Rufus and Rose

hiftless and drunken step-father of Rufus and Rose, has made a temporary residence. He had engaged board at the house of a widow, Mrs. Waters, and for two or three weeks p

ily the most of his earnings as a newsboy, and with this he managed to live miserably enough without doing much himself. But after a while Rufus became tired of this arrangement, and withdrew himself a

om he was owing a week's board, which he was quite unable to pay. He had told her that he would pay the bill as soon as he could ex

own on the bed till the supper-bell rang. Then he came down,

, Mr. Martin?" inquired M

er relations in New York," answered

g is she

new clothes made up; ma

n't it? You didn't think

teased so hard to go, I let her. She's a troublesome child. I

artin's statements. She felt that it was the part of prudence to make sure of

e, and was about to go out, but

said, "may I speak

wered Martin, tur

to pay my bill; I need

to-morrow,

his morning you said you should have a chance to change it,

said Martin, f

an pay me the money to-night

rtunate. As I was sitting in the horse-car coming home, I had my pocket p

ldly, for she did not believe a w

for that, I'd have

in," said the landlady, provoked; "if you can'

ay or two. I guess I can

o-morrow morning. I'm a poor widder, Mr. Martin, and I must look out for

ow-he was a widower. By marrying her he would secure a home, and the money received from th

attractive smile, "since I lost my wife I've been feeling very lonely. I need a wi

en turn affairs had taken; "but I've got too much to do to think about marryin

sophically; "I've give you a good chance.

Waters, as her boarder left the room. "I must be hard up

considerably better. In fact, as he was not quite clear where his dinner was to come from, or whether, indeed, he should have any at all, he thought it best to lay in sufficient to last him for several hours. Mrs. Waters

it possible she might have changed her mind as to the refusal of the day before, and resolved t

"maybe you've changed yo

emanded the lan

marry

eedn't mention the matter again. When I wan

there's several after me, b

dy, sarcastically; "I don't want to disappoin

he money in

you bring the money to pay your bill.

, and ascertained that twelve cents were all it contained. This small amount was not likely to last very long. He decided to go to New York

Ferry, and crossed in the boat to the New York side

Tribune" office, he proceeded to Printing House Square,

ired a boot-black, rather short of s

h me Wednesday?" asked Martin, to wh

sin'

oy they call Rough and

I seed

Has he sold al

apers, and gone into bu

, or I'll give you a lick

u try to

," said Ben, "but lickings don

u tell me the

d

d gone into busine

aken a fancy to him, and ad

onsidering whether there would be any chanc

Ben; "but he's just bought two po

tin, indignantly. "What's t

letters on the sign

would be best to give Ben a thrashing, but the appro

gov'nor?" asked Be

artin, rather

who didn't think it prudent to t

rtain degree of cunning, "if you'll lend me fifty cents for a week,

I've just invested all my money on a country-s

an't lend m

ell you where y

he

s plenty'll lend it on the se

if it had been run over daily by an omnibus, and then used to fill th

ck dexterously evaded it, and, slinging his

day he met Ro

'nor this morn

Mr. M

es

did he

st affectionate manner, and want

ou didn't

see the name on the sign. Then he wan

s la

invested considerable money that wa

r a week, if I'd lend him the money; but I had to resign the glorious pri

like a ban

' some day, when boo

ten joking in a rude way at what would have depressed and discouraged a more sensitive temperament. He was by no means a model boy, though not as bad as many of his class. He had learned to smoke and to swear, and did both freely. But there was a certain rude honesty about

" he said; "besides it w