The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1905-04-28
:::::: BY 3. L. FARJEoN. ::::::
M-Z.N--..,!! !!--;;E--A.

all means, give 'em brand new far
den. 1t won't last long, that's on
comfort
For il was all over once more, an(
every article In the room was as sObel
as Judge.
lie felt so thirsty that No determined
TO have another cup Of tea, cold as j
was; but when he put out his hand h'
could not find the tea things.
He managed 90 crane his head over
the bedside. and there upon the hOol
lay the teapot. cup and saucer, broker
in n dozen pieces.
Now. how did that happen" hC
wondered; not moment ago they
were as sound as ! am. and / dldn't
hear anything fall. It's that con
founded waltzlng, / suppose. Enough
TO upset everything in the place. Ney
er mind, I'll have some water"
But TO say he would have some wa
ter was one thing, and 10 have some
water was another. The water in tho
jug was a mass OF ice.
TO crawl out Of bed and get sharp
pointed knife and 10 crawl back again
shivering and dig into the ice with tho
knife til hc obtained sufficient To- as
suagc his thirst, occupied him much
longer than he supposed, for he had
lost count Of time, and intervals which
he reckoncd as 50 many minutes were
i'm reality so many hours.
"Tm as weak ms kitten" hc
thought; but come what Will, I'll
have some sleep, or III know the rea-
son why"
SO he winked at his fathers night
cap, and saying, "If you're going TO
have another waltz, have the goodness
10 let me know beforehand" turned on
his side and fell into sleep less dis
turbed than he had previously enjoyed.
His dreams were not so cXtravagant,
but were sufficiently fantastic.
His predominant fancy was that he
was walking through scores and
scores Of alleys and courts and narrow
streets for the purpose OF asking the
little boys and girls what il all meant
Every one lie asked returned the
same answer, and TO every one who
answered him he gave brand new
farthing, The answer was:
"Old Dexter's had fever" Not
you've had fever" but "Old DcX-
ter's had n fever" as if he himself
was somebody else.
But look here" he said to a young
imp with weak eyes and red hair
Pm old Dexter
Cannon retorted the young imp,
with scornful snap OF his fingers
Did you ever see old Dexter going
about as you're a-going on, with n sack
OF brand new fardcns on his back, Civ
ing 'cm away ms if they was stones 7
You old Dexter. Tell that TO the ma.
rines."
by which speech the dreamer knew
that he carried on his back sack
filed with the new farthings he was
giving away SO literally.
lie did rot find il at all an unpleas.
ant sort of hump, and notwithstand
ing that there were thousands Of farth'
ings in IL, it was as light rs bag of
feathers.
lie went about to other boys and
girls. and tried 10 bribc them with al
mltting that he was old Dexter, and
no other fellow; but bribe them rs hC
might. he could not get them TO admit
that he was himself.
Said one. "ArSk old Sally IL you dom
believe us. and give her four farth
ings.'
Old Sally was n blind woman who
stood begging on the curbstonc every
Saturday night in Clare Market, within
twenty yards OF Thomas DcXtcr's shop
The dreamer gave her four farthiugs
saying:
I'm Thomas Dexter"
"No. no. kind sir said Sally
you're hiding your charity under an
other name than your own. Thomas
Dexter never gives anything TO In,
poor
Here you. sir" cried the dreamer (,
" uklit III II ~ AN AA'bN AAsAA AANl'l'NAA'''
oddly. to come his way. Tell me VIII,
old Sally and the little chaps won
recognize me. should like TO know
really, and I'll pay yer for the informa
ton
PAY me. then" said the figure. hold
ing ont his two hands. which tn
dreamer filed with farthings, "an
look aud learn"
lie flung the farthings into the all
ana they changed instantly into littl
birds. their feathers the colors OF th
rainbow.
The odd part Of the affair was tina
every bird wore white apron. like
waiter. and every one OF them carrie
something nice TO eat or drink.
Loaves of bread. basins ofA souI
sleeps trotters, mutton chops, riul
dun, pork sausagcs. mince pies. an
goodness only knows what. which the
Immediately commenced 10 distribut
among the thousands and thousands /,
poor children who started up ike maj
ic on all sides.
The faces OF many Of these Soor chi
dren were familiar 10 the dreamer. Il
he had seen them in his walks sbo'
the streets
The most familiar figure In u
throng was Little Make Believe. WI
seemed TO lie ubiquitous, she was
continually repeating herself.
How eagerly they took the foC
from the birds and how eagerly III,
ate and drank the good things!
What n chOrus.of thanksgiving fiii,