Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1891-01-09
MRS. BRIGGS CLERK.

He was tall, thin, starved-looking
boy, with little jacket, the sleeves
of which crept half way up his arms,
and a hat that was nothing but
brim. and when she saw him he was
eating a crust out Of the gutter. She
was only poor old woman who kept
a little shop for candy and trimmings,
and poor enough itself, heaven knew;
but. she said. he looked a little like
what her Tom c,ight if he had grown
up and been neglected, and she could
not 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. | didn't do it. ain t
so mean
Didn't do whatI' asked the pleas
ant old woman.
Break your winder," said the boy,
nodding his head toward shattered
pane.
why, l broke that myself, with
my shutter, last night" said the old
woman. Il amt strong enough to
lift them, that's the fact. I'm get
ting old"
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 ne forF
Il want to know what you was eat
ing that dry crust out OF the gutter
for?n was the reply.
Hungry he said. i've tried to
get a job all day. I'm going TO sleep
in an area over there, after it's too
dark for a policeman to see, and you
can't have good nights sleep with
out some supper, if it is little dirty.
III 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" he said. ''Thankee,
then. II l sweep up first I'll feel bet
ter
Accordingly she brought him
broom, and he did the work well.
Afterward he ate his supper with a
relish. That night he slept, not in
the area, but under the old woman's
counter.
He had told her his story. His
name was Dick; he was 70 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 a
clerk for her small establishment.
The terms were simple-his living and
a bed under the counter.
When the neighbors heard OF it
they were shocked 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
intended to take in sewing. Dick at
tended 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 molas-
ses 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
into her confidence.
Her great dream was to buy herself
into the home of the aged. 1t would
cost her 500. She was saving for it.
She had been saving for three years,
and had S15 of it. But it cost so much
to live, with tea % cents per quarter,
and loaves SO small; and she had been
sick, and there was the doctor and
Mrs. Jones Maria Jane to be paid for
minding her and the shop.
After this Dick took great interest
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. II little shaver sees the kites
he'll spend all be has for ,em, and
then he'll coax lsis mother for more to
buy the stick darts and cherinR-gun'.
I know bows