The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-10-19
,JANfESY.
BY JAMES wHlTcoMR RILEY.

the little back office that adjoins the counting room of the Daily Journal" ] sat in genial conversation with two friends. I do not now recall the theme oi our discussion, but the general trend of it-suggested, doubtless. by the busy scene upon the streets-I remember most distinctly savored of the mellowing in- huenoes of the coming holidays. with per haps an acrid tang of irony as we dwelt upon the great needs of the poor at such a time, and the chariness with which the hand of opulence was wont to dole out aims But for all that we were merry. and as from time to time our glances fell upon the ever-shifting scene outside. our hearts grew warmer. and within the eyes the old dreams glimmered into fuller dawn. It was during a. lull Of converse ton. and while the philanthropic mind perchance was wandering amid the out CT throng, and doubtless quoting to itself tsWhene'er I take my walks abroad, " that our privacy was abruptly broken into by the grimy apparition of a boy of ten; a ragged little fellow-not the stere- otyped edition of the street waif, but a cross between the bootblack and the in-
 
 he had entered and how would have pug zled us to answer: but there he stood be- fore us, as it were in a majesty of insig- nincance I have never had the features of a boy impress me as did his and as 1 stole a covert glance at my companions l was pleased to find the evidence of more than ordinary interest in their faces. They gazed in attentive silence on the little fellow, as. with uncovered, frowzy head, he stepped boldly forward. yet with an air of deference as unlocked for as becoming
 .I don't want to bother you gentle- mems" he began in a frank. but hesitat- ing tone that rippled hurriedly along as he marked a general nod of indulgence for the interruption. T don't want to bother nobody, but if 1 can raise fifty cents-and I've got nickel-and if can raise the rest-and 1t aint much, you know-on'y forty-five-and if I can raise the rest-I tell you, gentlemens," he broke off abruptly, and speaking with italicized sincerity-"I want jist fifty cents cause I can git a blaclSn'-box fer that and brush and ever'thing. and you can bet if I had that I wouldn't haf to asst nobody fer nothn'l And l ain't got no father ner mother, ner brother ner- ner-no sisters, neether; but that don't make no difference, cause I'll work-at anything-yes, sir-when l can git any thing to do-and I sleep jist any place and I amt had no breakfast-and, hon est. gentlemens, I'm a good boy-1 don't swear ner smoke ner chew-but that's all right-on'y If you'll-jist make up forty five between you-and that's ony fifteen cents apiece-Tll thank you, l will and I'll list do anything-and it's coming Christmas and I'll roll in the nickels, don't you forgit-if l ony got box cause l throw up bad shinei-and can git the box fer fifty cents if you gentlemens'n ony make up forty-fve cents between you" At the conclusion of this long and rambling appeal, the little fellow stood waiting with an eager face for a response.
 A look of stoical deliberation played about the features of the oldest member of the group, as with an. air of serious ness. which, I think, even the boy recog- nized as affected, he asked:
 And you couldn't get a box like that for-say forty cents? Fifty cents looks like a lot of money to lay out in the purchase of a backing box"
 The boy smiled wisely as he answered.
 sYes, 1t might look big to feller that ain't up on prices but I think it's cheap, cause it's a secondhand box, and a, new one would cost seventy-five cents any how-thout no brushes ner nothin v
 In the meantime I had dropped into the little fellows palm the only coin l had in my possession, and we all laughed as he closed his thanks with: 'Oh, come, Cap. go the other nickel CT I won't git out O. here with half enought' and at that he turned to the former speaker.
 "Well, really" said that gentleman. fumbling in his pockets, T don't believe I've got a dime with me-
 "A dime said the little fellow, with a look of feigned compassion "Ain't got dime? Maybe I'd loan you this one!' And we all laughed again.
 Tell you what do now" said the boy, taking advantage of the moment and looking coaxingly into the smiling eyes of the gentleman still fumbling vainly in his poclets-'Tell you what to do: You borrow twenty cents of the man that stays behind the counter there. and then we'f go the other fifteen, and that'll make 1t, and I'll skip out O here little the hyest boy you ever see! What do ye soy?'' And the little fellow struck a Pat Rooney attitude that would have driven the original inventor mad with envy.
 Give him a quarterl" laughed the gen. tleman appealed to.
 and here's the other dime" and as the little fellow clutched the money eagerly he turned, and in tone of curious grav- ity he said:
 Now, honest gentlemens I ain't a. givin you no game about the box-'cause a new one costs seventy-five cents, and the one I've got-I mean the one I'm a-goin' to git-is jist as good as a new one, on'y it's secondhand; and I'm much opnge', gentlemens-honest I am-and if ever I give you shine you can jist bet It don't cost you nothin''
 And with this expression of his grati- tude the little fellow vanished as mys- teriously as he had at first appeared
 That boy hasn't a bad face" said the first speaker-"wide between the eyes full forehead-good mouth, denoting firm ness-altogether, a good. square face"
 And a noble one," said l, perhaps in- spired to that rather lofty assertion by the rehearsal of the good points noted by my more observant companion.
 'sYes, and an honest straightforward way of talking, I would say" continued that gentleman q only noted one thing to shake my faith in that particular, and that was in his latest reference to the box You'll remember his saying he was giving us no game about 1t. whereas he had not been acused of such thing
 "Oh, he meant about the price, don't you remember?' said l.
 No" said the gentleman at the coun- ter. you're both wrong. He only threw in that remark because he thought l sus- pected him. for he recognized me just the instant before that speech, and 1t con- fused him, and with some reason, as you win see:-On my way to supper only last
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