Montgomery County sentinel., 1891-06-05

MRS. BRIGGS CLERK.

He was u ,all. thin, starved. d.looking
boy, with little jacket, tho sleeves Of
which cropt half way up bis arms, aud
a hat that was nothing but brim, aud
when she saw him ho was eating crust
out of the gutter, She was only q poor
old woman who kept u little shop for
candy aud trimmings, aud poor enough
itself, lloavon knew, but shu said ho
looked little like what her Tom might
il he had grown up aud been neglected,
aud she couldn't stand II, She called
to him,
"Como here, sonny" aud tho boy
oboycd
Before she could speak again no said,
~ didn't do II, III Aks my oath
on anything, didn't do t. atn't
No mean
"Dilo't do what '" aid the pleasant
Old woman,
"BreOk your window" said the boy,
noddmg his head toward shattered
pane,
"Why | broke that mysolf with my
shutter last night" said the old woman,
~ NmG strong enough 10 in them,
that's the fact, I'm getting old"
VII fm round hero when you ahut
up, lll do Il Tor you" said tho boy
MA just as soon What was that you
wanted mo Tor Y"
~ want 10 kaow what you was eat,
mg that dry crNst OUT Of the gutter Tor "
was the reply
"lluugry,N ho @h, "rye tried to
got ldb all day rm going 10 sleep
IN an area over there after ia too dark
for a poleemua 10 500, and you cant
have u good nights sleep without some
supper, if II Ia little dirty"
Urn give You some that's clean"
amid tho old woman
what will be boggmg," ho said,
"No,N Sho said "y0u can sweep tho
store aud pavement aud put uP the
shutters for II, +"
Worry woll,N he said "rhankee,
thOn lf sweep up Irst I'll Nel bet
tor"
Accordingly sho brought him
broom, aud ho did lha work we'll AG
forward ho ate his supper with u relish,
That night he elapt, not IN the area,
but under tho old woman's counter
lle had told her hls story, Ills name
was Dick, he was | = years old, aud HIS
father, whom ho had never soon sober,
was In prison for llh,
Tho anlooedenta were not eleyating,
but the boy soem good, Tho next morns
ing tho old woman engaged clerk for
hOr small establishment, Tho terms
were simple -"hls living and bod un-
der the counter" "
When tho nelghbors heard Of Il they
were shocked A street boy whom no
ono knew Did Mra, Briggs really
want to ho murdered IN hor bod Y hut
Mrs, Briggs Nh quito safe She had
M much tim0 now that she Intended 10
take In sewing, Dick attended to the
shop altogether lie kept II Ia Rne
order and Increased the buslneNa by In
roduolng oandies and chewing gum,
penniea eame IN as they never came Ia
before since ho had painted signs In
rod aud blue Ink 10 tho effect that the
real old moNsses candy waa 10 ba got
there, aud that this was thu place Tor
peanuts,
llor great dream waa to buy herself
Into the Homo Tor tho Aged, II would
cost hor Sl00, Sho was saving for H.
Sho had hcen saving for three years,
had $40 of H. Hut II cost SO much to
live, with ten 20 cents per quarter aud
loavos ~ small aud she had boen sick,
aud there was tho doctor aud Mira
Jones Maria Jane TO be- paid for mind.
Ing her aud tho ahop
Aner this Dick took tho greatest IN,
terest Ia tho savings, aud the wlnler
months Increased them, AZ though he
had brought n blessing, Ono night IN
tho spring sho took the bag from under
tho pillow aud counted what Il had, II
was $40,
"And I'll begin to make ki,oa 10. NOR,
row, Mira Rriggs," said thu hoy, "and
you'll SEQ tho custom Il will brlng II
4 little shaver secs the kites he'll spend
all he has for 'em, aud then he'll coax
his mother for moro 10 buy tho stick
darts aud chewing gun, ! know boys"
You're clever boy yourself" said
tho old woman, aud patted his hand,
II was plumper hand than Il had
boon when Il picked the crust out Of
the gutter, aud he wore oloan, whole
clothes, though they we're made Of very
coarse cloth
"llow wrong oil the neighhora were ~
she said "fhat boy Ia the comfort Of
my life,
so she went To bod with tho treasure
under her pillow aud solpt Far on IN
tho night she awoko, The room was
utterly dark there was not ray Of
light but she heard step upon the
floor"
h'Who IL that y she criod
There was no answer, but she felt that
there was ono leaning over the bed
thon u hand elaspod hor throat aud held
hor down, aud dragged out tho bag,
| aud aha wnH relaasel Half AuIloeated