The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-06-21
TIE ENGLISH REPORTER.

| wouldn't try 1t, Colin, " were you.
No, my child, nor /. Forget it dear,
and try to be content at home.
That's just the way you always do,
mother; throw cold water upon my
every project. Now think you will ad
NIT that | am bright. Everyone here
saws am cut out for journalism, and
New York is the place of all places. You
know what The Pen thought Of my
flower story yet doubt ability should
get chance.
The boys eyes filled suspiciously.
But, nv child, New York is thou ands
of miles away.
What of III cried the boy excitedly;
what of it? I'm sure to get a chance
there. Let me but get that and you will
hear great things of me. And you, VIII,
can stay here and see to mother.
So finally 1t was decided that Colin
should 90 to America to try his luck.
The family were poor. Their home was
a pretty little cottage in Lancashire. la
summer the roses formed framework
to the little white house, and the birds
sang sweetly in the neighboring trees,
The gray haired mother, sitting on the
little porch, mourned the lost bright days
when every luxury was hers and her
heart failed her when she thought OF the
future for her boys. And now Colin
had gone away-gone over the sea TO
find fortune in far off land. The moth.
er sighed. Her courage failed her as
she pictured her child struggling for
bread in a strange city and she breathed
silent prayer to Him who guards us all
through life. Thus she buried her anx-
ious hopes for her boy until another day
when she might hear the glad tidings OF
his great success. And Will, in his lone
ly bedroom, sighed too. Alas, there is
but little true love brothers nowadays;
they are but friends, and lucky If they're
that. His heart yearned for the young
fame hunter. He, too, fancied horrible
pictures of hunger for his brother, and
strong man as be was, his courage oozed
away in binding tears when he fell up
on his knees and prayed for Collins sue
cess.
In the meantime a great newspaper
mounted upward to greater fame. The
enormous presses thundered night and
day, turning out thousands of copies to
the hour. Reporters scurried about after
news, scribbed away at their desks, and
handed in huge bills that made Collins
mouth water. Still he was one of them
and surely his turn would come. When
he arrived in New York he had gone
straight to the first newspaper office that
he saw looming up from the street. Here
he met rebuff. The corps was complete
they told him, 30 he had gone his way
and tried another. Mounting up long
staircase he had found himself in busy
crowd of men. Some one directed him
to the city editor, pleasant man with
kindly face and manner. III he would
come in a week from then they might
be able to do something for him. Then
the boy tried again. but his nerve was
rapidly weakening. This time he sue
ceeded. They needed man to do the
police stations out by Harlem at night.
The boy jumped at the chance.
Straightway over the sea went the
glad tidings to the anxious mother IN
Lancashire, She read her boys glowing
account of his prospects and his hopes
Yet she doubted, for a mothers heart is
prone TO fear and tremble for her child.
Colin progressed rapidly. He deserv-
ed to. lie had ability far above the
police courts, if il was crude, for 1t had
not been cultivated. And above all
Journalism was his hobby. His heart
was in his work. He turned into bed
every morning tired out. His room wat
poor enough, but a palace it often seem
ed to the worn out English boy, though
he had been born in home of luxury
and had never before known the uncer
tainty now was about every meal.
One night he returned home earlier
than usual and found to his distress tha
some thief had stolen his only overcoat
His landlady pretended great astonish,
ment and Indignation, but could no
help him. The boy was distressed be
yond measure. Bitter cold up 10 ina
day had been the weather and the win
ter was but half over. Nevertheless the
boy smothered his grief and the fear
which came anew and had been comlr
thick and fast Of late, for he had twlc'
now been almost without penny IN th'
world.