TONY'S WELCOME.
Almost without knowing where his feet were carrying him, Tony
sauntered through the streets until he found himself at the turn into
the alley within a few yards of Oliver's home, and his beloved Dolly.
At any rate he could pass down it, and, if the shop-door was not
shut, he would wrap his beautiful silver coin in a rag, and throw it
into the inside; they would be sure to guess who had done it, and
what it was for. It was dark down the alley, only one lamp and the
greengrocer's gas lighting it up, and Tony stole along quietly in the
shadow. It was nearly time for Dolly to be going to bed, he thought,
and old Oliver was sure to be with her in the inner room; but just as
he came into the revealing glare of the greengrocer's stall, his ears
rang and his heart throbbed violently at the sound of a shrill little
scream of gladness, and the next moment he felt himself caught by
Dolly's arms, and dragged into the house by them.
"Tony's come home, Tony's come home, gan-pa!" she shouted with all
her might. "Dolly's found Tony at last!"
Dolly's voice quivered, and broke down into quick, childish sobs,
while she held Tony very fast, lest he should escape from her once
again; and old Oliver came quickly from the room beyond, and laid his
hand fondly upon the boy's shoulder.
"Why have you kept away from us so long, Tony?" he asked.
"Oh, master!" he cried, "I've been a wicked boy, and a miserable boy.
Do forgive me, and I'll never do so no more. I s'pose you'll never
let me sleep under the counter again?"
"Come in, come in!" answered Oliver, pushing him gently before him
into the house. "We've been waiting and watching for you every
night, me and my little love. You ought not to have served us so, my
lad; but we're too glad to be angry with you. Charlotte's sharp, and
she's very much afraid of low ways and manners; but she isn't a hard
woman, and she didn't know anything about you. When I told her as
you'd been left no bigger than my little love here to take care of
yourself, alone, in London,--mother dead, and no father,--she shed
tears about you, she did. And she left you the biggest of her eggs
to be kept for your supper, with her kind love; and we've put it by
for you. You shall have it this very night. Dolly, my love, bring
me the little saucepan."
"I'm not so clean as I could wish," said Tony, mournfully; for he had
neglected himself during the last week, and looked very much like
what he had done when he had first seen old Oliver and his little
grand-daughter.
"Take a bowl full of water into the shop, then," answered Oliver,
"and wash yourself, while I boil the egg. Dolly'll find you a bit of
soap and a towel; she's learning to be grand-pa's little housekeeper,
she is."
When Tony returned to the kitchen he looked a different being; the
gloom was gone as well as the grime. He felt as if he had come to
himself after a long and very miserable dream. Here was old Oliver
again, looking at him with a kindly light in his dim eyes, and Dolly
dancing about, with her pretty, merry little ways; and Beppo wagging
his tail in joyous welcome, as he sniffed round and round him. Even
the egg was a token of forgiveness and friendliness. That terrible
old woman was not his enemy, after all. He recollected what she had
said he must do, and he resolved to do it for Dolly's sake, and old
Oliver's. He would learn to read and write, and he would pinch
himself hard to buy some better clothing, lest he should continue to
be a disgrace to them; shoes he must have first of all, as those were
what the sharp but friendly old woman had particularly mentioned. At
any rate, he could never run away again from this home, where he was
so loved and cared for.
Oliver told him how sadly Dolly had fretted after him, and watched
for him at the door, hour after hour, to see him come home again. He
said that in the same way, only with a far greater longing and love,
his Master, the Lord Jesus Christ, was waiting for Tony to go to him.
He could not half understand it, but a vague feeling of a love
passing all understanding sank deeply into his heart. He fell asleep
that night under the counter with the tranquil peacefulness of one
who has been tossed about in a great storm and tempest, and has been
brought safely to the desired haven.