Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 850 — page 5: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

em * -~ ames {>-* «475 © “= — = - ad « A qt ae ines ~~ a) = ~~ * ¢ = _ ~ “ - est, intelligent and —- — = < ae Mey ———_~ en el ar Caleb Cinders, the New York Castaway. - > -—€ so Norway adopted,a middle course and partely) . but ratherceldly, assured him that no one co be expected always to be right. And so, after a good deal of talk, and another apology, Irving Proctorham got out of the house as a skillful and cunning man can, even when he feels upset, Norway saw him off, and then returned to the parlor. **Oh! =e did you let him go?” Mrs. Garland demanded, holding fast to her child, ‘T could not detain him, Claribel.” ‘‘He spoke falsely; I know he did. Even when he was apologizing, he looked at Allan in a way which made me shiver!” ‘‘ There was a lurkin’ devil in his eyes!” This verdict came from Caleb Cinders. The Castaway had been very willing to let others do the talking, and had kept well back—so far back that, he correctly believed, Proctorham had actually forgotten him, in the trepidation ahd dismay of his blunder, The visitor had gone without a parting refer- ence to Caleb, and it was simply because he did not think of him. ‘* You agree with moe?” cried Mrs, Garland. ** 1 do, mum!’ Cinders asserted. ** And so do I,” added Norway. ‘‘It was be- cause I thought as you do that I used him so well, Wecould not have him arrested, certain- ly; and it was well to blind his eyes to the truth,” ‘* Thema’s the figger!’ the Castaway exclaim- ed. ‘*I ketch on ter your scheme, an’! must say it’s the proper caper. Goin’ ter fool him, ain’t ye?” : ‘*]T wish to hide the fact from bim that I see through his pretensions and hypocrisy.” **To it, mister; doit! I’m clean down on him sence the way he cut up.” 7% And you, my boy, are out of work, are you not? : ‘* Piggertively speakin’, ’ma castaway; but T shall oP up ter the surface like a whale fur breath, can’t be downed jest ’cause he’s showed me the door,” ‘* You bave lost your place by protecting my child, and 1 will see that you don’t want!” de- clared Mrs, Garland, earnestly. ‘*t echo that statement,” added Norway. ‘¢ You have done nobly, and we should be most ungrateful to overlook the service.” ‘© Oh, that wa’n’t nothin’,” Cinders cheerfully asserted. ‘I kin see how yer feel, but what else could I do? Was I goin’ ter see a small infant abused by mean skunks? Wal, I should ‘Say not!” ‘Your modesty is to your credit, but weshall insist upon helping you. Some proper situation shall be obtained for you.” : ‘hf itll be an accommodation ter you 1 presoom I’]l take it, though I’m used ter lookin’ -out fur Cinders, myself.’ ** We'll speak of it later. And now, Claribel, what about the mystery in your own life?” CHAPTER V. WHO WAS SHE? Mrs. GARLAND’S expression became grave. ‘* What about that mystery?” she asked, re- plying to Norway. ** | have pointed out that, [ believe, wisely or foolishly, as the result may show, that I suspect pt recent troubles spring from the old ones. nile you were away all was well; since you came to New York, however, twoattemptshave been made to kidnap Allan. A presentiment onmy part that something would occur ma influence my judgment, but I cannot but thin all is off one piece.” z Norway paused and glanced at Caleb Cin- ers, ‘¢Want me ter adjourn?’ asked the Casta- way, good-bumoredly. 3 No,” Norway replied, acting upon a sudden impulse, ‘‘I may peed a shrewd boy like you yet, and ‘your noble defense of Allan satisfiesme hat you are of good timber. I think we can rely upon you.” * Bet yer life! I sort o’ like this crowd!” Caleb looked around and nodded his approval several times in a highly humorous way. The boy had strongly impressed Norway. Plain and ill-clad though he was, he had an hon- mial face, and the young man believed that he bad found a rough dia- mond in Proctorham’s cast-off employee. Norway was a man of discrimination and sound common sense. Born in a town of New York State he had come to the city at an early age, when the death of a relative there left him gorperny which brought in an income sufficient ‘te support him in a modest way. Maving mo extravagant tastes, he was satis- ‘ «hee ition head : > j . Sa Sy >) ft sa. 7 ' * + ‘ ~~, ¥ » a v pt. 2 ota tre <8 Ft % at FEY i ; he. - = Lh.” 2% « . . - pt a i - 7 rs a = aif fied with the income, but not to live in idleness. He became a literary writer on a scale which would not be popular with, or pleasant to one of less substantial nature. He was a frequent visitor to the large libraries of Gotham, where he read books on substantial subjects, found de- light in them, and shaped his literary career therefrom. He may be termed a general writer on scien- tific and abstruse subjects, Moreover, be had studied human nature as be found it inthe metropolis of the New World, and had found nowhere a more interesting sub- ject than in the boys of every-day life, He had, therefore, a double object in making friends with Caleb, and his judgment told him that the Castaway was to be trusted. ‘¢ Wethank you for your good words, young man,” he answered, ‘‘and, if you continue in your way of thinking, you will find me ready to aid you.” The speaker turned to Mrs. Garland and con- tinued: ‘‘ Let us speak of your early.life, Claribel. Your first recollections are of along railroad journey, at the end of which you were received by a man and his wife in Oxford county, Maine, They told you that you were thenceforth to re- gard them as your parents, and se call them, and you were kindly reared in their home. As you grew older you questioned them,and was told that, when they adopted you, it was from an orphan asylum ia the City of New York.” ‘* True,” observed Mrs, Garland, with a sigh. “They knew absolutely nothing about you further than this, not even the names of your parents. They had several times reported to the secretary of the asylum, and when you be- came old enough to think seriouslysand to ex- press vourself in words, you, also, wrote, and asked for information as to your parentage,” ‘* Uselesaly |” ‘¢ Yes, You were answered kindly, but your all-important i Nas was totally ignored. Twice, subsequently, you wrote again and asked the same questions: *‘ What was my early bis- tory? WhoamI? Whowere my parents? In- variably, these questions were passed over in the reply; not a reference was made to them,” Caleb was growing interested in this history, Poor as he was, he seemed to be richer than Mrs. Garland—be had a name, and she had none, Practically, he had never had any parents, but she did not even know the names of hers. He felt sympathy for her. ‘* Your last inquiry,” pursued Norway, ‘‘ was made six years ago, and, when that failed, you abandonéd the attempt and resolved to give it no more thought. e latter determination be- came useless when you arrived in New York; you were on the scene of your early life— probably, in the city of your birth. You could not help thinking of it again.” ** More than that,” Mrs. Garland added, ‘*‘ I resolved to go in person to the rooms of the so- ciety, and make a final request. Several times I set a day, but I never had courage to go.” ‘‘Exactiy. Now, I have never encouraged you, in the past, to pursue your investigation, for it was clear to me that there was something in the books of the society, in the record made when you were received, that was unpleasant, or so regarded by them, If your case had been of the ordinary kind, your inquiries would have been fully answered when they made reply to your letters.” ‘*] realize that,” ‘* Unless we infer that the society was the ac- complice of knaves who were wronging you-— and we will not do tbat until we are compelled to—we must believe that they were acting for what they thought your good.” ‘¢Then they makea great mistake!” declared Mrs. Garland. ‘*They do not. know what it is to be ignorant of one’s parentage, and then have the information refused by the only per- sons who could give it.” c ‘‘A man who deals with the public,” an- swered Norway, with an air of disdain, ‘is not to be judged like other men. His blood is like ice; his heart like a stone; his head like a piece of machinery. Give the ordinary man an oflice . and he loses all human feelings, We boast of our country, and it isa grand one, but all our officials, from the intermediate class down to the doork rs, are useful to the public ic a degree only use the public compels them to be—not from human feeling. I know them!” This charge was not made with any evidence eof the speakers contact with sho porns pie, OF the $s con 6 persons he described, ee During his business life he had met with a ef ’ > . ; ' ~ * : j ‘ ;, - : ; 4 z r . Me Mis Hake © OS ’ is em ; ; u** i ale el @) = “anh . f “oN Be } gat Sta 4 . : 1,4 e ; P vi ad z ’ beaten. eae: orarsbelld Wee deena) ee ea ood deal of discourtesy among petty office- olders, and his experience was not an isolated case. ‘¢ With all due respect for the judgment of the gentlemen whose books contain the records of thousands of unfortunate children, I think that they have no right to withhold informa- tion. I think the law would compel them to ive it, and common decency certainly requires it. The record is there; what right have they to withhold it? In Heaven’s name, who has a better right to the record than the person of whom it is an abridged history?” ‘‘Thar is some mighty measly institutions dealin’ in children, like it was hossflesh, in New York,” observed Cinders, sagely. “The high position of the society which fig- ures in this case saves it from all such tf cion,” Norway freely admitted. ‘‘It does a work really noble, caring for poor and homeless children, many of whom are orphans, and find- ing homes for them with good families. It is only when they say to an adult that his, or her, record is not to be revealed that theyerr. Of course the motive is all right, in one sense, for they assume that unpleasant things had better remain unknown, but they carry it too far.” ‘‘Suppose you go shere,)7mald Mrs, Garland, ‘t and they refuse to show you the record?” ‘*T shall demand the right to see it.” ** And what if they still refuse?” ‘tT shall consult a lawyer, to see just what our rights are.” ‘*'Vhat’s the figger!” Cinders exclaimed. ‘¢ And I am sure that,if it came to such an extreme point, a judge, with affidavits properly ylaced before him would give an order requir- ing the society to open its books to us.” ‘* This frightens me!” declared Mrs, Garland, shivering. ‘SBe at ease, Claribel; [ do not anticipate that we shall have to resort to such extreme measures, for I positively know that it is the custom of nearly all our institutions of like kind to allow any person to read the record, on ap- plication, when he or she has reached years of maturity, be the record good or bad,” ‘¢You’ll fetch ’em!” was Caleb’s expressed opinion, ‘*[T shajl certainly try, and, what is more, I shallinvestigate Mr, Irving Proctorham,” ‘Tamafraid of that man!” exclaimed Mrs. Garland, clasping her child closer in. her arms, ‘* Do not fear; we will take measures to pro- tect Allan. Mystout servant, Benijah Ames, shall at all times be near to guard him.” Some further conversation took place, and it was decided that Norway should set out to look up Mrs, Garland’s past the next morning. In the mean whileit was thought prudent that she and Allar should remain at Norway’s, With due care if did not seem that the child could be taken away, forcibly or otherwise, Besides two servants, there would be a faithful protector in Norway’s aunt, Mrs, Lencourt, and the combined force ought to be enovgh, Caleb Cinders did not object to staying in the house. He had not spoken idly when he said that he liked ‘‘ the crowd” into which he had been cast by chance, and, as he was homeless, he was willing to put himself at Norway’s dis- posal for the time, He was shown to a good room and told to make himself at home, and, in a ready but modest way, he did so. ‘ The night passed wi*hout any occurrence out of the ordinary channel, but when the family met at breakfast it was with the understanding that an eventful day was before its members, CHAPTER VI. \s WOMAN WHO WANTS MONEY, Wuen Norway was ready to start on his er- rand he asked Caleb if he would like to go, teo, There did not seem te be any yecessity for the’ Castaway to remain at the house, and Norway saw that, accustomed as the youth was to out- door life, confinement was growing obnoxieus to him. Cinders caught at the chance, and made ready. rd think that I need not caution you further,” observed the master of the house to Mrs, Gar- land. ‘* You will understand the necessity of keeping Allan in until I return.” ‘*T do, indeed,” “ And not let any bogus message deceive you. If Proctorham is real Lropacsncoesay te get the boy, he may send word by some one pretending to come from me, aud ou to intrust Allan to the messenger. Do not do this under any condition.”