The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-17

a last look of the stage which carried him to
The voyage was long one of nearly two
months. The little lad often cried in his
cabin, and he wrote back: 81 wish mother
could wash me tonight" showing what a
tender mothers boy'' he was. When New
York harbor was entered, and he was eager
to see his adopted country, he was sent below
to black boots and shoes for the family.
His school days were now over. After
two years OF hard work In the country, he
sold his knife to buy postage stamp, and
wrote his father, asking his permission to go
to New York and learn a trade Consent
was given, and, in the middle of the winter,
our English lad of fourteen reached the great
city, with no home, no friends and only
fifty cents in his pocket. Hundreds passed
by as he stood on the dock, holding his little
trunk in his hands. but nobody spoke to
him. But at last, by dint of earnestness, he
found place to enter as errand-boy aud
learn book-binding, receiving two dollars
and twenty-five cents week, and paying
two dollars out of this for board. How his
employers supposed he could live on one
dollar month for clothes and washing has
never appeared.
The first night be was placed by his board
lng-mistress in an attic, with an Irishman
who was deadly i'll. the second night the
man died, and the horror-stricken young
boy staid alone with the dead till morning.
Now nearly two painful years more went
by. Finally, though he earned but So week,
he sent to England for his mother and sister.
When they arrived two rooms were rented;
the girl found work in a strawbonnet fac
tory, and, poor though they WERE they we're
very happy. John was now sixteen, devoted
to his mother, and still a noble, unselfsh,
persevering boy.
AT the end OF three months, through dull
ness of business, both children lost their
places, and now began the struggles which
the poor know so we'll in our large cities. In
vain they looked for work. Then they left
their two decent rooms and moved into
garrett. Winter came on and they had
neither fuel nor food. John walked miles
out into the country and dragged home old
sticks which lay by the roadside. He pawned
his coat that the mother, who had now be-
come ILL., might have some mutton broth.
One day he left her in tears and went Sob
bling down the street.
What is the matter" said a stranger.
~ M hungry, and so is my MOTHER
We'll. can't do much, but I'll help you
a little" and he gave John three-cent loaf
of bread
woman put the Bible on the rickety pine
table, read from it. and then all knelt and
thanked God for the precious loaf.
In the spring, he obtained employment at
$4 80 week, but poverty and privation had
fallen too heavily, rested too long, upon the
mother One day, while preparing Johns
simple supper of rice and milk, she fell dead.
All night long the desolate boy held her cold
hand in his; them in that Christian city, she
was put in pine box, and, without shroud
or prayers, carried in a cart her two children
walking behind it, and was buried in the
Poter's Field.
For three days afterward John and his sis
ter never tasted food. Probably the world
said: Poor thingsl' but it is certain that no.
body offered to help them.