NATURE'S NOBLEMEN.
It was said of a man who rose to a high position in the State through his conscientiousness and high principles, that he was at one time a shoeblack.
One day, meeting the son of Lord ——, he was accosted in a tone of scorn: 'I remember when you blacked my father's boots.'
His answer came without anger, and as brave as true, 'Yes, and did I not do it well?'
THE BOY TRAMP.
[(Continued from page 148.)]
By this time Mr. Parsons' peculiar proceedings were beginning to arouse my suspicions. I could not fail to notice that he had twice told me to make trifling purchases, and that, although he had received some pennies in exchange for the first florin, he yet brought out a half-crown for the wax lights. My dawning suspicions grew stronger on the way home on a penny omnibus, when he offered the conductor another two-shilling piece.
The conductor was an amiable, talkative man, and Mr. Parsons had already begun a conversation with him.
'Haven't you got anything smaller?' he asked, 'because I have been doing nothing but giving change half the day.'
'Sorry I haven't,' said Mr. Parsons.