The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-06-03
SWINTON'S STORY.

Il often compare myself to that wide
& meading tree out yonder, when think
the unconsidered acorn from which il
Msng.' .-.s. ..--..-...
Then turning to me with frank
ssrkle in his eyes, Swinton drew his
chair closer to mine, SO that we might
10th face the glowing Christmas fire
md be said somewhat abruptly: Il
never told you the origin of my fortune.
Light one of those Russian cigarettes
With 1aferme's name on them. and
will do SO now. 1t will just last till
Este orders us off to bed.
81 was, as you know, founding
md never had any education worth
peaking of. l had neither sixpence
nor friend. | was simply human
raf, and if | had thrown myself over a
bridge and been drowned any day be-
fore | was five and twenty, nobody
would have inquired what had become
dme | was an active chap, too, and
got odd jobs which kept me alive. l
uncertain was not unhappy. Healthy
lie never is so, and hungry young fell
low who lives on sixpence a day and
earns it, after all only follows the ad-
nee which an eminent physician gave
iohis best patients. | was keen-wit-
led Lad, moreover, and | think | should
have got on sooner if | had had chance,
but then never did have chance, or
even half q one. / beat the London
FTement with my feet till knew every
aeh Of it, yet | never found ANYTHING
but now and then hired horse to hold.
Twas always hired horse, for gentle
men were generally attended by grooms
hmy time, and commercial travellers
aOrses stood without holding.
lhe best part of my income came
nom running errands for the beadle of
apebllc company, of which am now
ehslrlnan. He was a beadle of an au-
gast presence, and it was his duty to
sand at the Office door with an impos-
ng stan every time one of the directors
y y tne secretary went in or out. To |
y 'aese ceremonial functions he added |
a'sle private business of his own. and |
to provide messengers for the
saolishment. His charge was sixpence
!, message u. for short distances and one
dlllng for longer ones. He paid me
emmy In both cases, and affected such
slY IDEAS about time and space that 1
new should get nothing if I asked for
ure, fenty of street Arabs would
I've been glad to cut me out; and, in
esd' soon acquired sort of favorship |
nohg them from the regular nature Of
] employment, considering myself as
] J OF the company's servants. The
'sn. OF my ambition at that time
Naa nave been to have had shiny
= with band of silver lace around if
y % have been able to say; Yes. sir.
Iectly, SIR to Alderman Dumping
!, y was great light in the concern.
must have been a gaunt, lantern
eeSed lad when I was moving about
sunday afternoon at HYDE Park
,,ner,, near Tattersalrs. The compa-
/ ounce was, of course, closed on that
!, 4, ana was on the watch to see if / {
~ pick up any odd coppers. But l {
nard time of it with the red jack
, VINO were the regular men who did ,
J loos for noble sportsmen there t
,u ,u.s' and who punched my head with I
asssing '.ss vivacity whenever they l
,su me trespassing in their dig
e. had almost given the thing up I
una. Gay, and was slouching along I
! aoiack eye and sore nose, toward Z
81 ',std'sor1dge, when l saw a weak, 4
,eA-kneed a,s little fellow strapped to a t
ss'ss / y sort or of a truck, and pulling away Z
{ a.. a.. MS small might and main. 1t d
KY some sticks of furniture piled t
a az " and hair trunk broken in the +
'Ilu, loa, Wlth a splintereds cover. Still a
.us. suau was far beycn1 the ehild's t,
ss.n, fssa and the sweat streamed down a
es.e NC as ne dragged hard at it to lit Ii
pIrpose. J up Therefore, although was D
hungry, and more or less out of b
IN m.sei1, l began to whistle, and. il
i my left hand carelessly to the h
"a a,a. aook the weight off the bows Ii
lkiIes, klr and set in trundling along Ii
~ ! enough for anything. D
.aow' then, Spi Tor, what are yer I
Ind I sala the little man, gasping out a
~ - gnant words as well as his spent W
:, would let him. He was a proud d
,od,., s1u would not have begged for W
e,S: ssby help; but suppose there was v
rs; saillg IN my manner, or perhaps in b
,s.le, so' which reassured him, for he e1
solhethlng about his father. and II