Patsy Bryan was a little street peddler. Patsy was always ragged, often
hungry, yet kept a brave heart and wore a happy look.
His father was dead, his mother drank, and Patsy’s scanty earnings went
a long way toward maintaining the family, which consisted of his mother,
himself, a younger sister, and a cripple brother. Poor Patsy had never
been to church or Sunday school, and was little better than a heathen.
One Sunday afternoon, however, Patsy strayed by a large building in
which a mission Sunday school was in session, and hearing the singing,
he stepped in to see what was going on. He was kindly invited to enter a
class, and soon found himself quite at home amid a number of boys of his
own age.
After that Patsy became a regular attendant, and when, in the summer
time, a company of children were sent into the country for a few weeks
by the benevolence known as the Fresh-Air Fund, Patsy found himself one
of the fortunate number.
[Illustration:
Jamie has a Little Talk with Piggie-Wig.
]
This was one of the great events of his life. Never before had he seen
the beautiful country. How rapidly the days passed! What fun it was to
roam the green fields and to gather fruits and flowers without the fear
of the ever-present “cop,” and then what royal fare—vegetables fresh
from the gardens, plenty of nice, fresh milk, berries, and fruit without
any stint! The days flew by only too swiftly, and soon Patsy returned to
the great city and his daily work. But he returned with a new color in
his cheeks and with new ideas and hopes in his mind, and there is every
prospect that, keeping good company and refraining from bad habits, he
will grow into a useful and happy man.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]