"
The lad took a step or two forward, hesitated a moment, and then
turned back. The breaker boss and the screen-room boss were already
gone and he was alone with Mr. Burnham.
"Would it make any dif'rence to you," he asked, holding up the silver
coin, "if I spent this money for sumpthin' else, an' didn't go to the
circus with it?"
"Why, no!" said the man, wonderingly, "I suppose not; but I thought
you boys would rather spend your money at the circus than to spend it
in almost any other way."
"Oh! I'd like to go well enough. I al'ays did like a circus, an' I
wanted to go to this one, 'cause it's a big one; but they's sumpthin'
else I want worse'n that, an' I'm a-tryin' to save up a little money
for it."
Robert Burnham's curiosity was aroused. Here was a boy who was willing
to forego the pleasures of the circus that he might gratify some
greater desire; a strong and noble one, the man felt sure, to call for
such a sacrifice. Visions of a worn-out mother, an invalid sister, a
mortgaged home, passed through his mind as he said: "And what is it
you are saving your money for, my boy, if I am at liberty to ask?"
"To'stablish my'dentity, sir."
"To do what?"
"To'stablish my'dentity; that's what Uncle Billy calls it."
"Why, what's the matter with your identity?"
"I ain't got any; I'm a stranger; I don't know who my 'lations are."
"Don't know--who--your relations are! Why, what's your name?"
"Ralph, that's all; I ain't got any other name.
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