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

thinking less of that than Of the sights
by the way. Two boys were racing
velocipedes. To Benny that was .
splendid sight.
81 visit 1 had q velehorsipede," he
whispered, with . pensive air.
| On and on he pl0dded. blissfully be-
wildered, absorbed in these enchanting
visions, until he found himself before .
caterers show window, tempting with
crisp loaves of bread, daintily frosted
cakes, and unspeakable cookies. tarts,
jellies.
"Oh my! oh myr' cried Bonny, be-
ginning at last to remember that he was
nobody but little hungry boy, "rm
hungry-rm so hungry!'
| While he stared with all his longing
eyes, he heard these words spoken loud
" right by his side. "Come on then;
we shall be sure of good dinner"
Bonny turned round. Two men in
tall black hats were striding by, and
one, as he spoke; clapped the other on
the shoulder. The invitation was not
meant for Bonny at all. But that did
not make any difference to him. He
simply received the idea that if he fol-
lowed these two men he should get to
q dinner. So he pressed sturdily after
them. He had to walk fast, and some
times he almost lost sight of them in
the throng. But Bonny was so hungry
by this time that he was very much in
earnest. He did not stop to watch the
people, nor to look into any more shop
windows.
It was really not long before the two
tall hats were seen turning up some
low, broad steps. The painting Bonny,
Juggling after, followed unnoticed
through wide door into vast hall, all
paved with marble. Quite confused
and out of breath, Bonny suddenly
stood STILL Where he had lost sight Of
the two tall hats and the wearers of
them he did not know.
"Seems like another ut-doors," the
child thought, looking up at the high
ceiling; ssbut where's the dinner?
There Is a dinner; I smell it; it smells
good. Seems to me never did smell
so much dinner in my life."
By this time he also became aware of
cheerful clatter of dishes and voices;
and following the sound across the
wide hall, he pushed open great door
that stood half ajar.
Sure enough. there before him lay
table after table, adorned with spotless
linen, and spread temptingly not only
with flowers and fruit, but with plenty
to eat.
How should little Bonny know that
this was the day when the grand new
Metropolis Hotel first opened to the
public? How should he know that here
were all the mighty men of the city
merchants, editors, ministers even
with their wives, met together by invi-
tation to celebrate the dedication din
ner? You see. they had not invited
Bonny: nobody expected him; so at
first nobody noticed him as he slipped
noiselessly in.
The tables seemed so full of people
that Bouny had to walk up the room to
find a place. A queer hush fell on the
clatter and the chatter. People dropped
their forks. They watched this little
figure with the sunny hair, the happy
face, the shabby shoes, the tumbled
check apron. that dragged after it the
wen-nigh forgotten red cape, and at
laSS mounting into an empty chair,
said, with sigh of satisfaction, and in
very clear voice, 81 want dinner.
please"
Bonny glanced round him. He
thought everybody looked pleased. and
catching the eye of lady who bent to-
ward him, he smiled back a shy, friend
ly smile.
This lady was the first to speak to
him. She crossed eagerly over and
said, "May I sit beside you, dear? I
knew a little boy once with yellow hair
like yours"
Bonny never noticed that she had
tears in her soft eyes now.
81 like your hair BEST" he answered,
half timidly, half frankly. The lady's
hair was very dark, and she wore in it
q splendid yellow flower.
81 But. please, I am so hungry! May
I have dinner?''
Before the lady could answer, q stout
gentleman came hurrying up.
"Wel, well, let's see about this" he
began, in q rollicking tone. "Shake
hands, little stranger. So you came to
my dinner, did your"
Bonny dropped his head. He was
rather afraid of the loud-voiced man;
but the lady whom he was not afraid
of said, re-assuringly, "This is the
man who gives the dinner, little one;
this is his house; he'll be very good to
you, never fear"
So Bonny looked up then, and re-
piled. simply. II came; I was hungry,
and I came.'
The host cleared his throat, and said,
heartily, while he patted Bonny's curls,
"Well, I didn't expect you, that's q |
fact: but we'll rive Won inst "a rood a |