Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-10-22
Mrs. Briggs Clerk.

MIS-. DrlSSs SleFh'
He was tall, thin, starved looking
boy, with little jacket, the sleeves of
which crept halfway up to his arms,
and hat that was nothing but brim,
and when che saw him he was eating a
crust out of the gutter. She was only
poor woman who kept little shop
for candy and trimmings, and worn
enough itself, heaven knew; but, said
she, he looked little like what her
Tom might be if he had grown up and
been neg lected, and she couldn't stand
it. She called him.
"Come here. sonny" she said; and
the boy came.
Before she could speak again, he
said:
ct didn't do it. Ill take nay oath
on anything I didn't do it. I amt so
mean"
Didn't do what p said the pleasant
old woman.
Break your winder,p said the boy,
nodding his head toward shattered
pane.
Why, broke that myself, with
my shutter last night" said the old
woman. I'm not strong enough to lift
EN-, that's the fact. I'm getting old"
eff I'm round here when you shut
up. I'll do it for you" said the boy.
"I'd just as soon. What was that you
wanted me fer?"
81 want to know what you were
eating that dry crust out of the gutter
for 2" Was the reply.
Hungry" said he; "I've tried to
get job all day. I'm going to sleep
in an area over there after it gets too
dark for q policeman to see, and you
can't have Q good nights sleep without
some supper. il it is little dirty"
said the old woman.
"That will be begging" said he.
No" said she. you can sweep the
store and the pavement, and put up
the shutters for it."
Every WE'LL" said he. Thankee
Ger. ;DI~hgessass ~ fiat IL feel
better"
Accordingly, she brought him q
broom aud he did the work we'll. After.
ward he ate his supper with q relish.
That night he slept, not in the area,
but under the old woman's counter.
He had told her his story. His name
was Dick; he was twelve years old, and
his father, whom he had never seen
sober, was in prison for life.
The antecedents were not elevating,
but the boy seemed good. The next
morning .he old woman engaged clerk
for small establishment. The terms
were simple-his "living and q bed
under the counter"
When the neighbors heard OF it they
were shocked. A street boy, whom no
one, knew. Did Mrs. Briggs really
wish to be murdered in her bed? But
Mrs. Briggs felt quite ssfe. She had
30 much time-now that she was going
to take in sewing. Dick attended to the
shop altogether. He kept it in fine
order, and increased the business by
introducing candies and chewing gum.
Pennies came in as they never did
before, since he had painted signs in
red and blue ink to the effect that the
real old molasses candy was to be got
there, and that this was the place for
peanuts.
And in the evening, after the shop
was shut up, she began to take him
into her confidence.
Her great dream was to buy. herself
into home for the aged. It would
cost her one hundred dollars. She was
saving for it. She had saved three
years, and had fifteen dollars of it. But
it cost So much to live. with tea twenty
i've cents quarter, and leaves 80 small,
and she had been sick, and there was
the doctor and Mrs. Jsnes' Maria
Jane to be paid for minding her and
the shop. After this Dick took the
greatest interest in the savings, and the
winter months increased them as though
he had brought blessing.
One night in the spring she took the
bag from under the pillow, and counted
what it had. It was over thirty dollars
And Ill begin to make kites to-
morrow. Mrs. Briggs" said the boy,
and you'll see the custom that it will
bring. II little shaver sees the kites,
he'll spend all he has for 'em, and then
he'll coax his mother for moro to buy
the stick dates and chewing gum
know boys"
you're clever boy yourself" said
the old woman, and patted his hand.
1t was plumper hand than it had
been when it picked the .crusts from
the gutter, and he wore clean, whole
garments, though they were very coarse.
How wrong the neighbors were,"
she said. "That boy is the comfort of my
life"
So she went to bed vii b the treasure
under her pillow and slept. Far on in
the night she awakened. The room
was utterly dark, there Was not ray of
ight-but she heard step ON the floor.
"Who is that 2" she cried.
There was no answer, but she felt
that some one was leaning over her bed,