THE NEWSBOY.
“Cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou shalt find it after many days.”
“Cast thy bread upon the waters, and thou shalt find it after many days.”
Manyyears ago there lived in Boston a carpenter whose name was John Lowe. He was very far from being a rich man, and, though he received fair wages for his labor,he had a wife and four children to support.
One Saturday evening, as he was going down to the market, a little boy of about ten years of age stepped up to him, and asked if he would set him up in the newspaper business.
The newsboys, in the large cities of the United States, make from four to six cents a dozen on the papers theysell; but they have to be active, and I am sure they earn their money. It requires a little capital to start with; and to obtain this, the boy had accosted John Lowe.
“How much do you want, my boy?” asked he.
“Fifty cents, sir, if you please,” replied the boy, whose name was Henry Small. “But I will pay it to you again, just as soon as ever I can.”
The carpenter hesitated; but the boy looked honest, and told him a pitiful story of misfortune and want at home; and he finally gave him the money.
In two weeks, Henry Small called at the carpenter’s house, and paid the half dollar he had borrowed. It was sixteen years before he saw him again.
In that time John Lowe had grown old and feeble. He could not labor much, andwhen hard times came he had no work, and had nothing with which to buy bread for himself and his wife.
Two of his children had died, and the other two were sailors, and far away from home. He had no one to help him, and he feared that he should be obliged to go to the almshouse.
Every day he went out, hoping to find a job by whichhe could earn enough to buy food for himself and his wife; but he was disappointed.
At last he made up his mind to apply to the overseers of the poor for assistance, for he had not even a loaf of bread in the house, or any money.
On his way to the City Hall, he entered a store where some carpenters were at work making alterations, and asked the master workman for a job.
“I can give you no work here,” was the rough reply.
The unkindness of the answer touched his feelings, and a tear slid down his cheek.
“What do you want?” asked a gentleman, in kind tones.
He was the person who was about to go into business in the store.
“I want work, sir, for I am very poor,” replied John Lowe.
“Haven’t I seen you before,somewhere?” asked the gentleman. “I am sure I have.”
“I don’t know, sir. My name is John Lowe; I am a carpenter by trade.”
“John Lowe!” exclaimed the gentleman, grasping his hand. “Don’t you know me?”
“I do not, indeed, sir.”
“My name is Henry Small. You set me up in the newspaper business sixteen years ago.”
“I do remember; and I judge by your looks that the world has used you better than it has me.”
“It has used me very well—perhaps better than I deserve.”
John Lowe then told his story, with many tears.
“Do not weep,” said Henry Small. “I have done well since we parted sixteen years ago. The half dollar you lent me has been the foundation ofmy fortune. I have some thousands of dollars now; but had I only a dollar I would divide it with you.”
John Lowe had all he wanted as long as he lived. He worked on good wages in Mr. Small’s store for a time; but when he could no longer work, he was well cared for by his friend.