Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-11-29
THANKSGIVING ON CHERRY HILL.

Cherry Hill was alive with small boys
dressed as girls and still smaller girls
dressed as boys yesterday, from early
dawn until the street lamps b.inked and
winked at each other through tie dusky
twilight-long after small boys and
smaller girls should have been in bed.
Never was Thanksgiving day celebrated
with more vociferouS and ear piercing
enthusiasm, though it would have taken
far wiser man than the wiSeSt of wise
philosophers to tell what the little cele-
brants had to be so noisiiy thankful for.
1t must have been 4 o'clock in the
afternoon, for the corpulent old gentle
man had eaten his Thanksgiving dinner
full hour before he started out from
his comfortable home 10 walk TO an east
side ferry, when he appeared on Bayard
street. The day had grown cold and
cherries, but this did not affect the
spirits of the mob of merry makers who
surrounded him the moment his form
came into sight. He had barely escaped
one troop of youthful highwaymen, who
crowded his pathway and boldly de-
manded tribute, before he ran plump
into the midst of another party of for
ayers. Most corpulent men would have
lost their temper, if not their pocket
books, but this old gentleman was not so
aged that he had forgotten that he was
once a boy himself, and thus he man.
aged TO keep all of the former and a con-
siderable portion of the latter.
Long before he reached Mott street
news of his generosity had preceded him,
and when he found himself at this point
further progress seemed impracticable,
if not altogether impossible. Boys whose
smudgy faces were hidden behind all
sorts of masks of all degrees of hideous-
ness blocked his way, and other urchins,
who We're obliged by poverty to wear
their dirt with shameless openneSs, as
sailed him in the rear. ItSas here that
he realized his danger, and summoning
all his strength he pushed his way
through the throng and found safety in
flight and an alleyway half block down
the street. Waiting moment to recover
his breath and arrange for another dash
for liberty, he noticed a small boy
crouching on the hard pavement, his
face buried in his hands-a picture of
abJect and juvenile misery.
Whats the matter, my boy? Why
are you not with the other little robbers
on the street," asked the old gentleman
kindly.
please, sir, don't want to-"
Don't want top repeated the pbilan-
thropist curiously. whats the mat
teri"
please, sir, me sisters dead and 1
can't play wild der boys"
The little boy looked up into the old
gentleman's face. Then he reburied his
face in his hands and sobbed bitterly.
"Bless my soul!' calculated the phi
lanthropist, as he " iped his eyes. That's
tough. Where do you ive?"
Down de alley on de top floor back,
de last house"
"Well, come on. I'll go down with
you. Here, stop that crying. Here"
and he drew from his pocket a silver
| dollar, take this, and show me the way
/ to your house. I'll go with you"
/ The little fellow rose to his feet,
/ grasped his benefactor's hand in ELUSIVE
gratitude and prepared TO lead the way.
when did your sister die?"
Last night. She was sick and we
didn't have nothin' to eat. We amt got
nothin' there now"
"Well, well, we'll" and the old gen.
tleman cleared his throat with an effort.
That's bad. That is bad Nothing TO
eat on Thanksgiving Day. Here, hold
Oh. You take this So and go round to
the grocery and tell them to send some
! rNnl lrno,I
flour and anything else you want to
your rooms right off. I'll wait for you
here. Don't be gone long"
Like flash the boy was off.
1t certainly was an hour before the old
gentleman reappeared on Mulberry street.
The day was darker than before, the
boys .noisier, if possible, and their cos
tunes more terrifying. But among the
lads the bereaved brother was nowhere
| to be seen.
"Tll so around to the store to see
what's become of him." observed the
philanthropist to himself.
Half way down the block, just above the
corner and under the protecting shelter
of a grocery awning, were seated party
of urchins, busily munching pastry,
smoking cigarettes and incidentally CIV
ing vent to sundry wild whoops indica-
tive of a glee too joyous to be confined.
One of the boys was entertaining the rest
with a tale.
Didn't l do it hunk" exclaimed the
reconteur, with chuckle of conscious
pride.
Eyer did it up hunk" exclaimed his
listeners in a chorus, "you bet"
"Oh! l IN daisy on the hunk biz"
continued the young hero, modestly. 81
piped de big bloke off soon as l seed him
and"-
"Whager give him, Swipes?"
81 give him big steer bout me dead
sister an worked him for six bones. Den
skipped. Oh, Lordyi what's dat?"
"Ill teach you (whack) young rascals
to steal my money (whack) and lie to me-
FL catch you and"-
But he didn't, and when the angry old
| gentleman looked around him he was
alone with the gathering gloom, dozen
smoking cigarette stumps, a small paper
of bakers pies and a handful or SO of
soiled candy. And now there is one more
! -philanthrOpist added to this cruel,
selfish, grasping old world.-New York