New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-17

! THE coon LITTLE BOY And THE B1D EGG.
There was once good little boy named
Abtam who lived in bad neiGhborh0Od, and
WAS obi gcd to play with bad BOYS. But he
wore good clothes and kept his face and hands
clean and didn't use any naughty wOCds and
sometimes he rebUkod his wicked companions
by going on the other side OF the street when
they were stealing boxes 10 Guild boufres with,
ana by saying Oh, my y when they used pro-
fame language. He was so good taat the bad
boys were in the habit of using his name AZ Il
SOFT Of shield for themselves when they got
caught doing mischief, so tiat n good many Of
the bad bows went unpublished because they
we're able to prove that they were friends of
Young AbIam. Sometimes people demonstrated
with young AbTam for keeping such company,
and permitting the bad boys to use his name
for bad purposes. But Abram always in
sisted that he exercised good influence over
them, and that it was better that he should
keep in with them and restrain them il some
degree from mischief than to move away and
leave them to their own devices. Abram I'M
doubtedy meant well il this, but it seemed to
a great many people that his staying with the
bad boys, instead of putting any restraint upon
Them only gave them greater opportunities fOI
mischief.
One day civil and wcll-behayed boy, whom
Abram had known for a long time and been on
very friendly terms with, was passing through
the street in which Abram and the bad boys
lived. The bad boys, knowing nothing about
him except that he did not belong to their
gang at once set upon him with mud,
tom atoes. and all sorts of decayed vegetables.
Now Abram was too good a boy to take part
in any such thing, and he said as much, pri-
ya;ely. though he did not interfere with the
snort. After while the boys took chalk and
tried TO mark "329r on the strangers back,
and Abram said he thought that was rather
more decent he didn't see that there was any
thing very Objectionable in that. All this time,
however, the strange boy was going along
quietly and behaving himself, neither toe mis-
siles nor the chalk having reached him. AT
any other time, OF IN any other place, young
Abram would II We rejOice1 in the escape OF his
friend across the street, but now he was an
moved to think thai the boys OF his own neigh
borhood were wasting so much ammunition TO
SO little purpose. Pretty soon the boys espied
a basket of eggs, and ono OF them SAID to
Abram: Would it do to fire eggs p BY this
time ADIahl sJihpaOhIcS htu pcOOWO ucciuculy
enlisted on the side of the bad boys, so after a
few moments reflection he took the basket to |
the edge of the sidewalk and said: "Tnat boy !
- over the'e keeps Cochin-China hens, and | can |
" only say t.csc look hike Cochin China eggs. |
" Pelhaps he's looking for them" On that hint |
the air in moment was fail at eggs, mostly |
bad ones. And Abram himself, carried away |
with enthusiasm, seized one and let it drive at |
his former friend across the street Ii didn't |
hit the mark but it struck the front door of |
Abrams own house, and broke and smelt very |
bad.
Then sevcTh of the bad boys were arrested. |
bit Abram was only called ny Il witness Aud |
the Judge said: "Abram, why did you nro q
" bad egg at your old friendf" al didn't know |
I" it was a bad egg sad Abram. II thought il |