Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1897-11-18

"A H. SIT, ii my master nau starved
my body. and had made complaint, l
should have had redress; but as he
only starved my mind. my complaint
would have been dismissed as imperti-
nent; for you see it was thought that I
had got all my dues of learning at the
ragged school,"
But it seems that the little knowl-
edge YOU acquired there only created
in YOU an appetite for more"
Just so. sir. and not morsel was
given me to satisfy my hunger"
You thought there was nothing for
it but to run away, them"
'1eS. sir; some. YOU See are tempted
by money, and some by one thing, and
some by another. Now, if ever should
be led to commit sin. it would be to
get knowledge"
THE first temptation that ruined
mankind. The original sin that brought
death into the world! Take care, my
boy: YOU began by committing a fault
mind that you do not end by perpetrat-
ing crime"
II shall take care. sir
What do you expect to do in New
York: you are friendless boy, cast
penniless upon foreign shore?'
What other poor boys like me have
done. sir-work myself up"
"Lille YOU. yes you have evidently
strong will. intelligence and enter
prise. and lads like you have worked
themselves up, as you call lt-some to
fortune and some to the gallows. boy.
So be CAREFUL
Il shall. sir. 1 have heard of Girard,
your great banker. who was a poor,
orphan lad like myself thrown friend.
less upon your shores. and how he
worked himself up to fortune. and
founded banks and city squares. and.
above all, college for the education
of poor boys. If l could get into that
college now" said the lad, with an
appealing gaze up into the gentleman's
face, which was. however, quite lost
in the darkness.
Your fortune would be made. l
have no influence, however. to get you
IN there. even if you We're candidate,
my boy, which you could not become.
because. you see. the Girard college
was founded for the benefit of phila-
delphia boys only. New York has even
ing free schools for the benefit Of poor
boys who have to work all day and
wish to improve themselves in the
evening. If you are honest and indus
trlous' and very much in earnest. you
will attain your object hope-that is,
if l clearly comprehend what your OBJ
jcct really is
III is what 1 have told your honor
only TO earn money in order to get
knowledge"
and kno" ledge is the road to pow
err. 1'u are ambitious, my lad! We
shall hear of you in the world, some
day; bit whether as a great financier
or great felon. which is often the
same thing, depends upon
Myself interrupted the boy.
>Iour fate" solemnly continued the
man; but after all. those two. also.
may be one-yourself may be your
fate! But it is going on towards two
bells l advise you to follow my eN-
ample-go below and turn liz. Good
night. my lad"
And without another word. the
stranger turned and left the deck.
And the adventurous boy-if he had
foolisnly raised any air-castle upon the
foundation Oh the strangers curiosity,
rather than llterest in him, was des-
tined to see Il sink, for the gentleman
went below. and merely saying to
himself: What a very forward boy
for his age; but suppose there are
hundreds like him where he came
FROM dismissed the subject from his
mind forever.
The boy left on deck paced up and
down for hours longer. unwilling to
leave the fresh, brisk. vitalizing air
and the pure. clear. blue darkness of
tho
At length, with weary limbs and
dro wsy brain, though still reluctant
spirit. he too. left the deck and went
ed cabin Of the steerage passengers,
packed away like bales CT goods on
tiers of Shelves or lay extended on
mattresses over the floor.
The boy paused beside one mattress
upon which 4 little girl was sleeping
beside Il coarse woman and rough
man. The man and woman We're both
ans. long past middle life; dark,
swartily and forbidding in features,
expression and attitude. The child,
that might have been their grand
daughter, was a pale, thin, fair-haired
AiI1Ae NlSdtulC w JJSI udpS llllcc VI lOuI
years OF age. Her eyelashes were still
wet with the tears with which she had
wept herself to sleep.
'Poor, dear little Daney, how I wish
! might have taken you up on deck to
get breath Of fresh air. too. l no
more believe that you belong to this
uncouth couple than belonged to my
half dozen mothers of begging mem.
nIsX,' sold ho1- 1,n nj
Ningly upon the little sleeper, before
climbing up to his own shelf, that was
placed quite near the ceiling Of the
cabin, and fell asleep to dream Of
Jack the Giant-Killer, Wilmington
Lord Mayor of London, and other fab
nlous and historical heroes who ha(
begun life by running away to seek
their fortunes. as he was doing.