Burnham Breaker

ceived a message from the lawyer instructing him to be at the railr

y to the breaker, and Ralph stayed b

lly, put a little money in his pocket, and, long before the

anna River, the scenery was grander; and, as they passed down through the far-famed Wyoming Valley, Ralph thought he had never before seen anything quite so beautiful. On the whole it was a delightful journey. Sharpman was in excellent spirits and made himself very agreeable indeed. He seemed to enjoy answering the boy's bright questions, and listening to his shrewd remarks and frank opinions. It was not

. Burnham, as administrator, to recover your interest in the estate; but, judging from

to be a law-suit. Couldn't we make it so plain to her,

ht to distribute a portion of the estate to you against the objection of her daug

n take me home to live with her without any propaty? Wouldn't that do? I'd a good deal ru

do. You would have no right to make such an agreement before you are twenty-one years old. Oh, no! we must have

ar and shook hands with several of the attorneys there. The judge was writing busily at his desk. After a few moments he laid his pen aside and read a long opinion he had prepared in the matter of some decedent's estate. Ralph could not understand it at all, and hi

JUDGE OF THE ORPHANS' C

bert Burnham, late of the city of Scranton in said county, deceased, under the age of fourteen years; that he is resident within t

H BUR

t friend,

Sept. 2

nding the paper to the clerk, who, in turn, handed it to the judge. There was

he judg

m left more than one child living; a girl, for wh

but it is a fact, nevertheless; and we are here now, asking that a way be prepar

"and I think we should have some other basis tha

and detailed account of the wreck, of Ralph's rescue by Simon Craft, of the old man's care and keeping of the boy, of the finding of Ralph's parents, the lad's desertion, the

in silence, as if studying

"that this child is living, and, if so, why doe

ur Honor, by reading the followi

E COUNT

of the said Robert Burnham's estate, and informed her of the facts set forth in the foregoing affidavit of Simon Craft. She acknowledged her acquaintance with the boy Ralph, herein mentioned, but refused to acknowledge him as the son of Robert Burnham, or to grant him any legal int

H. SHA

subscribed

26,

EL D

of the

m in this matter?" inquired the judg

ick-set, with gray hair and

g as we do not recognize the boy as Robert Burnham's son, it would hardly be justifiable for us to interfere in the simple appointment of a guardian for him. Inasmuch, however, as the avowed purpose is

bond, Mr. Sharpman?

Sharpman, producing

g Mrs. Burnham's attorney, "will you look at

nd, examined it, and re

ction to make t

You have named Simon Craft as guardian. We are wholly unacquainted wit

s the boy," as Ralph, obedient to the lawyer's summons, came into the bar and stood beside him. The judge scrutinized the lad closely, and the lawyers leaned forward in their

pplication for a guardian ma

boy; "Mr. Sharpman say

ou choose for

a Simon

oyed, and whispered

t," said the boy,

grandfather?" asked

never had no grandfather; but Mr. Sharpman says th

that will do; we'll make the appointment, but," turning to Sharpman, "we shall watc

boy, whom I firmly believe to be Robert Burnham's son, is restored to his family and estates, and that this old man, who h

e papers and handed t

aisle with Ralph to the

h will keep me here the rest of the day.

, y

your fare with;" offering

, declining to accept it, "pl

t noon. I'll send for you whe

od-

city. He felt like walking off, too, a feeling of dissatisfaction concerning what had just been done in court. It was too much in the nature of an adverse proceeding to seem quite right to him; he was fearful that, somehow, it would estrange his mother from him. He thought there ought to be some simpler way to restore him to his family, some way in which he and his mother coul

ed by uneasy thought, that he walked leisurely down the street of this strange

station, or at least made some attempt to find it; so he

was on the right road to get away from it, and advised him to retrace his steps for four blocks, then to go two blocks to the left, and there he would find a street running dia

nstead of one street running diagonally from this point there were two or three; and Ralph did not know which one to follow. He asked

ing down one of the streets, as he spoke, and then wh

ntly. The buildings were small and dilapidated, there was a good deal of rubbish on the sidewalks and in the streets, a few ragged children were playing in the gutter near by, shivering with cold as they ran about in bare, dirty feet, and a drunken man, leanin

omers, in every style. On the ground-glass comprising the upper part of the door, the words "Sample Room" were elaborately lettered. Ralph heard some one talking inside, and, after a moment of hesitation, concluded to go in there and make his inquiry, as the need of finding h

ir, which is the nearest wa

to, bub?" inquired the man, lea

ke the train fo

r Scranton d'ye

t leaves

ldn't catch that train now, my little cupid, if yo

t pocket. It was a black silk vest, dotted with little red figures. Below the vest, encasing the wearer's legs very tightly, were a pair of much soiled corduroy pantaloons that had once been of a lavender shade.

, smooth and freckled; but the eyes were red and heavy, an

r boy," he

an't c

an't fe

take it easy and wai

ing up at the strange young man, but with his eye

ur o'clock. Going up on that train my

you'll wait a

d delighted

old of Ralph's arm, led him to the window, turned

rs!" he exclaimed, at last, "have I found-do

, gazing steadily on the young man, as if trying to call something to memor

med, "it's Joe;

id the young man, "an

peaks t

f friendshi

to me and

me to introduce my esteemed young friend, Mr. Ralph

e bar and shook hands cordially with Ralph

yself, 'that young man has a familiar look to me.' I listened to your voice and I remarked to my inner consciousness, 'that voice lingers somewhere

an tell my g

you agai

pressing exigencies of rhyme often demand the eli

nywheres around is he?" he asked, letting his eyes rest, with care

d saint, for, lo, these many moons. Ah!-let me see! did you not l

good old m

could touc

did. I run away. He

it away. Your affectionate grandpa and I are not on speaking terms. The unpleasant bitterness o

n lack of fa

rom the toug

stove, and had playfully forced Ralph into on

from behind his bar an

have a ticket for your passage up,

ticket. Mr. Sharpman paid my fare down,

reminiscences of their Philadelphia life which Ralp

r, me boy? Ain't ye gittin' a lit

nded Ralph, "that's a fact. Do y

ll git anywhere. Don't charge ye for nothing

ss so; I won't have no better cha

tle chicken-salad, and some quail on toast, with the vegetables and accessories. For dessert we will have some ices, a few chocolate eclair

outh, the bar-tender had disappeared through a do

ay, on which were bowls of oyster soup, very thin, a few crackers, and two little plates of dirty butter. He

tes afterward, with bread, and

have the effect of making him more communicative, and he was allowing his companion to draw out from him, little by little, as they

ed with a circus company once, myself, in the capacity of special entertainer of country people and inspecto

ot sick up there at Scranton, they hadn't no furder u

to be in. How did you

e met it; he foun' me, an' cured me, an' I

n poet has it. How often have I wished that it were possible

" interrup

disease which the best physicians of both continents have pronounced imminently dang

" asked Ralp

terrible affliction. But how about Grand

d, bad eagle

n upon his

at," responded Ralph

s his state of mind

ndfather," said

randfather! Y

't no relat

eath away! Who

ham. I'm Robert

this fellow, but the words came out before he thought. It

n the rich coal proprietor who died

e one I mean.

I fear you have fallen into evil ways since you passed out of the range of my beneficent influence. But you should not try

ithful frie

uth, whate'

says so, an' Lawyer Sharpman says so, an' Mrs. Bur

hed again and asked wh

wash the dinner down

again quick

Burnham mansion?" he asked, "a

ze me yet; she can't do it till the sui

are you going to h

tle, a pitcher of water, two

, he's been 'pointed my garden. He ain't so bad a man as he used to

suit mentioned. He took time to pour some of the contents of the bottle into each glass, then he fille

e Billy an' me's temperance; we do

ade up from wheat, just the same as you get in your white bread

nd water bo

at-juice fil

you'll fi

le of the mixture; but he did not like

suit for you?" continued Rhymi

n; he's very smart, too.

and to my quondam friend, your sometime grandfather. I would drop all bitter

been, and my

tly pays to for

lied; "it'll be two or three

zed thoughtful

nd began to take

ill, landlord?

he bill for

mber rightly, invited me to dine with him.

hyming Joe to dine with him, but he di

much is it?" taking out his li

"a dollar an' a quarter apiece for the din

e had never before heard of a d

ther a high-priced hotel; but they get up e

le you dri

you'll hav

uch money," said Ralph,

e got?" inquired

a dollar'n ei

't more'n half enough. Ye shouldn't order such a

was goin' to cost so m

t jest as good a dinne

' it didn't cost both o

I don't

leading the bar-tender aside. They whispered

at money you have, and he's to charge the remaind

precious 'fr

imself a fri

n't have any money left t

to ride up with me, didn't I? and of course I'll pay y

sert you, oh,

each other, a

conversation. The young man seemed to be deeply interested in the movement to restore the boy to his family rights and possessions. He asked many questions about it, about Craft, about S

nd Ralph thought he began to detect evidences of intoxication in the speech and conduct of his friend. His nose appeared to be getting r

mes of alcohol in the atmosphere, were all having their effect on his senses. He saw, dimly, that Joe's chin was resting

owls I s-s-s

owl's 'e bowl

t both man and boy