El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-12-16
By Ian Barshire.)

~ OR the space of an hour Billy Glib
bins. aged 10. had been industry
personified. He had BACKED his
own boots. his fathers and his mothers
without being told to do so. These
unwonted activities had bred mild
wonder in Mrs. Gibbins' mind and she
was completely astonished when her
son brushed the garden path at the
back also without being asked.
For these little attentions she gave
him a penny. Billy did not look so
enthusiastic as she anticipated
4 was thinking, mother he said, L
should like a dime. -
Mrs. Gibbins dropped a plate.
But Billy stuck TO the point
''Dimel Didn't YOU have your faith
er's nickel on Saturday, two pennies
for getting in the coal and three pen
MES from your Aunt Martha! why
you ought to have a dimeF
But he hadn't. He explained labor
iOusly where it had gone mostly In
Chalmers sweatshop.
And now you want dime on
Tuesday What for, for goodness
7 want to 90 to Rangers circus.
It's only here for today"
"Oh, so that's why you cleaned the
boots an brushed the path, is it2 Wen,
you just get out. I've no dimes for cir
cuses on a Tuesday. ScOOt now or
you'll get thisi" And Mrs, Gibblns
flourished a broom handle.
Alasi poor Billy; he wandered out
to his world. discOnsOlate. II he were
to see the circus a dime was necessary,
and at the moment his sole financial
possession was one battered penny
Wistfully. He put il back with great
detection. Even to a mind never pos
sessed of great wealth, the battered
penny did not appeal as affluence.
70 fTaKeTEeu
several streets, a girl with flaxen hair,
passing by in a carriage. caught his
Purely to compel her ad-
mira ton, Billy stood on his head
against a lamp post And then trag-
edy happened. The penny slipped
from his pocket and rolled down the
nearest sewer grid
Billy, suffering from acute depres-
sion and a longing for the delights of
the ring and tan. looked the sewer in
the eye. He could not see the coin,
and the sewer refused to give up its
prey. With all the pangs Of financial
loss full upon him. Billy Gibbins sat
on the curbstone and wept whole
He was dragged from a frenzy Of
5elf-pity by a friendly voice.
''W ell, my little man." it said.
Billy looked uD to encounter the
smile of a pOrtly old lady, whose skirts
-ustled with opulence-
ID. Are you lOst2"
Mo" blubbered Billy.
We'll, why do you cry?" she in
Lost a penny" he said, truthfuly
Down the grid"
Poor little chap-crying like that
or a lost copper. No-don't do that
She held out her hand. and Billy
found two pennies in it.
Now that makes it all right" she
said sweetly. and passed on with some
thing of the lady bountiful in her
lpulent manner.
''Crimeyl" Billy. said: that does
make it all right
He looked at the grid. The grid had
/ friendly, fascinating expression; It /
leld Billy. And then-althOugh he had
got two pennies-his penny was really
Town that grid. If he cried before be
,ause he lost it, why should he not /
still cry? The coin was still lost.
So Billy cried again, and sat on the /
'urb. A busy professional man. pass
ng quickly, almost fell over the lad. 2
so sorry. son" said the big. profess /
iional man. Then noting Billy's pa
hetics sobs: Did I hurt YOU ?"
"N-n-oi" boohoOed Billy.
What's the trouble. them
Lost penny Billy said, with in /
In a shop?' his questioner asked.
Billy stared dOlefully at the grid.
No" he Eurgled traEically; it's 4
-otf II LAlELt i uANPptQ II.
The pedestrian laughed with CHEEKY
-ood nature. and put his hand reck--
essly. into his pocket He drew out a |
iekeL
Here you are, old son." he said.
Don't droD it down the grid again"
nd he, too, passed on.
Billy looked at the nickel. and then
{ the grid. That sewer opening
eemed to have the fascination of sin.
billy Wept over it for two hours.
The result was excellent dime, (
i've separate nickels from exact Deo-
L. and. various amounts in cOppers-
otal sixty three cents.
But at this stage the lawn the
hape Of fat, solid, bulI-necked DO
Look here, my SON" said the police
ian.
Billy looked up and started
The policeman took Billy by the ear.
lie shook Billy's head by exerting a
sverage on the ear. It was painful.
Tell you what. my son." he said I
I've been watching YOU for some time !
ou'd better cut I've a good mind to !
ct you five years. and have you