The place was a newspaper office, and many men and boys worked there all night, because the paper must be ready in the morning. The man was an editor. He said that Tom would go on the night shift. He was to begin at six o"clock inthe evening, and to get off about two o"clock in the morning. "There"ll be a couple of the old boys here to tell you whatto do," said the editor. "Yes, sir," answered the boy, moving to the door. As the boy moved away from behind the table, the man noticed that he was barefooted. "Where are your boots?" said he to the boy. "You will need to hurry if you have to go home for them."The boy looked down at his bare feet, and said, "I have no boots, sir.""No boots! Well, we can"t have a barefoot boy in the office.
Can"t you get a pair?"
The boy hung his head. " I"ll try my best, sir," he said; but he was nearly crying.
"All right. Turn up at six, with boots, mind, or we shall have to get some one else."The boy turned and went down the steps. "Wait a minute!" came a voice from the top of the stairs. Tom turned at the landing, and saw the other boy looking down on him.
"I say, why have you no boots?" asked the office boy.
"Oh, they"re worn out and thrown away. My mother"s sick; and I"ve been trying hard to get work, but I haven"t been able to do so.""Have you any stockings?"
"Yes; one pair," said Tom, gazing down at his bare feet. "Well, you are about my size. I have a pair of boots that Imight lend you till pay-day. What do you say to that?""You would not ask if you knew how much I want the place.""Well, go home and get the stockings. When you come back, wait where you are for me; but you must hurry to be here at six."Tom was back in good time, and stood panting on the landing some minutes, half afraid that his new friend would not come. Then, to his joy, he saw him looking over the rail.
"Sit down, and put on your stockings; I"ll be along at six,"said the office boy.
Tom did so. As the people were going up and down in the lift, he was not disturbed on the stairs. In a few minutes, the office boy came, sat down beside him; and began taking off his boots.
"This is the only pair I have," he explained. "Nothing very stylish about them; but, if they will do on my feet, they will do on yours. They cost me five shillings; and you will have to be careful of them-no skating on the floor or kicking the table legs. Try that one.""It fits all right," said Tom.
"Well, make haste; get them both on. My name is Sam Jones and I live in King-street. There is a bakery there. I"ll tell the baker you are coming. Don"t fail, because, if you do, I"ll be out of a job myself to-morrow."Sam then stuffed his own stockings into his pocket, and went down the stairs in his bare feet. Tom turned round tostart his new work.
For a week, this went on. Sam found his boots each morning at the baker"s; and, each evening, the exchange was made on the stairs.
Then Tom was able to get a pair for himself. The friendship so strangely begun has never ended, and both boys are now in good places.
Author.-The author is not known.
General Notes.-What morning newspapers do you know? What is an editor? Why did Tom come without boots? Who helped him out of his trouble? Why? Tell all the different names you know for mates. Tell any other story you know about mateship.
Lesson 7
A BOy"S SONg
Where the pools are bright and deep, Where the grey trout lies asleep,Up the river and over the sea, That"s the way for Billy and me.
Where the blackbird sings the latest, Where the hawthorn blooms the sweetest, Where the nestlings chirp and flee,That"s the way for Billy and me.
Where the mowers mow the cleanest, Where the hay lies thick and greenest, There to track the homeward bee, That"s the way for Billy and me.
Where the hazel bank is steepest, Where the shadow falls the deepest, Where the clustering nuts fall free, That"s the way for Billy and me.
Why the boys should drive away Little sweet maidens from the play,Or love to banter and fight so well,
That"s the thing I never could tell.
But this I know, I love to play Through the meadow, above the hay; Up the water and over the lea,That"s the way for Billy and me.
--James Hogg
Author.-James Hogg (1770-1835) was a Scottish poet, who in his youthful days herded cattle and sheep. He is known as the Ettrick Shepherd.
General Notes.-What do boys like to do? Let each stanza answer-fishing,bird-nesting, bee-tracking, nutting, fighting. The last stanza sums it allup. Tell about some other things you like to do.
Lesson 8
WHAT THE MOON TOlD
"I was looking down last night," said the moon, "upon a little yard, with houses on every side.
"There I saw a clucking hen and eleven chickens. A pretty little girl came skipping out and ran towards the chicks.
"The hen clucked, for she was afraid, and spread her warm wings over her little brood.
"The girl"s father came out of the house and scolded her for frightening the chicks. Then I sailed away behind a cloud.
"But, this evening, only a few minutes ago, I looked again into the same yard. All was quiet; but soon the little girl came out softly.
"She stepped lightly across to the hen-house, raised the latch, and went in among the hens and chickens.
"They cried aloud and fluttered off their perches, and the little girl ran after them. I saw it all, for I was peeping in through a hole in the wall.
"I was quite angry with the naughty girl, and I felt glad when her father came out, and, holding her fast by the arm, scolded her even more than he did last night.
She hung down her head, and her blue eyes filled withtears. "What are you doing here?" he asked.
"She cried, and said, "I wanted to tell the hen how sorry I was for giving her a fright last night; but I did not like to tell you so."
"Then the father kissed the sweet child"s mouth, and I kissed her eyes and chin."--Hans Christian Andersen