Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-10-16
MRS. BRIGGS CLERK.

crust out OF the gutter. one was Ouly
a poor old woman who kept little
shop for candy and trimmings. and
poor enough itself, heaven knew; but,
she said, he looked a little like what
her Tom might if he had grown up
and been neglected, and she couldn't
stand it. She called to him:
Come here, sonny" she said; and
the boy obeyed.
Before she could speak again, he
said:
Il didn't do it. I'll take my oath on
anything. l didn't do it. amt SO
mean"
Didn't do whatP" said the pleasant
old woman.
Break your winder," said the boy,
nodding his head toward a shattered
pane.
why, | broke that DlA self, with my
shutter last night" said the old
woman. 81 amt strong enough to
lift them, that's the fact. I'm getting
old.n
IF I'm round here when you shut
up, I'll do it for YOU" said the boy.
I'D just as soon. What was that you
wanted me for?"
y
ing that dry crust out of the gutter
for?' was the reply.
Hungry" he said. I've tried to
get job all day. I'm going to sleep
in an area over there, after it's too
dark for policeman to see. and you
can't have good nights sleep without
some supper, if it is little dirty"
I'm give you some that's clean"
said the old woman.
That will be begging" he said.
No" she said, you can sweep the
store and pavement, and put up the
shutters for it"
Very well,n he said. "Thankee,
then. If | sweep up first, I'll feel
better"
Accordingly she brought him
broom, and he did the work well.
Afterward he ate his supper with a
relish. That night he sic pit, not in the
area, but under the Old woman's
counter.
He had told her his story. His name
was Dick; he was II years Old and his
father. whom he had never seen sober,
was in prison for life.
The antecedents were not elevatinG,
but the boy seemed good. The next
morning the old woman engaged
clerk for her small est llShmcnt. The
terms were simplc-''hiS living and a
bed under the counter"
When the neighbors heard of it they
were SACKED. A street boy, whom no
one knew. Did Mrs. Briggs really
want to be murdered in her bed? But
Mrs. Briggs felt quite safe. She had
SO much time now that she wa, going
to take in sewing. Dick attended to
the shop altogether. He kept it in
fine order. and increased the business
by Introducing candies and chewing
gum. Pennies came in as they never
came in before since he had painted
signs in red and blue ink to the effect
that the real old molasses candy was to
be got there, and that this was the
place for peanuts
And in the evening after the shop
was Shut up she began to take him in
to her confidence.
Her great dream was to buy herself
into a home for the aged. 1t would
cost her 500. She was saving for it.
She had been saving for three years.
and had Sl5 of it. But it cost so much
to live, with tea % cents per quarter
and loaVeS so small; and she been
sick, and there was the doctor and
Mrs. Jones Maria Jane to be paid for
minding her aud the shop.
After this Dick took the greatest in
terest in the savings, and the winter
months increased them, as though he
had brought a blessing. One night in
the spring she took the bag from under
the pillow, and counted what it had.
1t was $50.
And I'll begin to make kites to-
morrow, Mrs. Briggs said the boy,
land you'll see the custom it will
bring. If little shaver sees the kites
he'll spend all he has for 'em, and then
he'll coax his mother for more to buy
the stick darts and chewing gum. /
know boys"
You re a clever boy yourself,' said
the old woman. and patted his hand.
1t was a plumper hand than it had
been when it picked the crust out of
the gutter, and he wore clean, whole
clothes, though they were made of
very coarse cloth.
How wrong all the neighbOrs
weren' she said. That boy is the
comfort of my life
So she went to bed with the treasure
under her pillow, and slept. Far on in
the night she awoke. The room was
utterly dark; there was not a ray of
light; but she heard Il step upon the
floor
WHO is that?" she cried.
There was no answer, but she felt
that there was some one leaning over
the bed; then a hand clasped her
throat and held herdown and dragged
out the bag and she was released.
Half suffocated. she for a moment
found herself motionless and Devil
dered, conscious only of draught of
air from the open door and some con-
fused noises. Then she sprung to the
door. and hurried into the little shop.
Dick! Dick! she cried. Dick!
Dick! help! wake up! I'm robbedr'
There was no answer. the door into
the street was wide open. and by the
moonlight that poured through it she
quickly saw. as she peeped under the
counter, that Dicks bed was empty.
The boy. was gone.
Gone! Gone! Oh, that was worse to
Granny Briggs than even the loss of
her money, for she had trusted nim.
and he had deceived her. She had
loved him. and he had abused her love
The neighbors were right; she was a
fool to trust strange street boy, and
had been served rightly when he
robbed her.
When the dawn had broken the wise