St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-10-08

I
and tried to imagine what it would be
like to have turkey and cranberry
sauce every day. Every Christmas
Johnny had turkey and cranberry
sauce for his dinner, and he knew by
experience how nice they were. He
had ridden in an ambulance with a
friend of his-a newsbOy, who had
been run over by an express wagon,
and this was the nearest approach TO a
carriage ride he had ever enjoyed.
He wondered, as he watched these
happy, gaily-dressed people, why it
was that some people had all they
wanted while others were cold and
hungry, and sometimes starved to
death. This was not the first time
that Johnny had been perplexed with
such thoughts, but they had never
made him feel so uncomfortable as on
this occasion. He called to mind the
warm undertaking and tidy jacket
and pants which Miss Lee had given
him that day, and tried to comfort
himself with the thought that there
was one person in the world who cared
for him.
There had been heavy fall of snow
that day, and as johnny, still absorbed
with his thoughts, started to cross the
street, he saw something sparkle in the
I snow at the side of the crossing. There
had been rush of carriages, and a
few had not been able to pull up to the
curb. As he picked it up he saw that
it was an ornament in the shape of a
cross, and studded with diamonds.
Johnny knew they were sinners as
he called them, AZ soon as he looked at
them, and so with his heart in his
throat he tucked the precious jewel in
his pocket, still holding it firmly in his
hand. JOhnny's ambition was to start
a coffee and cake establishment where
the newsbOys could he entertained at
low rates. For more than a year he
had nursed this object, and here was a
chance to carry it into execution.
/ There were nine stones Ill the cross.
/ Disposing of one at time to- avoid
suspicion, here was money enough to
last him years and years, he told him
self 1t puzzled him to know where he
could keep the sinners, for there wasn't
Il soul among his acquaintances whom
he dare trust with the secret. Not IN
/ til he had crept into his poverty strick
EN- bed, with his treasure carefully hid
den among the straw, did the thought
occur that he ought to try and find
struggle between the natural honesty
of the lad and his very natural desire
for creature comforts.
The person who could wear gold
thing like that "chock full of sinners"
he said to himself, must have money
enough to buy more sinners. Here he
was, cold and hungry, with no pros
pect before him but to be always hun
/ - ,l, Il
these "shiners" which would set him
up in business and give him IL chance
to help the boys. Why should he find
the owner of the cross when he had
nothing and the owner had every
thing? This fight continued until it
was time for the lad to start for the
morning papers. All through the
busiest part of the forenoon the battle
still ragged, and the newsbOy's thoughts
were SO occupied with his new found
riches that he almost forgot to attend
to his customers. About half-past 10,
as he passed City Hall park, he noticed
Il gentleman, and as he heard the
words diamond cross" spoken, JOHN
ny slackened his pace and listened.
1.-The diamonds were all of the first
water" the gentleman said sit was n
| gift to my wife from her father and she
is terribly cut up by the loss. | don't
suppose we shall ever find it,"
"YOu will advertise it, won't you ?"
his companion inquired.
"OL, of COURSE" the gentleman re-
piled, "but more than likely it has
fallen into dishonest hands, and unless
the reward is equal to the value of the
diamonds we shall never see them"
! When the gentlemen separated the
one who was interested i'll the dia-
mOnds entered the city hall, and after
a little inquiry, Johnny discovered that
this gentleman held IA very honorable
office i'll the city department. After
finding this out the lad took a turn
round the park to think it over again.
! Granny Leeds said | was a off
securing, and Miss Lee says | amt
he argued to himself. "If | keep these
sinners granny'll be right and Miss
| Lee'll be wrong. She said the Lord
was giving me chance to make some
thing of myself. Well, now, the ques-
ton is, am or am | not a 0ffscOuring
If keep these sinners | am, if | give
them up, | amt. Well, amt" and
with these words on his lips, Johnny
started for the gentleman's Office.
Nothing daunted, he entered, and pre-
scented himself at the desk.
"Some of your folks have lost some
thing, amt they" he asked.
"They have" said the gentleman.
"Will your honor tell me what it is
like ?"
at is ii gold cross set with dia-
mOnds and the gentleman described the
relative position of the stones. at was
lost either in the Academy of Music
last night, or on the way from that
place"
Johnny's coat was off in twinkling,
and with rip at the stitches which
confined the treasure, he took it out,
and put on his coat again. 81 suppose
that is it" he said, handing it to the
gentleman. IL wanted to keep the
sinners awful bad" he continued.
They'd "A set me up in business, them
sinners would, but you see | couldn't
be such Il Off-scOuring AS that, though
have been trying to be thief all
night long. If | were your folks" he
went on, ''Pd get stronger string to
hold on them sinners for fear they'd be
gone for good next time"
''What is your name 2" the gentle
man inquired, as the lad, with his cap
in his hand, stood mOdestly before him.
''JOhn Resney," the boy replied.
"Have you a father and mother ?"
was the next question.
Nobody, Yer honor, but myself"
(Which would you prefer to do,
Johnny" the gentleman next inquired,
''gO into business or go to school p
"Well, would rather go to school,
ten to one" said johnny, "but there
amt any show for that"
1--WE will see," said the gentleman.