Middletown transcript., 1897-07-17

have done that sometimes. How strong
and well-cared for Royden looked,
while this poor cripple-but never
mind: now she must attend to business
matters.
'Do you get along nicely bIacking
boots-do you make enough, mean, to
support yourseIf2" Mrs. Cutler asked; /;
but here Royden broken in.
"He can't. Mamma, 'cause he's lame,
you know, and his back amt very we'll.
The other fellows get the people; Bill
told me that"
Again the bootblack's face crimson
ed. eyes, ma'am, they. does; but l
gets some on EMP he's added, with
Frightening eyes. ''There's one gent,
be never goes past ',hout stOppin'
for shine; an he's white, be il. We'll,
BILL sez'e, 'how's bizp' An if | say,
Not much, sirp' be drops ME a dime
'stead of nickel. But if sez Good,
thank you,' he sez That's ine-thats
fine; then l can 'conomiz3 this morn
in an he gives me nickel" Clearly,
thought Mrs. Cutler, this gentleman,
has great confidence in Bill's word, and
just as clearly it could never occur to
Bill to abuse this confidence by false
report as to financial returns.
''Tell me-" she said, show you get
along, then. Where do you live. and
does anyone-have you anyone 10 do
things for youP" Bill looked up as
tonished.
"Oh no, ma'am. There amt nobody
but the gent. An when l can l sleeps
in the newsboys' home that six cents;
but they'll trust a feller. Only 1 das-
sent run up no account; cause mebbe
l couldn't settle up with 'em."
"And thenP2 pers sled the lady.
''Well, there's places" said Bill,
vaguely; SAM they ain so bad. There's
just daisy box l knows on, me an
two other fellers. | guess the man
what left it didn't mean it fur no hOtel;"
and Bill chuckIed softly at his own
humor.
"Do you sleep in that boxP" Mrs.
Cutler asked.
"Oh yes, ma'ami LIS full o'straw,
an we've tipped it up sideways 'gainst
the wall, SOS the rain can't come in.
It's in back alley, out'n the way, SORT
of, SO saint been noticed, or taken fur
firewood or suthin'. | s'pose the kids'll
nab it some Four h July or election
day."
''And then what will you d5p" cried
Royden, in much anxiety for his friend.
There's place in my bed, Mamma,
if we squeezed up just a little" But
Bill interrupted, hastily, "I'd fad suth-
in There's lots y places, an folks is
real kind" The bo0tblack's voice was
full of cheer, and out of his eyes shone
undaunt I'd hope and sweet trust in all
mankind. Aud Mrs Cutler said to
herself that she could never d6 for Bill
what he lad already d 'ne for her. All
she did for bim then was to give him
an order for suit Of clothes, and Hhat
was that in return for the discovery
that life may be swee; even when ons
has not penny in lie w"lld-ay, ~bth
one has not even tw, legs Of the same
length, nor stlong back!
On his way home frum an errand late
that same afternoon Rlyden saw Bill
in the new suit Of clothes, the center
of group of street boys, who were
admiring and examining his outfit.
Doubtless each of these boys told the
friends he chanced to meet about the
good luck which had befallen lame Bill,
and so the story was spread. You will
readily see, however, that what happen
ed was not Blll's fault, in the least,
since he merely told the simple truth to
those who questioned him.
What happened was this: The next
day, Just as Mrs. Cutler was thinking
it was time for Royden to return from
the afternoon session of school, she
Eeard such clatter and humping as
even her boy could never have made by
himself. On the outside steps, through
the door, and up the staircase came the
awful noise, and the bewildered lady
ran to her door to see great crowd of
ragged boys streaming into the hall. AS
these boys appeared ,one after the other,
around the corner of the land ing, and
grouped themselves at the other end of
the hall as tho waiting for some one, it
seemed to Mrs. Cutler that she must be
dreaming. But no! Bang went the
front door, and pushing his way through
the crowding children, up came Roy
den, and rushed to his mothers side.
"They were all waiting for me-" he
cried, land they said they wanted to
see my,mother. / thought you'd better
see about it yourself, SO l just let 'em
in and-there they areg' with a lordly
sweep of both hands toward bis new
friends.
Yes, there they were-about that
there could be no doubt-pushing and
nudging each other, yet wonderfully
quiet on the whole, and evidently un-
able TO utter single word for themsel.
yes.
Mrs. Cutler surveyed the group with
great interest. and then said, pleas
antly:
.Well, boy 5, if you wish TO see me;
you may come in here and tell me what
you WANT
So saying she sat down in the cosy
sitting room, beside the fireplace, and
the boys began whispering together,
each one trying to push his neighbor
forward. AT last one very small boy