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1880-10-14
THE ORPHANS SECRET.
By BONNIE HRURE.

By BONNIE HRURE.
@Are you doing we'll Mt this busi-
ness, my boy?" said gentleman, ad-
dressing little fellow. who kneeling
on the pavement before him, was put
ting finishing touch to his boots.
"Middlin' well, thank you, sir,''
answered the boy in tone and man
ner that instantly arrested his custO-
mer's attention, and led him to add:
"Have you parents living?'
| "No, sir; both dead"
"Been dead long?"
| "Not very long," answered the lad. !"
| Tho work had now been finished,
and the little bOOtblack, having re-
ceived his dime and thanked his Gus
toner i'll very respectful manner, was
about moving away when he was de-
| tained by the remark:
"HOld on q moment, my boy"
| That finely formed head and face,
| with the open and honest countenance
over which a shade of despondency
had fallen, had revealed more than
the little fellows few brief answers
had told.
"YOu are not more, I suppose, than
about ten years DID," said the gentle
man, whose interest in the lad had
been suddenly awakened.
'That is all, sir-tcn years and two
| months" answered the boy, glancing
into his customers face with o beseech.
ing look. Then dropping his eyes to
the ground he stood hesitating yet
evidently desiring to go.
The mind sometimes glances over
and through more in a moment than
i vN<, - Il
Mr.. Vrecland, then spending few
days in the city while disposing of a
drove of cattle, had family Of his
own at home on his large ecattle-ranche
but he could easily make room for
this little fellow, and prepare him for
more profitable business tllan the en-
ployment he was then in, and to which
he had evidently been drawn by ad.
verse circumstances and not by his
own inclination.
II am sorry, my boy, if my questions
have troubled you," said Nj. Vree-
land, "but have been thinking that 1
might perhaps find home for you if
you have none"
"In the city?" asked the boy quickly.
"No; in the country-a long dis
tance away. Suppose you call and
see me this evening at the Western
Hotel. Would you like to do so?''
eff you won't ask me who 1 am or
any ything about my father I'll come,"
said the boy, looking up suddenly
with hopeful expression.
81 will not insist upon your telling
me anything more about yourself or
your family than you are willing to
have me know" said Mr.. VrceIand
kindly. .'.'...... ....t.
"I'll come then," repeated the boy !;
and he was promptly there at the hour
his customer had named, and had evil
IDENTIFY been doing what he could to
give himself presentable appearance.
At the end of an hour his whole
story had been told, not because he
had been urged to tell it, but because
lie felt the want of the sympathy, con-
fidence, and protection he was obtain
ing i'll that way. He had relatives,
near and remote, a good many of them !;
but since tho death of his father, some
months before, which had been pre-
cedcd by the insanity of his mother
and soon followed by her death, no
one of these relatives had been willing
to give him home. He had lived
with three or four other families, at
each place q short time, but as soon as
they learned whose child he was they
had in every instance sent him away.
"You may call here again at the
same hour tomorrow evening"" said
Mr.. Vrceland, after busying himself
with his own thoughts q few minutes,
and then added, "Here, my boy, is q
dollar to pay you for any custom you
may lose while calling on me-"
81 don't want to be paid, sir, for
calling on you," said the lad with q
disturbed look.
.sBut it will please me better to have
you take the money" said Mr. Vree-
land, placing it in his hand.
Soon after the boy had left Mr..
Vreeland, while conversing with a
gentleman, easily learned the verdict
| That public sentiment had rendered in
regard to the father of that child-a
man whose temper, having never been
restrained by himself or any one else,
| had led to the commission of q crime
that had resulted in the loss of three
| lives at least-that of his victim, his
crazed and heart-broken wife, and his
own life, which last, however, was
not much loss to the public. @
"He left one child-a little boy"
said one of the gentlemen :"who ought
to be sent where his relation to that
man will never be known. He is a
fine looking boy, and was well taken
care of by his mother. His father also
was very proud of him, but there is
10 chance for him here"
."rhat boy" said Mr.. Vreeland, as
he thought the matter over alone in
his room, sis very likely to have dis
position to repeat what his father has
done, but it is unjust and cruel to as
sumo that that disposition will lead
! him to the commission of any actual
crime; and the bold, earnest, and ac-
tive employments into which may be
able to throw him will leave him no
| waste material In the shape of either
temper or time TO be used in killing
or harming any one."
The boy was promptly OH hand the
4 next evening, his personal appearance
still further .improved by q judiciout
expenditure of the dollar Mr.. Vree-
land had presented him and to which
had been added also about as much
\ more from his own little earnfngs.
al am now your guardian and pro-
tector,N my little fellow" said Mr.
Vreeland "that is If you would like
to go with me" at the same time ex.
planning to the boy that he had called
on the proper officer during the day
and obtained the authority required
\ for taking him under his charge.
I sWill anybody out there know wht
am?" asked the boy, with q lool
bounded on one side by fear, and OF
the other by hope. A
mot unless you tell them," replied
his friend, "and you are old enough