The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1898-11-10

Ii vss 90 the following ossefSsy 'lN
be esi ned bic ast money, seos TAD
fallen dprins the night, and saloon
keeper save bin tseo,y tse censs 10 shos
eI away the slu.h from The pavement 10
iron, OF bis door. The pes, week be
earned any cens 10 sinilsr manner
His capital W. ielueej TO tso dolisn
ros, ard DO vas esiias barely enough TO
keep hlm alive. He coniinueJ 10 so 70
the $50 OF the big pumpkins Tor his
neasre lnocher, ss being the one place 10
all The vast city that had for him h,vor
Of bis home.
Finally, when be bad bat dollar len be
spent more thsa halt oi II for shoe black
ios oul6,, add mioslsd With the tbrooe
Of sreet boys srouod Printing House
Square.
This was sn end 10 bis dreams lnsiesd
Of pal ting pictures or beautiful sisn'. or
even marking boxes. be vs painting
boots. lie vas able, however, 10 earn
enough to pay ior chssp lodging, sud
be able 10 ess ss high ~ three ten. cent
meals a dsy Ut the sign Of the big pump
kins'
Thanksgiving came late ,hst year. The
l.y before was cold ann sloppy. and no
one wanted shine. Tom crept disconso
lately down Fulton street 10 bis supper.
He had little money. BY dint Of econo
nv be had accumulated nearly two dollars
ss . sinh ing iund. Perhaps unconscious
ly be had saved II for purpose which be
did not confess even TO himself;
As be drew near the cheap little eating
house with the big golden pumpkins 10
front, bis eyes suddenly grew dim snd be
trembled oil over. The light stresmed
ont on the pavement. and 10 It's radiance.
he read on one OF the great yellow rinds
the fatal words be had himself wrought
three months before on that beautiful oS
tober afternoon. with sweet sister Josie
looking on.
Will be exiting guished.
He had learned long since the wrong
use OF the word. In fact be had uissiv
inps and looked it up before be laft home,
But il dii not seem to him now to be
90 wrong either. The tears streamed out
OF bis ewes so he could not zee. IL was .
true prophecy after ell, be thought bitter
". lam eI,ineuisbed. sure enough. He
wiped the tears away and looked among
the pumpkins for others with bis work on
them. He found two more. He would
like to have fallen down and kissed them
ss Columbus did the ground st San Saliva
dor. But be was too hungry for ssnti
ment.
While be waited for bis upper within.
boy that he did not know sst near him
lsboriously reading letter. Tom ordered
pork and besnp. because they we're cheap
and filing, then suddenly remembering
sod growing reckless. he added . piece OF
pumpkin pie.
While be wslted he glanced tidswiss ss
bis nei4 hbor and unconsciously read the
soiled letter:
Desr Son: hope you ere we'll
Again the tears filled Toms eyes until
be could not see. Just then the waiter
bl o 1eht their supper. Experience on the
street had long since made Tom friendly
with other boys OF bis clsss. When be
had eaten little be said to the boy be
side him:
lsyour home outside the cisy'
Yes =. ten miles -ont beyond Hoboksn.
Yss, l got father what's sick, and two
little twin sisters. Mother gees out wash
ing, and sell papers over here SOS to
help along.
Do you 60 home ofteD2
No, very. II costs fifty cents every
time. but go home oDce month. mostly.
| couldn't 90 last month cause l saved
my extra fifty cents for present to take
to the twins tomorrow.
Bring another piece OF that pumpkin
pie. be said. with almost ring OF triumph
10 his voice. The pumpkins that pie is
made OF came of my mothers farm. he
added, turning to the boy. want you
to try piece OF il. And = did You cay 1t
costs fifty cent to ke you home and
bsck2
Yes. The boy looked ups st Tom curl
ously. Fifty cents the round trip.
Well, said Tom. bis thin face suddenly
glowing with the light Of . new resolve,
il costs nearly two dollars just TO go
TO where live but I'm going there TO
niQhl