The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-19

in charge of an old man who was in a I deplorable state of drunkenness; and you know how slippery the streets were. think If that old man fell single time he fell a dozen and once so violently that l ran to his assistance and helped him to his feet. 1 thought him badly hurt at first, for he gashed his forehead as he fell. and l helped the little fellow to take him into drug store. where the wound, upon examination. proved to be nothing more serious than to require strip of plaster. I got a good look at the boy there, however. and questioned him little; and he said the man was his fa- ther. and he was taking him home; and gathered further from his talk that the man was a confirmed inebriate. Now you'll remember the boy told us here awhile ago he had no father and when he recognized me a moment since and found himself caught in one yarn at least, he very naturally supposed I would think his entire story a fabrication hence the suspicious nature of his last remarks. and the sudden transition of his manner from that of real delight to gravity, which change, in my opinon rather de- notes lying to be a new thing to him. I can't be mistaken in the boy, for no ticed, as he turned to go, bald place on the back of his head the left side. a trademark first discovered last even ing. as he bent over the prostrate form of his father"
 T noticed thin spot in his hair" said I, "and wondered at the time what caused it"
 And don't you know?"
 I shook my head.
 "Coal-bins-and entry floors. That little fellow hasn't slept within a bed for years, perhaps"
 But he told you. as you say. last night. he was taking the old man homer
 ''Yes, homel I can imagine that boys home. There are myriads like 1t in the city here-a cellar or a shed-a box-car or a loft in some old shop, with a father to chase him from 1t in his sober inter- scious shame when helplessly drunk. Home, Sweet Home' That boy has heard 1t on the hand-organ, perhaps, but never in his heart-vou couldn't grind 1t out of there with thousand cranks.
 The remainder of that day eluded me somehow; I don't know how or where it passed. I suppose it just dropped Into a comatose condition, and so slipped away ''unknelled, uncoffined and un- known"
 But one clear memory survives-an ex- perience so vividly imprinted on my mind that l now recall its every detail: Enter ing the union depot that evening to meet the train that was to carry me away at 6 o'clock, muffled closely in my over coat, yet more closely muffled in my gloomy thoughts, I was rather abruptly stopped by a small boy with the cry of: Here, you man with the cigar; don't you want them boots blacked? Shine 'em fer ten centsl Shine 'em fer nickel on'y you mustn't give me away on that he added, dropping on his knees near the entrance, and motioning me to set my foot upon the box.
 It was then too dark for me to see his face clearly but I had recognized the voice the instant he had spoken, and had paused and looked around.
 "Oh you'll have plenty O time" he urged guessing at the cause of my ap- parent hesitation "None O the trains on time tonight-on'y the Panhandle, and l she's jist a-backin in-wont start fer l thirty minutes and he again beckoned, 1 and rattled a seductive tattoo on the side l of his box.
 Well" said I, with a compromising air. "come inside, then, out of the cold.
 "Ginst the rules-cops won't have it. They jist fired me out CT there not ten minutes ago. Oh come, Cap; step out here; 1t won't take two minutes" and the little fellow spat professionally upon his brush, with a covert glance of pleasure as he noted the apparent success of the 1 manoeuvre. You don't live here, I'll bet" said the boy, setting the first boot on the box, and pauslng to blow his hands.
 How do you know that? Did you I never see me here before?"
 No, never see you here before, but that ain't no reason. can tell you don't live here by them shoes-'cause they've | been put up in sCme little pennyroyal l shop-that's how. When you want a | fly shoe you want to git her put up somers where they know somepin about style They's good enough metal in that shoe. ony she's about two years off in style"
 You're posted, then, in shoes" said I, 1 with a laugh.
 T ort to be-" he went on, pantingly, a brush in either hand gyrating with a vel ocity that jostled his hat over his eyes, leaving most plainly exposed to my in- vestigative eye the trademark before alluded to; T ort to be posted on shoes, cause I aint done nothin' but black 'em fer five years"
 You're an old hand then, at the bus iness,'' said l. T didn't know but maybe you were just starting out. Whats an outfit like that worth?''
 '"Thinkin' O startin' up?" he asked, facetiously.
 "Oh, mo-" said I. spontaneously. q just asked out of idle curiosity. That's new box, ain't it?'
 New" he repeated with a laugh. Put up that other hoot. New? Wy, if that box had ever had eyes like human it would a-been a-wearin' specs by this time; that's a old, bald-headed box, with one foot in the grave"
 And what did the old fellow cost your" I asked highly amused at the quaint expressions of the boy.
 rCost? Cost nothin'-on'y about a hours work. I made that box myself, bout four years ago."
 "Ah!" said l.
 ''Yes," he went on. they don't cost nothin'; the boys makes 'em out O other boxes, you know. Some of 'em gifts 'em made, but they aint no good-ain't no better'n this kind"
 "So that didn't cost you anything?' said l, though I suspect you wouldn't like to part with 1t for less than-well, I don't know how much money to say seventy-five cents maybe-would any thing less than seventy-five cents buy it?' I craftily interrogated.
 "Seventy-five centsl Wy, what's the matter with you, man? I could git a I'll take yer measure fer one like 1t fer fifteen, too quick! and the little fellow leaned back from his work and laughed up in my face with absolute derision.
 I pulled my hat more closely down for fear of recognition, but was treasured a moment later as he went on:
 "Wisht you lived here; you'd be old fruit fer us fellows I can see you now IA