Chapter VII: Dick's Story

RICHARD drew a chair up to the fire and sat down.

"I'll tell you all about it," he began.

"Not till you've had some supper," urged Mrs. Stuart.

"I'm not a bit hungry. Old Charley trotted off well, I tell you. Just as I was going over the car bridge, three miles this side of the city, a gentleman hailed me."

"Can you give me a ride, my boy?" he asked.

"I looked at him sharp for a minute, and when I saw that he was a true gentleman, I said—

"'Yes sir, I'm pretty full; but if you wont mind your feet being crowded, I can take you as well as not.'"

"He told me he had been waiting for an omnibus; and he wanted very much to catch the train from the city to Providence."

"He asked me my name and a great many questions; and I liked him so well I told him all about the chance I'd got to decorate St. Stevens' church."

"By and by he took out his pocketbook full of bills and currency, and offered me fifty cents."

"'Thank you, sir. I don't want any pay. I can take you to the depot if you'll show me the way.'"

"He urged me a good deal and tried to press the money into my hand, but I kept saying:"

"'No, sir, I thank you just the same; I'd rather not take it.'"

"After this he seemed pleasanter than before. He told me he lived in Providence; and then I said, 'My mother has a cousin there. He is Professor in the college; and I hear that he is very rich. His name is Mr. Grath.'"

"'Ah! Is he your cousin? I know him very well. I was at a dinner party at his house last week. Perhaps you'll go to Providence some time. If you do, you must call on me; my name is Blake. Any body will tell you where Governor Blake lives.'"

"That is really an adventure, Dick," said his mother.

"Yes, and I mean to call. He reminded me of it again, when he got out; and he shook hands as hearty as could be, and wished me great success."

"When I went to the place where Mr. Jones told me to carry the evergreen,—the vestry back of the church, I found ever so many people there, ladies and boys. As soon as they saw me with some wreaths on my neck and on my arms, they cried out:"

"'Oh! here is our young hero We are all ready for you. You're just in time.'"

"The boys helped me bring the wreaths from the sleigh. They said they were beautiful,—the handsomest they'd ever had.

"'I have only ten yards of wound evergreen here.' I said. 'I want to know how much you need; and I'll have it here in a few minutes.'"

"I saw some on my way, and found how much I could buy it for. So when they told me, I drove Charley right back, and bought it with the money father lent me. Just as I was going in, I heard one lady say:"

"'I knew he'd be sure to bring it in season. Father told me about his coming to the store one of the hottest days in August.'"

"I carried in all they wanted; and they thanked me over and over for being in season. If I'd gone yesterday, mother, the vestry would have been locked up."

"I put up Charley then, and gave the man his blanket to cover him; and I didn't leave till I'd seen his rack full of hay."

"I staid in the stable-office a little while to warm myself; and I wanted to count how much I had made. It was twenty dollars, besides twenty which I gave for the evergreen I bought. There's your money, father, all in new bills; and here's a buffalo robe for your Christmas present."

"Will you please come to the kitchen, mother, for yours."

"I heard you say you wanted a new hod, and so I bought you one, and some knives for the table. There's half a dozen, good steel too."

"My dear boy," said his mother. "I didn't expect any thing. You should have bought for yourself."

Dick undid a bundle and distributed a tooth-brush to each member of the family, except baby. For him he had a sugar horse.

"I bought the cap and gloves for myself," Dick went on, "and those fowls are for all of us."

He pointed to the table where lay two turkeys weighing nine pounds each, and a pair of chickens.

"Wonders will never cease," said his mother, laughing heartily. "You don't mean that you bought all these things for twenty dollars."

"Please come in where it's warm; and I'll tell you all about it."

"I meant all the time to buy a turkey for Christmas dinner, and I went to the market to see how much it would cost. There were crowds and crowds of them; but they were very high. As I came out I saw a man getting into a pung. He was grumbling awfully. I went up to him and found he'd got turkeys and chickens; but they were not very fat and he couldn't sell them.

"'How much do you ask?' I said."

"'Just what I can get,' he answered real cross. 'I'm twenty miles from home and the rain is coming on heavy.'"

"I picked out the best two turkeys and two chickens which I could find; and I said—"

"'I'll give you a dollar and a half for those.'"

"'Clear out!'" he screamed. "'I'll carry 'em home first.'"

"So I cleared out and went to the other end of the market. In half an hour I came back. 'Haven't you gone yet?' I asked laughing."

"'Come,' says he, 'I can't wait here. I'll sell dirt cheap.'"

"So I said again, 'I'll give you a dollar and a half for those I've picked out.'"

"'I aren't quite a fool yet,' he answered growling. 'I 'spose you think I haven't cut my eye teeth.'"

"I went back into the market out of the rain; but I didn't look for a turkey. I knew the man would let me have 'em if I waited long enough. When I went back again I saw him standing in his pung waiting for me.

"'Boy! boy!' he shouted, 'Here! This way a minute.'"

"I didn't hurry much."

"'I shall freeze and so will my horse,' he said growling again."

"'You may have the lot for a dollar and a half.'"

"'I've concluded not to give so much now,' I told him. 'I'll pay you a dollar for 'em.'"

He waited a minute. It was growing real dark and then he snatched 'em out of the pung.

"'There take 'em,' says he. 'It's just giving 'em away.'"

"I took out the dollar and gave it to him and thanked him, and took the blanket off his horse, and tucked it round his knees so that he might be warm.

"'Which way are you going, youngster?' he asked."

"'I'm going twelve miles to Annesley. I've got a horse in the stable on Blossom street.'"

"'Jump in, then,' says he; 'and I'll carry the stuff there. I go right past the stable.'"

"We only rode a little way; but I got him to laughing, and he said he wished I'd ride all the way home with him. He added 'if you are only twelve, you've got your eye teeth cut, no mistake; I've allus heard that ministers had smart chaps.' He shook hands real hearty when I left him.'"

Mr. Stuart threw back his head and laughed heartily.

"I forgot to tell you," said Dick, "that when I carried my bill to Mr. Jones, he was just going to dinner, and he made me go with him. He lives a little way from the State House and his parlors were fixed up big. Now I'll eat some hasty pudding and go to bed."