Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1880-09-23

face, the shabby shoes, the tumbled
check apron, that dragged after it the
well-nigh forgotten red cape, and at
last mounting into an empty chair,
said, with sigh of satisfaction, and in
a very clear voice, Il 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 shy, friend
ly smile.
This lady was the first to speak to
him. She crossed eagerly over and
said, "May [ sit beside you, dear?
knew 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
splendid yellow flower.
But, please, l am SO hungry! May
have dinnerP"
Before the lady could answer, a stout
gentleman came hurrying up.
"Well, well, let's see about this" he
began, in a rollicking tone. "Shake
hands, little stranger. So you came to
my dinner, did youP"
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; was hungry.
and I came"
The host cleared his throat, and said,
heartily, while he patted Bonny's curls,
swell, / didn't expect you, that's q
fact; but Wen give you just as good a
dinner, for all that. A dinnerp-Fll
warrant you we will: and upon my
word, ladies and gentlemen, rather
think the Metropolis Hotel is honored
to have the chance"
Never, never had Bonny imagined
such dinner as he ate that day. The
lady who sat by his side cut up the
chicken, and helped him choose among
the lavish dainties that the host kept
insisting on having brought for him to
taste.
Hungry? 1t seemed to Bonny that he
never in this world could be hungry
again.
His innocent heart ran over, and he
told his new friend, the lady, all she
asked him about his sick father, his
tired mother, the little tenement that
was like the kettle that all boiled away,
and the big family that crammed it so
full when gathered together. But one
thing neither the lady, nor her husband.
who filled BOnny's pocket with pennies,
ha in
out from him.
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 name? "Bonny
Laddie." His fathers name? "Oh,
John.'' What kind of work did his
father do? "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
Bonny would when he was bigger, he
was very positive about.
"Well, them" suggested the host,
"we'n try the newsboys. 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 sat for 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, 1 beg to propose the
health of the first guest of the Metrop-
oils Hotel, who, though unlimited, has
given the patriarch of this palace the
privilege of entertaining an angel I'M
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 a 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 Nickie-nor that-nor
that Bonpy kept saying at first.
"Oh, Nickier' he shouted. suddenly;
and, plunging forth into the street,
tumbled against a 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 a very short in
terval a carriage had been summoned,
the host had slowed away in it capa-
cious basket hastily filled with choice
remnants from the feast, and Benny
Laddie was rolling toward his home in
her husband.
The az ro n oor Iody y,ronisipn Ropuv