The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-09-02
Mrs. Briggs Clerk.

llt was a thii3 OLlliS olhA
boy, with little jacket, the sleeves Of
which crept halfway up to his arms,
and a hat that was nothing hat brim,
and when she saw him he was eating a
crust out of the gutter. She was only
a poor old woman who kept little shop
for candy and trimmings, and poor
enough itself, heaven knew but, said
she, he looked little like what her Tom
might be if he had grown up and been
neglected, and she couldn't stand it.
She called to him
"Corne here, sonny" she said ; and
the boy came.
Before she could speak again, he said:
81 didn't do it. I'll take my oath on
anything l didn't do it. l amt SO
mean"
"Didn't DO what p said the pleasant
old woman.
"Break your winder," said the boy,
nodding his head toward a 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"
"If I'm round here when you shut up,
III do it for YOU" said the boy. I'D
Just AS soon. What was that you wanted
Inc forl'
81 want to know what you WAS eating
that drv crust out of the gutter FOR z was
the reply.
Hungry" said he, I've tried to get
a Job all day. I'm going to sleep III an
area over there after it gets too dark for
q policeman to see, and you can't have a
good nights sleep without some supper,
If Il is little dirty"
on give you some that's cleaner"
said the Old woman.
"That will be begging, said he.
"No," said she, you can sweep the
shop and the pavement, and put up the
shutters for it"
every well, said he "Ihankee then.
If l sweep up first I'll feel better.
Accordingly, she brought him broom,
and he did the work WELL Afterward
he ate his supper with 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 vas 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 the old woman engaged clerk
for a small establishment. The terms
were simple-his living and a 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 q But Mrs.
Briggs felt quite safe She bad so much
time now that she was going to take in
sewing. Dick attended to the shop al
together He KEEP. it in fine order, and
increased the business by introducing
candies and chewing gum. Pennies came
in as they never came in before, since he
paintel signs in blue and red ink to the
effect that the real old molasses candy
was to be got there, and that 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. 1t would cost
her one hundred dollars. She was saw
ing for it. She had ssved three years,
and had fifteen dollars Of il. But it
costs SO much to live, with tea % cents
a quarter, and loaves 80 small, and she
had been sick, and there was the doctor
and Mrs. Jones Marie Jane to be paid
for minding her and the shop. After
this Dick took the greatest interest in
the savings, and the Winter months in
creased them rs though he had brought
a blessing.
One night in spring she took the bag
from under the pillow and counted what
it held. 1t was thirty dollars
"And I'll begin to make kites to-
morrow, Mrs Briggs" said the boy,
"and you'll see the custom that it will
bring. If little shaver sees the kites,
he'll spend Ill he has for 'em, and then
he'll coax his mother for more to buy
the stick dates and chewing gum. l