Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1897-06-24

"Yes. SRA shilling.
'sThat's n fortune To commence bust
ness with in New York! You see that
house at the corner thereg' said the
policeman. pointing 10 IA tail old. req.
brick building, the ground floor Oh
which seemed to be occupied rs 4
shop
ayes, sir" answered the boy. drying
his eyes. and feeling a strong Impulse
10 embrace his new acquaintance ana
swear eternal friendship with him, put
lie officer had walked of toward the
ether extremity OF his beat. The boy
picked up his light bundle and crossed
the street to the house pointed out 10
him. and when he reached H. FOUND
that the lower shop was occupied by 4
fish and oyster vender. And 50 quick
ly does the mood OF childhood change
he laughed aloud ut the thought tnat
passed through his mind as he en-
F! tered
Il ran away from a fish II IN
London and sailed three thousand
miles, to fetch up ut last with a nsh
n.onger in New York.
What 10 you want. boy inquired
a short, stout, black-haired man, IN a
white apron. who stood behind a barrel
of oysters. engaged in opening a speci-
men one for a customer.
Can | lodge here?'
The man jerked his oyster knife
ever his right shoulder. thereby indi-
| eating a flight of steps ascending from
tie back OF the shop TO the unknown
regions above. The boy followed the
index. and found himself in a large
upper room. furnished with benches
around the walls, and half-tilled with
thost, street-ministers OF the head ana
feet. the newsboys and bootbiacks.
They were a free, merry. noisy SET
some engaged in drinking coffee,
which was dispensed from behind 4
large table in the corner by a fat.
motherly loking wo nan-and some III
reading tue papers-and somesin dis
cussing tie politics. literature and dra'
ma of the day.
Or boy went up 10 the counter and
got a cup Of coffee. 4 sausage and a
roll for which he paid sixpence, and
then again put the inquiry whether he
could have n lods;ls.
The m who might have been
the twin sister of the man below. and
nc was engaged in cutting bread,
twitched her kuife over her shoulder.
i, dicating a second flight OF stairs,
leading from the back Of the o
higher.
Our boy followed this index, also,
landed in an upper chamber. OF a size
and appearance corresponding with
| the room below, but having the broad
benches that ran around the walls COW
cred with mattresses and blankets. In
The corner Of the there was an
iron stove containing a cool tire. An
old ran. the sole occupant of the
place. sat doing in Al armchair near
ii. Upon paying another sixpence TO
this functionary. u adyenturer was
told that he might take his choice of
the luxurious touches spread before
him. which he accordingly did.
And, although his last penny was
spent. and he had bur this n night
between himself and possible starya-
ton. from cold. hunger and exposure
on the morrow-though he was nov lit
orally a homeless. friendless and penni-
less stranger In a strange land. he felt
so comforted by the transient blessings
Of food warmth and shelter that he
lily uONu anu SltDt tu< Souuu steep VI
careless childhood. unmindful of the
future. He was not even awakened
by the coming in OF his yagrant Eel
low-l0dgers.
Morning dawned before he opened
his eyes and remembered where he
was, or that he had not even 4 penny
to pay for the breakfast that his Wig
Orous young appetite already craved.
His companions of the preceding night
had already risen. br~eakfasted ana de-
parted. He. too, arose, washed his
face at the water spout. and dried it
with the roller towel that served all
tie inmates of the chamber.
Then he went TO the room below.
where he found the fat woman still
dispensing coffee, mullins and chops,
as IL she had never gone TO bed at all.
The smell of all this was very appetiz-
ing. Our boy was excessively hungry.
And what boy ever hesitated between
n garment and a meal? A girl might
do so: a boy. never!
Marching up TO the counter, he boldly
offered the wCman his bundle in pledge
Of future payment for his breakfast.
She was too habituated to treat with
customers hard up for the ready to
express the least surprise at this pro-
posal. Coolly receiving the offered Sc
curity. she helped the boy to a cup Of
coffee, a muffin and a mutton chop.
AT another time she might not have
cI red TO converse with a customer.
Bat now she was especially idle. and
there was. beside, something about this
fine. tall. Dlack-eyed and black haired
youth that was rather attractive. So
while the hungry lad stood there dis
cussing his breakfast, she entered into
co ,versation with him. and in the
course Of a few minutes had learned
almost as much Of his history as Is
known to the reader.
'Oh. then. If you were 'prenticed to
a ONION fishmonger. and understand
crying fish or oysters and that, YOU
needn't 90 any further to look for n
place. My brother down stairs wants
several more boys to take out fish early
in the morning. and oysters in the
evening" said The woman when he
had finished his account Of himself.
The boy looked up at her. 1t was
very provoking to have run away
from n tishmonger in London, only TO
faI into the hands of another fishmon.
ger in New York. But hunger and
cold I'm uniIu-ipAar 80 l~...rD