St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1889-08-24
CHARLIE ROYCE'S SCHEME.
How He Got Toby Lamson into the
Country.

~OultAJ.
"Now, Toby! Look here l' And Toby
samson, the boy that lived in Back Alley, |
Ind that went on clutches, here looked |
hto the face of his neighbor and friend,
harlie Royce.
bis eyes that were like big, black cherries |
N Charlie.
''Now say, Toby, wouldn't you like to
No into the country?'
"Oh, wouldn't l ~ The black eyes
looked very mournful.
u Lots of green grass in the country, real
sreen, toe. Toby. None of your yelly and
usty kind !"
The b+ack eyes loked covetous.
And birds, tool And brooks, too And
berries, too And then whole days, too
Fhree days a-hearin' birds and a-seein'
Brooks and a pickin' berriesl'
This was very tantalizing. The black
Dyes flashed excitedly.
''But you can't go?" mournfully said
Toby.
81 don't know about that There is a
Three Days Fund down here at the cor
her-thats the office-and l am goin' to
pee the man.
N But when he went to see the agent,
Simeon Joyce, who kept grocery and
hlso gave out the chances for an outing as
he was directed by the society managing
he "Three Days Fund" Charlie came
a back in the shadow of d great disappoint-
|nent. Toby was watching for him. As
he watched, he and his clutches leaned
aEhgainst brick wall.
VI "Don't you think that Joyce says he'll
give inc chance if I'll earn it Givin'
hnd earnin' don't seem to go together.
Funds low, he says"
whats the job?"
go see woman. There's her name
Mon this 'ere."
'sThis ERE was addressed to lady on
Fifth avenue
N "Let's co." said Toby.
Off they went, reached the house, and
hen Toby waited at the gate, ''peepin'
round the corner" while Charlie, with his
Y note in his hand and his heart up near his
%mouth, falteringly mounted the broad
kstone steps. He came down again on run.
"Come into the yard Got job weedin',
and for it we'll be sent into the country,
Toby"
"Goodl I'll help"
SeQc the two boys were in the midst of
Nseveral flower beds, all struggling for
chance to fill with sunshine many blue and
4 white and pink flower cups held up to the
N golden sun. When the boys had finished
The lob, Charlie took back a note to Joyce,
the grocer.
"Well, sonny" replied Joyce, this
mote, written by director of our society,
says the JOB was well done, and you can
have ticket to 60"
''One, ir3"
s'Of course"
ii "But there were two of us"
.sYou didn't tell me that"
No. Charlie had been silent upon that
point He himself was so full of know-
edge of this fact that Toby was partner
with him in all his efforts and all his
hopes, he supposed everybody else must
know o it, And Joyce was ignorant
II Oh, d. ar what could be done now2
~ Joyce saw the look of disappointment in
NJ Charles face.
sWell," he said, "that's too bad. You
come to- morrow mornin' sure, and one can
90 sure, p'r'sps both. I'll do what can. .
Prepared for an outing, the two boys
4 appeared promptly the next morning.
MI aOnly zone chance" declared Joyce.
stAnd payi~--l see the train goes earlier
to- day."
s'Can't we ketch tt" sorrowfully asked
Toby y
Doubtful "S-c
Toby turned to Charlie The two boys
aed whispered and hurried conferenc &c
for there was that train and it would soor
be going. aoo
Charlie, if we had tlme,"
4 tI've got it, Toby" said Charlie. ''1ol
get on my back.
The grocer happened to be looking gu
\ of his window, minute after. and he saw
y a slim, white-faced little fellow on tn
back of stout, struggling, painting boy.
"Now, if that Amt teching !" said Joyce
watching this departure for the station
" -4If I had boy with mel do need NOR
II belp-I would jest run after these boys
and take that lame little chap myself t.
the station. Yes, that's good, gospe
way"
ewes down upon his fat cheeks, but tn
| next moment he was laughing. He imag
med himself, the fat, broad-backed grocer
CARRYING off 'tslim, leetle chap" and b
laughed heartily.
I can improve on it, concluded the grocer
esIf only had team !"
In about half an hour Charlie was at til
saYou saw your friend off 2" aske
aoh, yes, sir Only one could co. 20
know"
"Well, what do you think has happene
since you went off with him r
"Don't know, sir
"Guess !"
81 couldn't.
"Well, that lady up on the avenue 20
IA that iob for. has been here. She sa.
Isl ron did that lob SO well she wants to ps
T., onother tarel And here it isl
The grocer held up very fascinatlI
.r,,,it FOR an outing. As he showed ]
p;s ewes distended and smile went q
oysse his round face, till it shone IKE u
Am coming out of the clouds. Ii he hi
bean the happy individual destined 1or
80 days' stay among birds, brooks al
,sarr;as he could not have been happle
~ sbown it more positively in his face,
.sNow. YOU are ready to 60. Your mar
acted YOU up for start and won
Plnarried about ye, and you start on &
raxt train. Do IS | tell ye
charlie started 1t was such nap
;onrnav. The train was headed west, al
Jooved toward the crimson sunset-clou
s1ono the hills If it had risen up a
= ahnt toward those clouds and ended
t-;n among palaces Ct gold and precio
stnnas II could not have been more Wol
s. JsrfnI To Charles expectant soul,
M n ,ras fairy-land where he did stop, as ,nu
u a. if he had been left up in the CLOUDS:
nAnd who's that r asked Charlie ~.
sa1f aThat boy on the piazza OF :, q
bnnse. i mean. Why, ! believe u Is =
and didn't know him -
go aNo that boy with happy face, "
had had splendid supper, was not