The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-07-21
Ladies Home Magazine.
The Boys VIII Laugh ut Me.
BIT VIRGINIA r. TOWNSEND.

oh, Aunt Jane, ride on horseback with
girl, over to Pixies creek ! I wouldn't do it
TOR ten dollars! the boys wouIl laugh at mo
for a month"; and Robert Scranton wound
tas twinenervously arounl tn. enl of his
psainy rol, and his face flushed away up
into the roots ofhis brown hair, at the thought
os his c,noalioas' rilicule.
n "Well, Robert, think quite likely they
& woIl |, slil Ant I,e, in her quiet earn
est way, glancins mp from tho ta.sal she was
sewing on her nephex's cap. "Peopleia all
ages have generally f,uad plenty to laugh at
them for doing good sels; but Mary Pratt
ts aPoor littls girl, younger, by four years,
than you, and she's been sick for three weeks
With the scarlet fever, aud shut up in that
little dark bed room from all the light and
beauty Of the Summer; and her mother
tAkes in plain sewing. an can't affori to
keep horse so thought. as you were going
% ride down to Pixies creek, it would do the
dSlicate little girl more good than Won can
isnagiae, to carry her over to her Gran Inns
Who lives only hslfa mile beyond But I
leave you to decide which would be more
manly, to do good act to sick little child
s3who hasn't any asher to take re Other, or
TO deny her all the pleasure and b,natit Of a
|, ride, just bacause you foai the laughter of
your schoolmates
Here Aunt Jane returned to her sewing.
Nnd there fell a long silence betwixl her and
her nephew, Robert Scranton; but the lady
knew what thoughts were at work in the
boys soul, as he turned uncasily in his chair,
and drummed on the table, and made hIots
in the twne. ~ 81
Robert Scranton was not quito thirteen;
his father was dead, and his mother was, M
invalid, travelling for her health; 50 the boy
had come up into the country to pass a year
with his Aunt Jane, and to attend the VILLAGE
academy.
He was bright, eager, outspollen boy, q
great hvorite with his solsoolmatas, and in
deed with everybody; but brave and fear
less as'he seemel, hewas very sensitive to
ridicule, AMI had an almost morbid droal or
being laughed at by the boys, and this feel
ing unsuspected by himself sometimes made
of Robert Scranton that ptiful thing
moral co,oard!
But there were springs of warm, generous
feeling in the boys soul, and his Aunt had
reached one OF these when she told him the
storysof the sick little girl, Mary Platt; so
there went on a sharp conflict between his
c{warlice and his kin | heartedness; but at
last his brow su denly brightcned, he brought
down his hand heavily On the table, then
sprany up, anl went ont into the garden,
ani his Aunt bent with dim eyes over her
ps,ving, and thanked Col.
She came shylv into the sitting-room, a
|. little, pale, sunburnt child; but her eyes
srkelcd joyfully out Other sharpcned face,
went up to Roberts aunt, anil said, in
iisping voic,. "Now Robert camo
- house this morning, AMI said |
a, ridin' on horscbac'l to Gran1ml's
BE her, by two o'clo.k," AMI she brush
ed the strings Of her straw bonnet, and
snoothed tn, foil ofth, sn,wy white apron
ia viii h her mother hal dressed her for the
OCCASION.
.'Well, dear, that win be very nice, indeed
won't itr' This was al Mrs. Ingham said
for Just then her nephew entered the room
AMI she was a judicious woman, and knew
that Robert would not wish any notice takcr
of bis generosity.
But she watched from her winlov, whcs
tia boy lifted tho little girl, and set her care
fully on the great grey horse, and then, takinl
good care Of his fishing rod, sprang on be
hind her.
As the animal started, the child gave
quiox' shriek; ''Oh, I'm afraide she said
"itmakas mo spdizsy," and tho little pal
iace was turned appealingly to the boy.
H's heart warmed towards her, "0h. don