The Adventure of a Beggar Boy

Title

Year

1935

Rights

In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted

Fulltext

Avl'il 1.93;; THE YOUNG CITIZEN 63 Chapter One A LUCKY DAY T ONIO had been a begga1· boy ever since he could remember. The old man whom he and everybody else called "Lolo" was blind and a beggar. The only life he knew was that of a begging boy and leading a blind beggar. He was not ashamed to beg. He was accustomed to walking from do01· to door expecting to be given a handful of rice. But somewhere in his head was an idea, not very cleal', but an idea just the same, that he would not be a beggar all his life. It was unusually cool that morninr of Good F1·iday when Tonio and Lolo made their way slowly th1·ough the narrnw and crooked alley which led to the street. The old man felt his way with his camago11 cane which was an heirloom from his great grandfather who had been a cabeza. THE ADVENTURES OF A BEGGAR BOY • by Julio Cesar Pena • "I am sure we shall have good luck today," the old man began. "We always make much on Good Friday." "Why, Lolo?" Tonio asked, glancing up at the sightless eyes of his companion. "Because the remembrance of how the Lord Jesus died for sinners makes everyb~dy generous. Every kind act on this day brings about the fo1·giveness of many sins." "Shall we stay out and work the whole day, Lolo? Shall we not go to church this afternoon?" "We shall do both. The church is the best place fo1· work and worship today." Afte1· a long pause, the old man continued: "If we make much .in April and May, you can go to school in June." "0 Lolo!" Tonio exclaimed, "Am i·eally going to school?" After a while, Tonio continued: "But Lolo, it is impossible fo1· me to go to the day school." "We shall see what we can do befo1·e June. You are almost ten. I ought to have sent you to school two years ago. God knows I would have done it if I could." 64 THE YOUNG CITIZEN April 1935 "Yes, Lalo, I know how good and kind you have been to me." The morning proved to be both profitable and interesting. At a pabasa, every guest gave the begging pair silver coins. A well-dressed young man standing by the window was about to drop a bill on the outstretched hand of the old man but an old woman warned him saying, On thei1· way to church they passed a stand where several kinds of sweets were offered. Lalo and Tonio were invited to take generous helpings of ubi, bean, and makapuno desserts. The old man explained to Tonio that such a stand of free sweets was called ca1'idad. It was an act of charity on the part of the owner for the atonement of sins; that is; he did a kind act hoping to gain forgiveness of his "Don't you eve1· drop money from the sins. window, hijo, if you do not want money to leave you." The fine young man thanked the old lady good-naturedly and took the trouble of going downstairs to place the money on the beggar's hand. The old man expressed his gmtitude by entreating the Lord to pour blessings upon the generous youth. "May you have pel'fect sight all yolll' life," he ended. The hostess detained Tonio and Lalo for lunch. It was the hea1'tiest meal they had for many a day. The menu consisted of boiled mudlish with soya bean sauce, broiled milkfish with tomato and onion filling, and fish-pond crabs. The hostess saw to it that no meat was served nor anything cooked in lard. The church was packed. The people stood so close together that it was impossible for one to move. There were weeping, sobbing, screaming, and fainting at the recollection of the suffering and death of Christ. The beggars wem home thankful and happy. Tonio was trying to guess how much they had made. If only every day we1·e as good as Good Friday! "Could he go to school?" was the question he repeated to himself over and over again. The old man bl'Oke into his thoughts. "I will set aside om· today's earnings. We shall see how much we have when we reach home. I am anxious to send you to school. There is a prediction about the fortune of the person to whom the last member of our family will give this ~ cane." "0 Lalo! What is it? Tell me the story, please!" "Yes, hijo, after supper." (What is the story of the cnm<Lf!Olt cane? What fortune will its next O\vner have? Read the next issue of The Young Citizen.)

Media