The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1914-12-18
"Go 3D." said. with an assuring

cautiously around. lis a.hidin' my box
and a-rnshin' In, suddentlike. where
they's crowd O. nobs a.talkin' politics
er somebin. and a-jist startin' in, and
fore they know what's a.comin' I'm
a.flashin' up nickel er a dime. and
a-tellin' 'em IL I only had enough more
to make so cents could buy blackin'
box, and wouldn't have to ast no boot
o my grandmother! And two minutes
chinnin' does 1t, don't you see, cause
they don't know nOth!n' bout blackin'
boxes; they're list as soft as you air.
They got an idy. maybe, that bIackin'
boxes comes all tho way from Chiny,
with cokeyT It whlskers packed round
EN-; and make 1t solid by a-sayin'
I'm on'y &C u TO git secondhand box
see? But that amt the p'int-lt's
the Mr.. Nickel already got. Oh! It'll
paralyze 'em ever time! Sometimes
fellers'll make up IS cents er dollar,
and tell me to git new box, and 60
into the business right That's thing
that always rattles me. Now, II they'd
on'y growl little and look like they
was list a.puttin' up cause the first
one did. can stand It; but when they
go to pattin' me on the head, and
a-tellin' me that's right and mot to
be afeared o work. and III come out
all right and tellin' me to git q good
substantial box while I'm a.gittin','
and a-ponyin' up handsome, there's
where weaken-I do. honest!" And
never 30 plainly as at that moment
did see within his face and in his
eyes the light Of true nobility.
."You see." he went on, in a tone Of
voice half courage, half apology. az got
O family on my hands. and T. list got
to git along somehow! could git along
on the square deal as long as mother
was alive-'cause she'd workout ever
sence she dled-and that was winter
fore last-I've kind o. had to double
Oh the old thing all sorts O. ways. But
Sis don't know It. Sis, she thinks I'm
the squarest muldoon in the business" )"
and even side by side with the 1omely
utterance great sigh feltered from
his lips.
And who is sis?" I inquired with
new interest.
"Sis?" he repeated. knocking my foot
from the box, and leaning back, still
In the old position,' his hat now lying
on the ground beside him. and his
frowzy hair tossed backward from the
full, broad brow-"Who's Sis?" he re-
peated with an upward smile that nj.
most dazzled me-"W'y. Sis ISIS
Wy. Sis ia the boss girl-and don't you
fergit IT."
No need had he TO- tell me more than
thte- I knew who "Sia" wns by the
light Of pride In the uplifted eyes; I
knew who isis" was by the exultation
in the broken voice, and the half.ie.
fant tossing OF the frowxy head; I
knew who Sis was by the little,
naked hands thrown upward openly; I
knew who "Sis' was by the tear: that
dared to trickle through the dirt upon
her ragged brothers face. And don't
you forget It! -
y o that boy down there upon his
nees!-there in the cinders and the
dirt--so far, far down beneath ,us that
We irample on his breast and grind our
1eels Into his very heart:iO that hoy
there. with his lifted eyes, and Gods
own glory shining in hia face, has
taught me, with an eloquence beyond
the trick ce understanding words
and metaphor, that love. may find q
purer home beneath the rags of poy-
erty and vice than In all the great
warm heart Of Charity. s.i
! / hardly knew what impnlse prompt.
Cd me, but as the boy rose to his feet
and held his hand out for the compen-
sacon for his work, I caught the litsle
dinky palm close, close within fmy
own, and wrunE It as !. would have
wrang the hand Of come great con.
Ileror. (. ;.s,5i4. u . ,@ilsE 4'.,,Gl
The little fellow stared at. mo lin
wonderment, and although his lips
we're SILENT I cannot hut believe that
had they parted with the uttarauce
within his heart my feelings had re-.
cetyed no higher recognition than the
old coptemptuous phrase, 'Oh. what
yob givin' 'ms?.' ...r :. s.. -
sAnd SO you've got; q family, on ':,i,, your
hands?";I inquired. recovering an dir
OF simple curiosity. and toying In my
pocket with some bita Of change. "IIow
much Of q fasnily?n r 2.
"on'y ,thrae OF ps now..i s...s ~.
Only three OF you. Ell! Yourself,
and Sis, and.-and-"
The old man, z said the boy. uneas-
lily; and after .a pause. In which he
seemed to swallow an utterance more
bitter. 40 added. And he nin't no good
on earth!" :.
Cant work." Stqueried.
Won't work." said the boy, bitterly.
HE won't sviark-he won't do nothin'
--on'y bulge! And I hat to, steer him
In ever night. cause the cops won't
pull him any more -they. won1 let him