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

was once penniless lad Of eley-
en- Ye2rs- Orphaned and entirely
el6ae II The world, had. even At
that ea2 age, sought my fortune in
many 1[fferent directions.
l had served under harsh cap
tain during six months voyage
in a whaler. A series Of accidents
happened to abridge the cruise, and
| glad was /, for had not been kept
at school long enough to yearn for
. seafaring life. and did not relish
| the cuffs and blows had to take
on beard that ship. Per confra. !
vowed never again TO enlist as
sailor, il once regained firm foot
ing on land.
This page in my young life COM
pleted, and the leaf turned, the en-
suing chapter up to the age of elev-
en- had been filed with list of
briefer and less serious adventures
and trials.
/ had worked among the long
shoremen few weeks, and been
engaged as errand boy by New
York firm until the cashier sue
ceeded in procuring my discharge
IN order that a young nephew of
his might be employed in my stead.
l had apprenticed myself to a ma
chinist, who had subsequently re-
moved to Chicago, and again left
me in the lurch.
But | liked the trade, and de-
termined to follow him. At the
period with which my story begins,
| had, with great difficulty, worked
my passage as far as M, village
on the banks of the Delaware.
My journey had been tedious,
and the prospect of reaching my
former employer before he should
engage another hand seemed so re-
mote, that l hardly knew whether
to proceed or not.
1t was midsummer, and the val
ley in which nestled the little village
of M formed so inviting a retreat,
that / determined to stay while
and enjoy its peacefulness before /
went on.
There were several hotels in the
place,-for it was favored by sum-
mer visitors from the neighboring
cities. and these were all full.
"Surely," thought |, "among so
many people can find chores
enough to keep me for a week or
two"
went to all the hotels in search
of such employment, but with lit
tie success. In M, as in every
other place | ever saw, there were
plenty of small boys, and the hotels
were provided with regular hands
for blacking boots, cleaning knives,
running errands, and so forth.
During the first day of my stay
there | earned fifteen cents. but
this was by mere chance, and prom
ised nothing for the future. A gen.
tleman gave me ten cents for CATCH
ing his hat, which was blown from
his head by gust of wind, and
lady dropped me five-cent piece
for picking up her riding whip.
Toward evening l saw many of
the villagers and city visitors take
certain road which led to the riv-
er. / joined in the stream of stroll
lers, thinking that where so many
persons were congregating might
meet with another piece of luck.
Our walk terminated upon a bluff
overlooking the Delaware. Benches
were here disposed for the conve-
nience of visitors, and a small rus
tic cottage, where ice-cream was
sold, afforded accommodation to nu.,
merous patrons.
fingered here until every visitor
had gone, which was not until after
ten O'Clock. The woman who sold
ice-cream was about to shut up the
place and go home when she saw
me.
Perhaps she was still in hopes of
late customer from the hotel near
at hand, and was willing to wait
while she had a companion. At
any rate, she called me in and asked
me if / "wouldn't like some ice
cream"
accepted the treat very CRATE
fully, and bought the remnant of a
cake, which she sold me for three
cents 1t was not a very substan-
tial or a very satisfying supper; but
/ had to content myself with it, as