| Show atae corbiey edited by DOROTHY charles dickens and bob fagan charles dickens when about eleven yeara old found work in a blacking warehouse at old hungerford stairs overlooking the thames river in an unsavory part of london his work there consisted in covering the pots of paste blacking first with a piece of oil paper and then with blue paper after that he tied them with a string clipped the paper neatly all round and fastened a printed label to each pot ot blacking you dont like it here over much do ye now the boy who worked beside him said one day no I 1 dont like it was charles reply the boy his name was bob fagan grinned and shrugged one shoulder he was a large heavily built boy with coarse features cause youre a gentleman I 1 he remarked with a wink at pol green one of the other boys who worked in the big ware house you look pale sort of may be youre worried about cometh ln eh maybe youve got a secret 1 charles continued to paste his la bels in silence all that bob fagin had said was true charles was not strong and the work that he was doing only served to increase his health he was also tortured by the thought of his father who was in a debtors prison he had spoken to no one about it pride kept his alpa tight shut on the subject that was his secret later in the day just as he was applying a label to one of the pots he uttered a startled cry and pressed his hand against his side bol cried fagan running to him heres a gol the lads in pain with some of the straw that covered the floor of the workroom he made a bed for his suffering corn canlon now lad said fagin youre still weak and you need help if you should try to go home alone you d likely fall before you were halfway there tell me where you live and go along with you see that you get safe home to your father I 1 hlll charles felt a warm flush over spread his cheeks home 1 he had no home only an attic room in a miser able lodging bouse if bob fagan ac compan led him he would be sure to discover the truth that his father was in marshalsea prison I 1 1 I I 1 feel better he said at last 1 I m sure I 1 can reach home alone and I 1 say you cant 1 the other repeated 1 I guess im not going to let you start off alone 1 charles cheeks burned ahle fire there seemed to be no way out of it he must permit bob fagan to accod pany him but he was etall resolved that he should learn nothing night was closing in when he and fagan left the warehouse together up one street and down another they walked in the growing darkness you live a long way off dont you fagan said at last charles nodded he did not tell his friend that they were merely walking aimlessly about the city finally charles stopped in front of a strange house thanks 1 he said in a nervous trembling voice I 1 I 1 m greatly obliged to you bob I 1 and he ran up the stairs of the house and rang the bell A servant came to the door and frowned down upon the boy what Is it you want the servant demanded charles glanced nervously over his shoulder bob fagan had disappeared round the corner he swallowed hard well inquired the servant arri bably tably does does mr bob fagan live here the question seemed to leap from the boys lips unbidden nol and the door closed with a bang charles turned and quickly descend ed the steps whence he made his way to his miserable little attic room he had kept his secret 1 |
