Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-04-12
A Lancaster Waif

Relates His Experience to q Benefsctress.
For the. .INTELLIGENcRR
was standing at a counter of the great
commercial palace of Wanamaker's, when
little thin face with earnest black eyes
peercd into mine with, How-de-dO
Mrs M Looking down l wondered
"wlc can this be that with such glad
tone of voice recognizes me in this strange
place p
"Why, don't you know me I'm Charley
B., the boy that was one day up at our
Northern market, and big Bob G. was a
lickin' me because I wouldn't take his
sass and you took him off me, and you
said | was born for somethin' else as to be
swea.in' and fightin' land how should
go to Sunday school, and how I'd learn
how to be good there. and learn how to
sing, to-, and went tho next Sunday,
and, with twinkle in his eye he said,
"but you wasn't there" evidently think
ing, there he had me.
The memory of the circumstance began
to dawn upon me, and l recognized the
face, a!tLo' It was then darkened by pas
sion aud a se,,se of injury"
Why, Charlie" said, ''who brought
YOU all the way to Philadelphia p
"Brung mcsclf; was at the Inaugural
tion, too
"And how did you get there -
"Went in the cars.
." And who paid your way -
ont q a n
caster name) chartered car and slipped
in it. and when they found me we was too
far to put me off; and SO We all went on
to the 'nauguration.'
And did your father and mother know
Of your going
81 guess so; l told 'em l was agoin'."
- How old are you, Charlie ?"
Eleven
"And what did you do when you got
to Washington p
Backed boots
"And what then? -
Saw the president
Well, Charlie, see you have better
clothes Oh than when you were in Lancas-
ter, WLeIc uu yOu Ecu tuCu
Worked for 'em-blacked boots and
saved the money till got dollar, and then
there was coat in pawn, and they give it
to me Cor dollar and give the JACKIE: in,
and the trousers was dollar and quar-
ter, and bIacked boots till got enough
to pay for 'cm, but they're little too
big" and giving them hitch to keep
them in place, lie said, Il como here to
get some pins to pin 'em up"
The pins were literally supplied by
young lady who presided at the counter.
.And I've got shirt too," and he
dived under the vest to assure me that
there was really shirt there, and as if to
impress me with the gentility of his outfit,
said, 81 got hankercher, too bought it
with ten cents gentleman give me-" and
he produced it from his pocket for my ex-
animation. 1t had decidedly lost its orig
inal color, looking as if it might have done
duty for some weeks in an iron foundry.
"And I've got ticket, too"
The ticket seemed to be a permit for .
nights lodging and was evidently kept a.
a dernier resort in case no other place
could be had.
'.Poor Charlie, said l, 81 am afraid this
life you are leading is very bad one."
"Why?''
because an afraid you will learn to
swear, and lie and steal
"I know'd how to swear before l come
here, and needn't steal without I've .
mind to-
Charlie didn't allude to the lying part
very likely thought that was such small
item that it wasn't worth considering,
but g know boy that can steal right
before your very eyes, and you'd never
know it, and he can do a heap Of other
things"
Evidently good deal of hero in his
eyes.
."Charlie, who is taking care of your
Il take care of myself"
Sand who are you staying withs''
'sNot stayiu' with nobody at all, when
get some pennies I stay over night At the
boys lodging house, and when I haint
any, 1 stay wherever can find a pl.ce ,,
"Where We're You last night?''