Page 461 - Child's own book

all had something that they were wilting to venture* except poor
Dick, who had neither money nor goods, and so could send
nothing At alh For this reason he did not come into the par­
lour with the rest; hut Miss Alice guessed what was the matter,
and ordered him to be called in. She then said she would
lay down some money for him from her own purse; hut her
father told her this would not doT for Dick must stmd something
of his own, W hen poor Dick heard this, he said he had
nothing hut a cat, which he bought for a penny that was given
him. lC Fetch your cat then, my good hoy,” said Mr, Fitz~
warren, Ci and let her go/’ Dick went up stairs and brought
down poor puss, and gave her to the captain with tears in lus
eyes ; for he said he should now he kept awake all night again
by the rats and micc. All the company laughed at Dick's odd
venture; and Miss Alice, who felt pity for the poor boy, g^ve
him some halfpence to buy another cat.
Tins, and many otheT marks of kindness shown him by Miss
Alice, made the ill-tempered cook jealous of poor Dick, and she
began to use him more cruelly than over,and always made gama
of him for sending his cat to sea. She asked him if he thought
his cat would sell for as much money as would buy a stick to
heat him. At last poor little Dick could not bear this usage
any longer, and he thought he would run away from his place;
so he packed up his few things, and set out very early in the
morning on All hallowb - day, which is the first of November.
He walked as far as Holloway ; and there sat down on a stone,
which to this day is called W hittington’s stone, and began to
think which road he should take further. While he was think-
ing what he could do, the bells of Eow Church, which at that
time had only six, began to ring, and he fancied their sound3
seemed to say to him,—

Turn hga.ii i j W hit ting ton,
Lord M&>or of London.