Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1889-11-22
THE LITTLE FOLKS.
Bobby's Adventure.

man who sat lnduStrlOusly sewing ny
the front basement window of q shabby
brick house in neighborhood devoted
entirely to sheltering people who had
never lived in other than boarding
houses.
well, sonny answered the woman,
show much will We charge?"
TIL put it in for ten cents"
well, go long an do it. But it
pears to me you're pooty nicely dressed
for putin coal.
"Yes, ma'am. meekly answered the
boy; o.,
"No, ma'am."
"Well, go long aud put it in. |
haven't time to stop here all day a.
talkin'."
SO, calling to an untidy looking SER
vant--wNo had been standing in the
passageway between the front and
back basement. listening to all that
had been said-to bring a pail and
shovel, the speaker resumed her sew
ing, and Bobby May, our little hero,
went to work.
Ny readers will be somewhat sur
prised when / tell them that Bobby,
in his expensive clothing and pretty
shoes and cap, looked decidedly above
his calling. But the fact,was, he had
decided not to so to school that NOW
ing, and took q walk instead. He was
only seven years old, and did not real
ize how naughty it WIS to play truant.
Then he saw the coal, and thinking it
would be a fine thing to earn some
money for himself, asked and gained
permission to put it in.
Poor little lad! Whist an immense
fortune that ten cents seemed! How
many things he could buy! Yes, he
needed a new knife. He had seen
beautiful ones on stand in the street,
and they We're only ten cents apiece.
He guessed he would buy one. But
after q few moments reflection he came
to another conclusion-at least he
thought it a conclusion, but it was
simply the beginning of long train
of thoughts OF how to get as many
things as possible for that ten cents.
In the meantime he was filling his
first pail, and when he tried to lift it
he found it rather more than he could
manage. So he dragged it along the
yard to the cellar-opening, which was
under the basement window furthest
from the gate, where he empted it. In
consequence of SO much eNertion con-
siderable coal had been spilled, and he
had to pick it up again. He then be-
gan slowly to fill his second pail, and
found it harder than the OTHER to dis
pose of. But this was Booby's first
business venture, and as visions of all
the things he would buy came into his
mind. he was not easily discouraged.
He had been working half lour, and
only gotten rid of four pailfus Of coal
There was still a miniature mountain,
black and glossy, to be safely slowed
away i'll the cellar. After another hour
he began to feel warm, tired ald hun
CRY, for it was near noon. He thought
of other things beside knives and tons.
yet still he kept bravely on. At one
o'clock the pile of coal seemed search,
any smaller. Poor little Bobby wa,
working physically as well as mentally
now. He could not possibly make That
coal disappear any faster; he felt very
miserable indeed, for he was waking
up to sense Of his wrong doing. Poor
little fellow /! this was his first lesson IN
realizing wrong committed. Ie
thought Of the punishment he should
recelve-that was the worst view of
the matter. When he looked at his
.grimy clothes and black hands, he
could think Of nothing but the dis
pleasure it would arouse when he made
his appearance at home.
After while Mrs. Boggs--that was
the name of the woman for whom
Bobby was working-came out of the
house.
well, we'll! l declare if you amt the
LATEST boy I've seen in q long while.
A-ben a-workin' since ten o'clock put
tim i'll ton o coal, and hain't done
yet! Clare out an go home, We little
rascal, an won't yer mother give We a
good whippin'? I've almost a mind to
do it myself, for ye desarye it-a-spil-
lin my coal all round the door-yaru !
When yer mother sees them good
clothes all spilled yell get a good
thrashin'. Glare out-go home!'
Hungry, tired and heartsore, Bobby
trudged on. Amore grimy little figure
it would be difficult to imagine; big
tears were coursing down his face, and
wiping them away with his black hands
did not improve his appearance. Oh.
how wretched he felt as he wandered
about the streets! For he was afraid
to go home. And then to think that
after all the woman did not pay him
anything! His cup Of sorrow seemed
full.
After two o'clock, as Bobby did not
appear at home, Mrs. May decided he
must have gone to his grandma's after
school hours; but then it was very un-
usual for him not to COME home at the
dinner hour, SO she sent servant to
the old lady's house, but Bobby had
not been there. Then she thought
that perhaps he had gone home with
one of his little schoolmates; and as
she was in the habit of driving each
day to meet Bobby's father at the fer
ny connecting with New York, where
he. was engaged in business, she start
ed on her errand as usual.
AS Mr.. and Mrs. May were driving
homeward, the latter told her husband
of BObby'S absence