The morning call., 1892-07-24


Charlie was another OF the unfortuna ates.
| The boy was blind and poor. He was not
| really eligible to the class, not being en-
| ployrd during the Gay, but an exception
was made IN his favor, and one or another
| OF the boys used to bring him regularly and
as regularly take him home again. Charlie
! was II, tine-loOking boy, with regular fea-
lures. and gentle. winning manners. His
mother was dead, his father called himself
chemist and puttered continually among
retorts and glasses in their little basement
tenement. There were six girls, younger
than Charlie, and how The family lived
could never make out Through the infu-
ence OF friends finally succeeded in getting
Charlie admitted to school for the blind
III another city. The boys helped TO fit him
up and send him off, and before the end of
the first year in the school we received a
letter from him, a queer penciled
scrawl, written under the SUPERVISION of
teacher, saying that he was we'll,
OF earning his living. OF course we were
all delighted, but the boys father, when he
heard OF IT, came 10 me in the greatest dis
gust "Piano-tuning, indeed!' he ejacu-
lated. Just something to keep the boy
there two or three years, so they can draw
money from the State for his keep Now,
II they'd teach hin broom-makiug as | told
him 10 have them there'd be me sense in
ii. could ge. some use out of the boy
then, and he actually raised the money to
with the authorities on their course. Char
lie was under age and as the father was not
amenable to reason the boy was finally
put to learning br00n-making, and
the time he had put into the trade
of his choice was lost Sjx months
later. passing through the city market
one Saturday evening. / was attracted by
the crowd to where some one was singing
and playing. and, to my amazement, saw
Charlie. who had always had a fine voice,
that was to have been cultivated at the
institute, singing popular melody to the
uncertain accompaniment of an accordion
played by young girl whom | Tecogn zed
as his sister. When he had finished his soug
he dotted his cap. and, with cane thrust
cut before him, felt his way among the
crowd. picking np the few coppers rendered
by the charitably inclined. When he reached
me | detained him moment. WHY,
Charlie" / said, "what does this
mean|' he blusbed so wildly that could
see II, even in the dim light of the market.
and hung his head as he EXPLAINED that as
soon as he had made a little headway with
his new trade his father had insisted upon
his leaving the institute 10 come home aud
go to work for brOOmmakerwhU promised
fair wages. The boy. however, had not
proven sufficiently competent. so he lost the
place. and obliged to do something to main
tain himself had fallen back upon this. |
offered TO secure his return 10 the institute
but he was discouraged and ashamed. and
refused. After that had the pain of see
ing him sink to the level OF chronic beg
gar. presume he is now maintained by
The State as pauper.
Reg IS the next one whom / remember as
round peg in square hole. He was
fresh-iaced, brOad-shouldered, bue-eyad
young English lad of about 10 but with the
physique of IS at least Reg dreamed hut
one dream. and that was to become ma
chlnist. When other boys we've playing
with bats and balls Reg was CONSTRUCTING
all sorts Of machinery with clockworks and
bits OF brass. Every sort of mechanical
contriyance interested him. He brought TO
tie class one night working model of
steam saw, every bit Of which. from the
smallest band 10 the steam boiler, he had
constructed himself. His father was a
gardener, and they were more than usually
refined, respectable, earnest Christian peo-s
pie. Reg had been promised that if he
would remain at school until he was 10 he
should then enter the shops and learn the
machlniSts trade. Alas for promises
When he was IA his father received an in
jury that left him a helpless, paralyZed
cripple for life. There was no question of
Reg remaining longer in school. tut neither
could he learn his trade. To do that he
must serve six months for nothing and then
Tor mere plttance-a couple of dollars or
so week-for a year. A bright, faithful
boy, such as he was, Is always in demand
and position in q wholesale drughOnse
oif"ring lie took 1t, and settled d wn to be-
come good clerk and forget his mechanical
dreams.
never think OF Reg without remember
ing Fred, who was about the same age.
deeply interested in physical science and
anxious TO be doctor. Never a boy came
TO the class with as0Te finger or bad hruise
but Fred must examine II and prescribe
One OF the boys had pet dog who swal-
lowed half-a-dolaT, and the boy actually
made an lncision into the stomach, ex-
tracted the coin and sewed up the stomach
and other tissues very skilliully. How the
operation might have resulted it is difficult
to say, as the animal died from the effects of
the chlor' form that tine inexperienced anna
teur surgeon administered, but the cut
ting was very carefully aud prettily
done. 1t seemed the very irony of
fate that this boy should be learning
the machinists trade, appTenticed thereto
oy practical, stubborn German father,
who pronounced doctors humbugS and de-
elared that his son should never waste time
or money In any such foolish ways as that.
IL was most pathetically curious to see him
and Reg together. Fred was tall and slender.
with dreamy German features and far
seeing eyes. much the type of face one sees
among the dlScnntented, socialist talking
woIkmen Of our time. made what they are,
perhaps, by just such thwaTted dreams aud
ambitions OF bOyhood.
Then there was Tony. my little Italian
boOtblack, who had scarcely dozen words
OF English at his command when the boys
brought him TO me TO know if he might come
in so as to learn the language. Despite their
rough ways, for genuine goodness to each
other commend ME 10 a crowd of bows
How they hastened to tell me, not their
troubles. but those OF their comrades. They
used to wait for me in a motley group out
side the classroom and pour out the news
like hot shot as l unlocked the door.
''Oh, teacher, Jim's sick ~ Teacher,
Toms mothers deadr' Teacher, WHY'S
out Of Job an hurt his foot"
Here's new boy, teacher; he's a
good fellow" and in this way little Tony
was introduced, mere dot Of a boy, de-
spite his IA years. All eyes and shaggy
hair, and perfect bundle of tatters as to
his clothes. But that boy had a brain He
said but little, but listened with all his fac
ulties. 1t sometimes seemed to me as if he