The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-09-24

This was where the little fellow be-
longed. and how to return him to his
home.
Street and number he knew naught
about. What was his nameP Benny
Laddie." His fathers name? "Oh,
john What kind Of work did bis
father dop "Oh, nothing; father is
sick" He had no clear ideas associated
with any calling except with Nickie's,
as they found BY questioning.
That Nickie peddled papers, and that
B0nny would when he was bigger, he
was very positive about.
"Well, then,'' suggested the host.
"we'n try the newshOys. Wen Just
have Laddie standing by the door
when they go past, and maybe he can
pick out this brother of his from the lot. !"
The company satfor long time round
the tables. Bonny kept still, listening
and wondering, though he understood
little of the speeches and the toasts.
Once all eyes were again turned to-
ward Bonny.
A gentleman rose and said, "Ladies
and gentlemen. I beg to propose the
health of the first guest of the Merrop-
oils Hotel, who, though unlimited, has
given the patriarch of this palace the
privilege of entertaining an angel un-
awares.:'
But Bonny answered nothing to the
looks bent upon him. With one hand
full of nuts and bonbons, the other in
his heavy pocket, and face of perfect
peace, the little guest of the Metrop-
oils Hotel lay fast asleep in his chair.
He was rosily awake again by the
time the newsboys were crying out
their evening papers.
"Come and watch for Mckee"
coaxed the host; and with Bonny's
small, warm hand in his own he
stepped out on the broad granite slab
in front of the hotel.
'.That isn't N;ckie-nor that-nor
that" Bonpy kept saying at first.
ooh, Nickel he shouted. suddenly;
and, plunging forth into the street,
tumbled against small boy in big
trousers and an overgrown cap, whose
bundle of papers looked much fatter
than he did.
Astonished Nickie, who had not been
home since morning, could scarcely be-
lieve his senses at first, as he stared at
his little brother through the dusk, the
fog, and the rain-drops that now began
to fall. However, he could answer all
the questions that Laddie had been I'M
able to satisfy, and in very short in
terval carriage had been summoned,
the host had slowed away in it a capa-
cious basket hastily filed with choice
remnants from the feast, and Bonny
Laddie was rolling toward his home in
charge of the gentle stranger lady and
her husband.
Was there ever in the most agitated
of kettles such bubbling and boiling
over as took place inside the crowded
Donald tenement that night? Had not
they all been breaking their loving, anx-
ious hearts about Bonny Laddie, and
10! here he was, safe in the old red
cape, smiling and shining as usual, and
rather mystitied at having such y fuss
made over him.
The stranger lady, promising Bonny
to come again, made haste to go away,
but before going she had time to won
der at something she saw. why did
Bonny's tired but the-looking mother
give the lady's husband such sad, al
most fearful, look? Why did he seem
confused. and going over to the sick
man, said, twill reconsider that mat
ter. John. You may rest easy?"
Afterward she understood. When
Johns master had that afternoon curt
ly refused Mrs. Donald's petition, and
let her go away disappointed and dis
tressed, her patient waiting and her
earnest pleading having been in vain,
he had considered himself right, from
the standpoint of his own interest.
But then he had known nothing of the
clean, crowded household. and nothing
of this yellow-haired laddie who re-
him of another little yellow
haired laddie who had been taken from
him. n. Baker, in Hdrper's Young
PeODLe.