Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1893-01-26

81 steady, sensible boy, and she
didn't see Why l shouldn't succeed,
and If she could get me work she
would. =
This was encouragement, and /
needed it sorely.
The little building was surround
led BY sort Of veranda, which in
one place projected over the edge Of
the bluff, and was supported BY pill
lars driven deep into the sandy
slope beneath. The floor thus
formed q shelter, nnder which /
slept that night, and during the
rest Of my stay in NJ.
For several days I roamed the
place in search of a temporary stu
alton, the proceeds of which would
enable me TO complete my journey
to Chicago, but in vain. even
applied to the farmers outside the
village, but they had all the help
they needed.
was ready to give up in despair,
but | knew that this would never
do. 1t cost me so little to live, that
even out of my scanty and irregu-
lar earnings / had saved twenty
cents. In five or six weeks, at the
same rate, | might amass an amount
sufficient to pay for the mending of
my boots, which l had rashly left
with the shoemaker for that pur-
pose shortly after my arrival. On
the other hand, the precious pen
mics might be consumed before
could add even one to their num-
Der.
had always managed to clothe
my feet decen:ly, as a matter both
of pride and of business, for knew
that a bare-footed boy is at a great
disadvantage, especially when max
ing application for steady place.
A business man is not apt to employ
a boy with even the appearance of
an idle vagabond, if another, more
respectable-looking, offers his SER
vices. This | knew, and accord
ingly kept myself as neatly clothed
as possible.
My boots had given out, and, if
worn as they were much longer,
would be beyond repair. Then |
could not replace them for less than
two dollars and half. For a dol
lar. however, the shoemaker engag-
ed to "fix' them, and make them
"better than new" which l knew
they really would be, at least as far
as durability was concerned.
They were finished, and had
seen and admired the workmanship;
but the time that would probable
elapse before | could redeem them
almost made me regret having part
ed with them.
/ | emerged, one morning. from
my sandy bedroom, and while
helped the ice-cream woman pre-
pare for her days business, a young
lady came down from the hotel, car
rying a book, in order to have al
early-morning read on the bluff.
She began to converse with my
friend, and / moved off tc some dis
lance; but, by their frequent glances
in my direction. knew they were
talking of me.
Presently the lady walked to
seat, and beckoned me to place on
the bench beside her. Iobeyed her
sign very willingly.
81 am told" she began, that you
are steady, earnest boy, without
friends, and that you are trying
your best to make a good man of
yourself. Now / am writing a story
about just such boy, and if you
will tell me some of your experien-
ces it will help me much"
She then went on to question me
about the different periods of my
life, especially the time / had spent
in New York. She seemed quite
pleased with what | told her, and,
at the close of the conversation, Of
fered me two-dollar bill, saying
"You must not accept it as gift
of charity, bat as your just dues;
for you have given me the moneys
worth of useful ideas and informa-
| ton"
"But"-I began in great confu-
sion.
"But what ?" she said, smiling.
Don't you know it isn't polite for
you to keep me holding anything
in my hand so long, waiting for
You to relieve me of it 20
I took the money, but was in