fortunate with the lad at his birth: blood will tell, and blood told
now even in this dirt and in these rags.

His reply bore testimony to how appreciative he felt of all that faced
him there so humanly on the rock.

"Thank you," he said, "I have read the papers."

Having thus disposed of some of the lad's words, he addressed a pointed
question to the rest:

"But how did you happen to call me mister? I thought boss was what you
little New-Yorkers generally said."

"I'm not a New-Yorker," announced the lad, with ready courtesy and good
nature. "I don't say boss. We are Southerners. I say mister."

He gave the man an unfavorable look as though of a mind to take his true
measure; also as being of a mind to let the man know that he had not
taken the boy's measure.

The man smiled at being corrected to such good purpose; but before he
could speak again, the lad went on to clinch his correction:

"And I only say mister when I am selling papers and am not at home."

"What do you say when not selling papers and when you are at home?"
asked the man, forced to a smile.

"I say 'sir,' if I say anything," retorted the lad, flaring up, but