Jem Dally, The Hatch Pedlar Of Dock Square

Years ago, whea Doek Square was what Doelt Square is, the place for a New Yorker Ui rest bis eyes, lifter traversing the uniform i of Philadeiphia, in the vnin hope of ere long stumbling on an irregulaiiiy, by wny of relief, a lad about len years of ago might be seen, day after day, witb a basket on his arm, pursuing his vocation, entering the valious offices or accosling people as they hurried lo and fro, wiih his well worn salulation, " Buy some matches ?" Ibllowed by a "thank you" whenever lie was so fortúnate as 10 secure a purchaser. From so frequently meeting the poor boy on my way to and from my office, I leurned lo idenlify his pale face vvith his quiet business, and lék disposed to exclaim, " Buy soine matches," whenever 1 chanced to see him. To me he became a sort of fixture, a thing to be looked for, and so far as mere thouglit or liabit is concerned, a thing to be cared for. As for encouragement in liis prolession, my hands involuntary searched my pockels for a penny or so, whenwe met - thouïh I invariubly forgot when 1 dropped it in his basket to. lake paper in return, One doy as T was returning from my dinner, in a tiioughiful mood, (a good dinner malees a man thougiurul sometimes,) leisurely pacing the Square, 1 observed two slriplings of the genius aristocrat belbre me, enjoying their Hilvanas, occupying at the same time the outside as well as the inside of the walk in ibeir moliveless perambulalion. My liltle friend the matchboy, presuming, from thcir occupation 1 conclude, that anieles in his line might not come amiss, proffered his usual query, receiving in reply, a push that sent him, basket and all, into the gutter. The liltle fellow indignont nt the rough usage, seized a handful of mud and with the unerring aim of a marksman, threw it full in the face of his assailant. "Good enough for you, Claience Buel," said his companion. "You had no business to treat the boy so !"' "Business or not, l'll teach liim better manners," said Uie enraged Clarence, and was about to administer his first lesson as 1 carne up. My titile favoiite stood his ground inanfully. His black eyes flashing wiih anger, and the red spot on his pale cheek belokening a spirit wilhin ihat but iliy accorded wiih his gent-rally quiet demeanor. How far maners might have bten carried, I know not - as, being a sort of justice of the peace, I feit bound Lo Dterfere. The aggressor passed on - vovving vengeance at his earliest opportunily - while the assailed galliered up his wet and scattered wares. As he put tliem into his basket, I could see his lips work as thougb there vvcre tho'ts within, too powerful for retention, but unfit for uiterance. To test the spirit ot the lad 1 asked him in a careless tone, " What's that you are saying, my boy f" To wliich he instan'.ly responded, "That fellow says iie vvill have his revenge, and tnay be he will, but vve'll see." There was a deep meaning in ihe tone of bis voice, and a bright flash ol' ibe eye ihat betokened a spirit but liltle used to indignities, and a heart ready to repel insolence be it offered by whorn itmight Witli a short lecture on the folly of wrath, fasliioned after ihe pithy discourse of Stearne, 1 passed on, Ieaving my hero, Jemmy Daily, to recover his temper and dry his matches at the same time. Jemmy kept down the street, and, as I remarked before, my steps vvere so leisurely taken, that bo not only overtook, but was far before me on bis homebound way. Poor fellow ! My tho'ughts foilowed the embryo man, and losing sight of him, I made him a man in a marvelous short space. Comparing him vvith multitudes around me, l saw him in fancy as I saw others in reality every day. But my dreamings carne to an end as I saw liim enter i miserable looking liovel occupied by severa! famillies.Jherding to'gcther because necessity compels iliem, in a place scarce fit lor the lowest animáis. As he entered, he gave his basket a loss, scattering its contents all over the floor - and throwing himself on a low stool buried his face in bis hands. A pale-faced woman, whose thin ferm was wasted by want, as well as toil, occupied a chair near the wincloiv. Her back was toward the door when ihe boy entered, but his strange manner, so iinuaual lo one so quiet in his babits, caused her to turn round, and, looking at him sorrowfully lor a few moments, she asked what bad liappened. For a moment or two Jemmy was silent. His feclings were too deep for words, and he was too niauly lo weep. Struggling to keep down the emotio is which ever and anon seemcd rendy to break forti), he related the incident ivü have described above. " .ever mind, Jem," said the motlier, for stich she was ; " it is no fiialt of yours that your matches are spoiled. I only wish you had not throwu the mud." " Not thrown the mud, motlier ? lf I had the strength I should have thrown the curbstone." " My son, sucl) anrer vvill never do. You must lean; to bear evil ratber than return it." " But, mother, I could'nt help it. I tho't of the shilling I had spent for tbem. It was all we had, and if I bad sold tbem, we could hnve had a nice supper, now we must go without. But l would'nt mind for myself. You know Mi'. Parker sometimes asks me to do chores, and when I go in the house the cook gives me something to eat ; bul nobody gives you anything, and I thought if I made a shilling all my owi, we vvould have something nice together." The sorrowful tone ïn which poor Jem utlered these words, so touched liis inother's heart, that she could scarce command lier voice as she continued her reproofs for liis unbecoming violence. The effort ended in calling the noble boy to her and imprinting a kiss on his Busbod cheek, with the kindly charge, be careful and not do so again. - Then pointing to the papers which hnd been Bcattereo ovi;r the floor, she bid him gather them up, and place tlvem so that they vvould dry. " But, motlier, they are good for nothing, said Jem. " Don't you see hovv wet they are ?" " Dry ihetn, my son," said the motlier, " and then we will examine them. Il" ihe wood is thoroughly dried, Mr. Brown will dip them again, and they will be as good as ever." A new üght seemed lo dawn on poor Jetn His misfortune was not so great, alter all. - His investement would not prove a total loss, and perhaps he could sell enough before dark lo accomplish the purpose for which he had been laboring. Gatbering them up as speedily as possible he threw them into the basket Bgaio, and before his mother could ask where he was going, ran out of the house wilh the basket on his arm. Surprised at this sudden moveinent, she jan to the door, follovting him wiih her eyes till she saw him enter the bake shop near the alley below. - Assured now that all was right, and tliat Jem was acting as she reccomended, Mis. Daily resumed the sewing which Jeni's abrupt entrance had inlerupled. She had scarce seated herself, ere her son canie running in with a fu 1 1 face of gladness, and holding in his hand a shilling which he had fortunately found in the street. Showing to his molher, he exclaiined, "now we can have a nice supper after all. - 'See,' he continued, "just as I crossed the alley I saw this, so I didn't stop lili my matches werë dry, but afier asking Mr. Brown if I miglit set them near the oven, I canie back to show you my good kick. Now, mother, you shall have a nice cup of tea, and 1 will "el a warm rol), and wont we have a prime supper together ?" Poor fellow ! r uil ol t lus joylul anücipation he went back to the baker's to alten to his matches and lo purchase a loaf. He had scarcely reached Mr. Browi's before he spied a linie girl looking very inlently along the walk looking lor sornething. She'seemed so disiressed tliat Jem's kind heart was touched, and going up to her asked her what was the matter. The girl told liim she had been sent of an errand to lier Grandmother who was very ill. She had been sent to the npothecnry's for medicine, Lut when she put her hand in her pocket for the nioney to pay for it, it was gone. Jem. thought of the shilling he had Ibund, and helu it closer lest he shoudlb e equal'y nnforiunate, and joined the ülile giil in "looking for the money. " It must be near this corner that I dropped it," said the child, for I remember I took out my handkerchief here and it was safe. I feit it in my pocket." "How much was it ?" said Jen hesitatingly. " Only a sliilling, but il was all grandma' had, so if I can't find it she must go without the medicine," aiid the ihought of this made her tears fall still faster tnan befóte. There was a siruggle in Jem's baart for a moment. This new disappointment was worse than the first, but the girl's sorrow was too much for hini - so holding out his hand, he said - " Wliy, if it is but a shilling and you lost it near the corner, this must be the one ; I found it few minutes ago." Grasping the money she exclaimed, "vvhy this is the very one. See, there is a bit cut frorn one side. Thank you, thank you," and in hereagerness to procure the medicine, she ran off as fast as possible. Thoroughly Jiscouraged at this seccond chili to his hopes, poor Jem sat down on the curb-stone and cried bitterly. He had done right. ïhe self-denial was as great as most of more mature years are ever called to exercise. He liad retumed vvhat beloned to anolher. thoncrh at first he O 'O considered it honostly his own. Tlie principie holds as good in shillings as in dollars, and his one act of stern honesly, in obedience to his molher's early inslruciions, dotiblless gave hira more strength to resist future temptation, tlian any other incident in liis whole lile. Jem sat still on the curb slone when the Hule girl returned wkli the medicine her shilling so generously relnrned liad procured. She stopped for a moment to thank him again for his kindness, wlien Jom sprang up, as il inspired by a suelden thought and offered to go home wiih lier. As she lived down the alley but a few steps, they soou reached the door, which the little girl pusbed open, asking Jem to come in. As he entered he saw an old lady sitting up in bed trying to sew, but she loolied so old, so thin, and so sick, that it seemed impo3sible for her to maintain an upright ; sition. The old woman held out her hand for the vial saying, "Mary, did you getit?" "Yes, Grandma, but I shouldn't if it had not been for this boy." ïben relating the loss of her shilling as above described, together wiih its recovery, she pointed out Jem 10 her grandmother, who had not noticed him before. Tlie lady tliankeü bina for his honesty ín tones so louching, that he was forced lo turn his face away to liide the tears wliicli were following each otlier in rapid succession down liis cbeeks. As Jem vvas vviping his face, good o!d Dr. V. - ,the dispensary pbysician, wlio chanced to be an oíd acquaintance of Mrs. Grey's, the sick woman, carne in to enquire after her a3 he had heard of her illness. To him she relater] the story her grandchild had just repeated, and he was pleased, and he drevv a quarter from hts purse, remarking, as he gave it to Jem, that "honesty deserves compound interest." - This climax to'tbe already pent up, hut overburdened feelings of poor Jem vvas too great. He wept and sabbed so violently that the good doctor sought by all possible means to soothe him. After calrning him in a measure, he drew from hiru the history of his past life, also as mucli as he knew of his mother's. Tben bidding him run and obtain the roll and the tea he had promised his mother, he assured hiffl he would cali in a few days at his motliers's house. Wiih a delight perfectly unknown to those who have never knovvn destilution, Jem hastened to procure the luxuries he had anticipated for his mother. According to bis promise, Dr. V. called on Mis. Daily, a few d;iys flfter, 10 inform her he liad succeeded in procuring a place for her sou wiili Mr. H , in Chestnut street. The fortunes of a boy so good as Jern proved himself to be, we need not follovr. Step by step lie ascended the ladder of wealth, and, at a suilable lime, became a partner not only an in establishment in Front street, but in the fortunes and aflections of that same Mary whose shilling he liad so generously retuined. Seated in bis office one day in winter, he heard a knock at the door, to which he responded wilh a good-natured " come in." - The door opened, and a little boy widi his basket on his arm entered, saying, " ()lease, air, do you wisli to buy any matches?" In a moment his childhood was btjfore him. - Tlie day wht-n his litlle foilune was so suddenly swept away, but which, after all, was the meansofhis after good fortune. Patting the little fellow on the hoad, Mr. (now no longer Jem) Daily said, " vvhat will you take for the lot, my boy r" Surprised at such a question, the lad liesilaled a moment, looking Mr. Daily full in the face, as if to assure himself of bis sincerity, before he replied, " one shilling, sir." " Then L'll take the lot, and here is a halfdollDi- ; you need not change it, eitber - you may have it all." Surprised at his success, the poor boy forsot bis tbanks, and everything else, and slood fooking first at the money and then at his benefactor. " Well, my boy," said Mr. Daily, " what is your name ?" " Clarence Buel." "Clarence Buel!" said Mr. Daily surprised in turn. " Well, tables do turn strangely. You may eome here again witb your matches', and I'll promise to buy lliern. But where is your füilier?" "He is sick, and the doctor says lie can't go out lo woik for a long time." " Well, Cltrence, you muy take thia to bim," said Mr. D., givmg him a bilí ; and as the boy closed the door, lie added, - "and now 1 have my revenge."