Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1884-01-25
"a was q boot black and had earno

| how he was a boot black and had earned
enough to eat till somebody stole his
brush, and now nobody seemed to want
him to work and he had got so hungry.
Just at this point Gerty, who had gone
| to oct some food, came back with a rue
ful face. and said that Bridget had
locked up the pantries and Sammy had
eaten til, last cracker from the lunch
iar. and mamma had gone to sleep and
ouoht not to be wakened-and what
shou d they do?
SCOT any money?" asked Fred, rather
obviously. of his sisters, 1T was notori-
Gus that his own allowance was always
speedily spent. Unfortunately the girls
were no better off this time, so this
feeble hope proved futile. The sudden
" straitened hosts looked d%ismayed, and
the poor little waits hungry eyes lost
the hopeful look that had gathered in
them.
"Don't you think Mr.. Osborn would
trust you fora loaf of bread?" suggested
Gerty. hesitatingly.
81 suppose he would,' said Fred.
"but I don't think mamma would like
us to do that without telling her-and
YETI
Here Essie, who had been watching
the boy, and observed that he was star
ing about the Don with a somewhat
puzzled expression, suddenly remem-
bered something and whispered to Fred.
"T0-BE-SUREn calculated he,
ending the remark in q yell, and DART
ing wildly out of the back door. Ho
returned in a second with the two plates
of forgotten candy, and presented one..
with u knife, to the hungry child
Never was candy known to disappear
so rapidly, and in an Incredibly short
| space of time the plate stood empty,
and. the urchin was gazing wistfully at
the other half which the children in
their astonishment had forgotten even
to TASTE.
"Do you want more Of that?" asked
Gerty.
"1haven'teat my fill yet suspended
the boy, eagerly.
"Then don't step yet," said Fred,
showing the remaining plate toward
him. the contents of which began to
vanish as quickly as the first. Esther,
remembering numerous warnings called
forth by her own taste for sweets, grew
alarmed.
Erred" she whispered solemnly,
edo you suppose he'll die if lie eats all
that at once:?"
He considered the matter for a mo-
ment. emo" said he, 81 don't Mizak
he will. And anyway. if he does l guess
he'd die happier of butter-scotch than
of starvation" This reasoning was
conclusive, and Joe ate on unmolested.
Moreover he did not die, but on the
contrary seemed considerably refreshed
by his novel meal, though in nowise
untitled for another and more substan-
tial repast of bread and meat, when
Bridget came home. Then, Bridget
having invited him to return for some
breakfast in the morning, he went hap
PLY enough away to the little corner
which his brother had hired, and where
he still claimed home.
At dinner the whole adventure was re-
lated in graphic language to Mr.. Farm
ham, who, taking up the matter with
interest, succeeded in finding work and
a safe home for the boy. 1t was weeks
before the missing brother Tom, against
whose good faith Joe would not hear a
word. returned, pale and thin from a
long illness in a hospital of a neighbour
ing city, and worn with anxiety for his
little brothers safety. He found Joe's
new friends very glad to think well of
him, and ready also to lend him a help
ing hand; and not all the candy the
Farnham children ever ate gave them
half the pleasure that came through tho
two plates of butter-scotch which they
failed to get a taste ON. Y. Euaml-
ine1.