THE POOR LITTLE BOY WHO PICKED UP PINS.

Evening Star, Issue 6711, 1 October 1884, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE POOR LITTLE BOY WHO PICKED UP PINS.

[By Mark Twain ]

The man lives in Philadelphia who, when young and poor, entered a bank, and says he: "Please, sir, don't you want a li title boy?' And the stately personage said : " No, little boy, I don't want a little boy." The little boy, whose heart was too full for utterance, chewing a piece of liquorice stick he hid bought with a cent be had stolen from his good and plons aunt, with cobs planly audible, and with great globules of water running down his cheeks, glided silently down the marble steps of the bank. Bendirg his noble form, the raik man dodged behind a door, for he thought the little boy was going to shy a stone at him. But the boy picked up something and stuck it in hia poor but ragged jacket. "Come here, little boy." Aud the little boy did "oomo hero"; and thß bank man said : "L:>! what jrcliestthcu up?" And ho answered and t'oid, " A pin." And the bank man Baid : "Little bny, are you good? And he said ho wap. Aad the back man said : " How do you vote—excuse me, do you go to Sunday cchool?" Acd he said he did. Then the bank man took down a pen made of pure gold, and flowing with pure iok, and wrote on a piece of paper " St. Peter," and asked the little boy what it stood for, and he said "Salt Petf r." Then the bank man said it meant " St. Peter." The little boy said, "Oh !" The back man took the little boy to his bosom, and the little boy eaid "Oh !" again, for he squeezed him. Then the bank man to?k tho little b'jy into a partnership, and gave him half the profits ana all the capital, and he married the | bank man's daughter, and all ho has is all hir, and all his own too.—Story of another Little B}y: My uncle told me the above story, and I spent tix weeks picking up pins in front of a bank. I expected the bank man would call me in and pay, " Little boy, are you good ?" aid I was going to say " Yes ;" and when he asked me what " St. John" stood fcr, I was going to say "Salt John." Bat I guess the bank man wasn't anxious to have a partner, and I guess tho daughter was a son, for one day snys he to me, " Little boy, what's that you're nicking up ?" Sayß I, awfully meek, " Pins." Siys he, " Let's see 'em." And ha took 'em, and I took off my cap, all ready to go in the bank and become a partner and marry his daughtor. But I didn't pet an invitation. Ha raid, " Thoee pins belrnj to the bwk, and if 1 catch you hanging around here any more, I'll set the dog on you !" Toen I left, and the mean old cubs kept the pins, Such is life as I find it.