The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-05-17

Here's a lob for you, youngster. row,
let me see If you can give my snoes a" =,
me a polish as YOU have on your own.
his was what gentleman said 10
Jack very soon after he had unndckeu
Hls XII the next morning. =, A.. -.
1ou sce.' said JACK, IN Tow eonS "
niihseiI, as he went 10 WORK Win d'"'' ~,
twas vertisement for me [ nave my
own boots BACKED"
They are beautifully done said the
gentleman, when his nicely-ntuhs SHOES
shone as brightly as good Diachlhs ana
nara rubbing could make them. lie manu-
ed out a quarter. and. without waiting
Tor change. moved rapidly away saying,
Never mind" when Jack plunged ms
manu- INTO the pocket where he kept MS
OF course, Jack was glad OF this gene
rous Zee, but Il was not OF this he was
thinking, as the gentleman moved away.
As the young man pulled MS trousers
down over the tops OF his shining shoes,
| Jack had noticed how nicely they lifted
ana hung; how clean they were, and or
what nice material they were made. lie
had seen hundreds Of young men pun
uo"h Well-iitting trousers over shining
shoes, but never before had he given the
garments q thought. lie sat down on "A
| box, stretched out his own feet, and
| looked as critically at his trousers as he
had AZ his boots the day before. The
| trousers were torn in one or two places.
were very dirty, and their frayed and
worn edges did not make a good APP
pearance as they fell over his boots.
Il wonder" be said. as he obviously
surveyed the offending garments, "'f
anything could be done 10 them critters.
! Iwouidu't De nOWays s'easy to fix cm
as twas the boots, anyhow
/ lie sat for several minutes. thinking
hard. and then seemed TO have arrived at
| some conclusion. for he nodded and said.
Yes. 1 guess :hltll tx 'em. And then
/ ne began his ,IstOmdry, shine, SIR?
! shine yer DOOtsg'
That night, wnen he went home. he
| said 10 lis mother:
These trousers are all ragged at tho
| bottom i wish you'd cut 'cm of and
turn 'em NJ. They was Jm's, you know,
ana are too long. ] Illus had 90 gallus EN-
/ up high. can let EN- down when they're
cut OIL. DO em IN Il bang-up way, won't
/ "Oh. yes" replied the mother "rve
/ been watching 'cm some time. n intend
/ IN 10 mend EN- sOOns | could. Throw 'em
! doWn 10 me when you go upstairs. I'm
/ glad you're shOWnin some signs o. want
/ IN TO look decent. You've been real
| W0rriment 10 we"
Jack received the nicely-repaired trous-
/ ers from his mother the next morning.
/ ana, after cXaming them carefully. sur
I prised his parents by calling down the
staircase for a clothes-brush.
what has come over JACKIE thcv
| queried Of each other; but neither Of them
was philosopher in any degree. They
understood no better than Jack the in
ndence Of things on character.
And Jack, at his old stand. with the
blacklist boots and the cleancst and most
respectable clothes he had ever worn
there. stood straighter and fclt less like
street-gamin that morning than ne had
ever felt before. as he sent forth his old
cry, shine, sir? Shine yer bOOtsy
Sometimes when DE looked up and down
the street. he could see no one but wo-
men and children, and could, therefore.
cease MS cry for Il pref season without
fear of loss thereby; and during these mo-
ments he was silent. and stood. surveying
his boots and repaired trousers. ~ es.'
he said meditatiyely. they look cOnsid Die
well for old buds but wouldn't 1T be a
jolly lark 10 be dressed uD fine, Ike that
toller with the swell trousers My eyes,
Guess I'd Ike that Yes. siree'
Then ne stood very still for some mo-
ments, i'm deep thought. His lips closed
very lightly, and "a new leht came INTO
his eyes. No one was near MN. WIN a
very determined nod, he said, in a low,
but decided voice.
Yes. stree, m jest goin' TO do H. III
wear swell trousers. and boots that amt
too biz for me- and all the rest or the
toggery. See + / don'tw
That was the hour when Jack was
changed from "A little city rough TO a
thinking, striving. ambitious boy; but De
did not know what had taken place. tie
thought nothing about things and their
influence IN reference 10 this resolve.
neither did his mother In reference TO his
request. made al noon, that ne might
have the elbows Of his jacket mended
while he was eating his dinner, or his
remark that, ~ fellow didn't want 10
look Ike rapmuiin.
II was not long Dsflre Jack C.gcovcred
that somethiug-iudecd considerable
was the matter with his shirt. one day,
when the warm weather had compelled
him 90 remove his jacket. he surveyed
with w displeasure his frayed cotton
wris, IDS, and then he out bis hand 20
his throat, and thought for the first time
how bare 10 seemed.
shine. sir?' he shouted feebly. TO n
man who was passing. Had he looked
81 the gentlemcn's shoes hc would have
seen that they were already highly polish
cd: but he was looking mt his neck i'm
stead. and DE noticed that around it was
an Immaculate and well-atarched collar.
and where It's ends met a small neckfie.'
That's the kind. he exclaimed, Pm
goin' ter have just that kindY'
ON Sunday both a new aspiration and
inspiration came 90 Jack. lie sometimes
went 10 the mission school, around the
corner but that morning he begged or,
and presently went Out on 10 ole or the
better streets. ana watched the people
passing along, many Of whom were pre-
sumably going to church as they had
Bibles and prayer-boOks IN their hands.
For half an hour he watched In silence,
and then he said. talking 10 himself, as
usual.
wow + n Teller could go 10 one o. them
churches he'd find out what TO wear, and
how L wear it,
After looking on for a moment longer,
he said. with one Of his most emphatic
mods:
I'm going'l I'm gon' TO begin ter get
ready right Off. cause i'm Doe "a hard pull
gittin' decent dry-goods; but I'm Boin'
jest the same.'
After that Jack was always looking out
for odd jobs and hy looking sharply he
found q good number that he could do
after his regular hours for shines were
over. The money he earned by boot
backing he rcliEiously handed over 10 his
father. but the pay Tor odd jobs he fe.t
at liberty To keep. 10 was ia June when De-
began these odd bits of work. 10 was
near the last Of September when he one
day FASTENED through his dinner and ina
modiately went back down town. Ills
clothes. which now were always well
brushed had that day received an extra
brushing, and his face and hands We're
as clean as water and soap could make
them. His boots were "a marvel OF black
gloss. and his hair was SO smoothly
Combcd that IL lOohed os tho il had been
glued TO his henH He entered ii large
rcady-made clothing-stOre. feeling some
what shy. but as important as Napoleon
must have felt on the eve OF the battle
of Waterloo. Going TO a counter. he rather
nervOusly pulled from his pocket paper
bag which had been placed inside am
other paper bag and from II poured out
a quantity of silver and nickel pieces.
"You or count IT," he said 10 the clerk
"but know thees Jest eight dollars n
five cents. for I've counted II over m
over / want as bang-up "a suit OF clos
as you en- give me FOR the money. some
thin soft m genteel-lookln' with gray