The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-04-03
Tell you what I'll do I'll run in and

Tell you what I'll do. I'll run in and
ask the boss
"sOh, no, MOI said the old party,
quite flustered like. Don't think of
! doing that. Your master might sus-
pect something, and maybe would ask
La big price for this particular book
ahem.-more than it is actually worth
that is, to me-
"s'You say you haven't another red?'
asked Billy.
g Not a cent
Now, how would it do for me to
put that book away, and keep it for
you until tomorrow? Could you make
raise them
oh. 1 might. If you only would do
that said the old chap, all of trem-
BILE.
Well, then, see here said Billy.
I'll tuck her in here, under this piece
of old oil cloth, and I'll keep it two
days for you, to oblige you, but not a
minute longer than that. See?'
.aThen the old man seemed as if he
wanted to hug Billy, and presently
went away Maybe, says you. BILLY
ought to have told his boss, for though
he did hide the book, the whole thlng
escaped his mind. When the two days
had passed, Billy remembered the BOOK,
all of a sudden, and he took 1t, ana
put it in the general pile, though ne
may have tucked it under. The tnlra
day came and it was bitter cold, anu
Billy was dancing around the Tray D
/ trying to keep warm, when All Oh q
sudden up comes the same old duller'
Though it was so raw, he hadn OH
any overcoat, and he was Answering
In his trembling hand he held quar-
ter of dollar.
The book, the book! You haven
sold it? Did you keep it for mef ne
kind of gasped.
] Its all safe enough, though
conldn,t hide it any longer and Billy
picked out the book.
".You are an honest lad. Here's the
Iotarter. Keep the 10 cents. I pawneo
my coat so as to get the money
% No says Billy. None of your 10
CENTS for me: that wouldn't be right.
4 You keep it, and buy some grub with H.
and don't let me hear again OF your
selling your clothes often your back, IN
weather like this, to buy an old rub
bishy book with
Then the old party started on the
full run, having tucked away the pook
in the bosom of his vest, with the 10
cents change in his pocket.
well, sir Christmas came, and New
Years. and it was February, when one
morning a nicely dressed young LADY,
she comes to the front of the shop, Tor
as it was showing, the books Weren' t
on the trays. Billy was inside, reading
a book, and the boss. he was gone out
gone to take a drink. The lady, she
| comes in, and, hesitating like, she says:
lis your name William
"sYes'm They calls me Billy
"'Well, Billy, in November last my
dear old grandfather, who was quite
gone over books. he bought book OF
you for 10 cents, and it was, / think,
a fairly rare one Grandfather was very
eccentric, and in his young days a real
savage book hunter. Poor old dear!
He is dead nowi Now, the purchase of
that book seemed to have worried him
! in his last moments. and he reproached
himself about it. He seemed to have
/ made it a matter of conscience. He
was always saying how nice and con-
siderate you had been. Grandfather
was by no means poor, but when he
| went in for books he pretended he was.
He might have had all the money he
wanted for the asking for it. 1t was a
little kind of harmless mania he had to