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

orphan lad like myself thrown friend
less upon your shores, and how he
worked himself up to fortune. and
founded banks ard city squares, and.
above all, a college for the education
of poor boys. III / 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 Ii you were a 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. II you are honest and indus
trlous, and very much in earnest. you
will attain your object | h%ope-that is,
If I clearly comprehend what your OBJ
jcct really is"
lit Is what 1 have told your honor
only TO earn money in order to get
knowledge"
"And knowledge is the road to pow
er. You are ambitious, my lad! We
shall hear Of you in the world. some
day; but whether as n great finnncier
or a great felon. which is often the
same thing. depends upon"
Myself" interrupted the boy.
Your fate solemnly continued the
man. but. after all, those two, also,
may be oDe--yourself may be your
fate, But IL is going on towards two
bells. l advise o to follow my eX-
ample-go below and turn in. Good
night, my lad"
And without another word. the
stranger turned and left the deck.
And the adventurous boy-if he had
foolishly raised any air-castle upon the
foundation OF the strangers curiosity,
rather than interest in him. was des-
tined TO see Ii sink, for the gentleman
went below. and merely saying 10
himself: What n very forward boy
for his age: but | suppose there are
hundreds Ike 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. yitallZing air.
and the pure. clear, blue darkness OF
the open sea and sky.
AT length, with weary limbs and
drowsy brain. though still reluctant
spirit. he. too. left the deck and went
below. to seek his berth in the crowd
ed cabin Of the steerage passengers.
around which human beings were
packed away like bales Of goods on
tiers of shelves. or lay extended on
mattresses over the floor.
The boy paused beside n mattress
upon which a little girl was sleeping
beside n coarse woman and n rough
man. The man md woman were both
tall, massive. rug~ged-looking Hiberni-
ans. long past middle life; dark.
swarthy and forbidding in features,
expression and attitude. The child.
that might have been their grand
daughter. was a pale, thin. fair-haired
little creature of perhaps three or four
years of age. Her eyelashes We're still
wet with the tears with which she had
wept herself to sleep.
Poor. dear little Daney, how | wish
| might have taken you up on deck to
get a breath of fresh air. too! / no
more believe that you belong to this
nncouth couple than | belonged to my
half a dozen mothers of begging MEM
Dry" said the boy, as he gazed pity
ingly 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
ulous and historical heroes who had
begun. life by running away 10 seek
their fortunes, as he was doing.