Frivolities, Especially Addressed to Those Who Are Tired of Being SeriousMarsh, Richard
General
Frivolities, Especially Addressed to Those Who Are Tired of Being Serious
Marsh, Richard
Fiction; Humorous stories, English; Short stories, English
"Sir,--At our Holiness Meeting on Tuesday--Alleluia!--there came in a
new recruit. He gave his name as Thompson Symes, and said that he was
seventeen. He now says that his name is John A. Francis Bindon, and
that his age is twelve. He originally stated that he was a pickpocket,
and had been nine times in jail. He now says that he has never been in
jail, but that he has been sent by his father in America to be a pupil
in your school. We shall be obliged if you will inform us if you know
anything of a boy named John A. Francis Bindon. We fear that his
present statement is as false as the others he has made. Alleluia!--G.
Smith, _Major_."
Here is the second:
"Office Of The Society For The
Reclamation Of Juvenile Beggars,
"Liverpool.
"Sir,--A boy who was charged this afternoon at the Liverpool Police
Court with the offence of begging tells a somewhat remarkable story.
He has been remanded to the workhouse for a week to enable us to
inquire into the truth of what he says.
"He is four feet seven inches in height, dark hair, pale face, and he
has a deep scar upon his left cheek. Speaks with a decided American
accent.
"He states that his name is John B. David Bindon, that he left New
York on board the steamship _Ocean Star_, in company with his two
brothers. The names of these two brothers he declares that he forgets,
alleging that he has so many brothers that he cannot remember all
their names. He says that they were coming from New York to be pupils
in your school. On board ship they disagreed, and at Liverpool they
parted. He does not know what became of his two brothers. He says that
he himself had twenty-five dollars in his pockets in American
currency. Part of this he spent upon confectionery and sweets, until
he made some acquaintances in the street, who took him to what appears
to have been a disreputable house. There they robbed him, not only of
his money, but also of his clothes. They kept him, so he states,
locked up for three days, only releasing him on his promising to
appeal for alms, and on his undertaking to bring back the proceeds of
his appeal. No sooner, according to his statement, did he commence to
beg than he was given into custody.
"If you know anything, whether for good or ill, of a boy named John B.
David Bindon, I should be obliged by your communicating at once with
me at these offices. I have had much experience in these cases, and I
think myself that the boy's story, strange though it seems, contains
at least some portion of truth. Awaiting your early favour,
"I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
"Edward Everest, _Secretary_."
When Mr. Harland showed these letters to his wife, and told her John
P. Arthur's story, the lady was, not unnaturally, surprised.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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