Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1899-05-25

JOuHS uud ollldll, duu VIII duQ ulGLy,
and ragged, he was deformed. His
queer little shoulders were heaped up
to his ears. and his hands were like
talons, so long and bony were they
| The captain held the wrist OF this
manikin firmly still, but not angrily.
"What did you mean by that, sir?"
he growled slowly, STOPPING down to
look into the boys eyes.
''Im to hook it," said the boy, with
perfect candor. ooh. please, leave
me be? Oh, please, sir, lem me go?
Oh, please, sir, 1 won't do it no more
never, oh. pleaseW
'I've mind to have you sent to
jail, said the captain.
"No, please, sir" said the waif
"Please, sir"
"Who taught you to steal?' asked
the captain. The boy made no
answer. Grimy tears were pouring
from his eyes.
"Answer me-" said the captain.
eff I don't 7 don't get no yictuals, {"
said the boy, San my stomach is as
holler. Feel of it, mister? It's as
holler as drum. She's been beg
gin to-day and we'll have stew. [
won't have none if l don't fetch moth
in. OH
"Who is she?" asked the captain.
"Me mother" said the boy.
'I've been hungry myself" said
the captain, thinking of certain
Indian prison experience. "It ism t
pleasant
Then he thought of his boy.
''God knows 1 ought to be tender
to the little ones, for the sake of
Nellie's child" he said softly; then
aloud:
"Laddie, I'll not send you to
prison"
''Thankee, SIR" said the urchin.
"And I'll give you a breakfast, -
said the captain.
The dirty elf executed a sort of
joyous war dance.
tDo you know why I forgive you?"
said the captain. The child shook
his head.
81 have little boy" said the cap
tain. "Hes very different from you,
poor child. He would not steal any
thing. He washes himself. My lad,
you must wash yourself as soon as
you find water. But l couldn't bear
to think of his being hungry, and for
his sake [ can't bear to see other little
fellows hungry. It's for his sake
that I don't call an officer and tell him
all about it, Remember that, and try
to be like-like my little fellow, poor
laddie, clean and good Don't steal;
try to get work. Will you promise?"
The waif said, Eyes, sir" of
course.
Then the captain led him into a
cheap eating gsaloon and watched him
eat until his stomach was no longer
"holler."
"You little wretch" he thought, as
he looked at himl eff I could see
my boy and him together now, what
contrast" And he fancied his boy
round and white and pink, and fair of
hair, like his poor lost Ellen, and [
know he said that he would pity this
poor fellow and be kind to him.
The meal was over. The captain
paid for it, and then drew the boy
between his knees and lectured him.
To be good was to be happy. Honesty
was the best policy. Cleanliness
came next to godliness. These were
the heads of his discourse.
Then he gave him half crown, and
bade him go and be good and clean, in
Gods name.
And the boy was off like flash.
Thousands just such as he are in
this great city, sighed the good cap
tain, as he walked along. "Ah, he?"
Then he went in search of Mrs. Ann
Golden and his own fair darling
But Mrs. Golden was not so easily
found as he had hoped. There was
little shop in the house he had been
directed to, and the keeper thereof
said that she had bought it of Ann
Golden; but / haven't seen her since,
she said; only there's bit of card
with her number on it-that is, If [
can find it. After search she did
find it. And the captain, thanking
her, hurried away; but another disap-
pointment awaited him.
Mrs. Golden had not lived in this
second place for several years. She
had moved into - row, but what
number no one could remember.
At - row, whittier the captain
drove in a hackney coach, woman
owned to having had her for lodger.
"5he had a child staying with her,
too," she said. "Little Ned, she
called him, but, to tell the truth, she
drank so that warned her out. l
couldn't abide such doing. She went
to Chancey's lane, number nine,
To Chancey's lane the captain went
II was a filthy place, and there was a