Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-01-28
THE RAGGED SHOES.

mother?''
There was pathetic sound in the
lads voice as he asked the question that
smote painfully upon the heart of the
mother, but she only replied by asking:
"Will you be happier to remain at home,
my SOM"
Little Sammy thought of his class, of
his beloved teacher, of the beautiful
songs; he thought Of the new minister
who was to preach his first sermon to his
new congregation that day, and he felt
that he could not be absent, but ruefully
| glancing at the dilapidated shoes, nicely
| brushed, it is true, but yet with the
white stockings peeping out at the toes,
he felt that they really were unfit to
wear. There was a conflict going on in
| his mind, and as the mother watched the
sad features of her son she wondered
what would be the issue.
Samuel Ford was about twelve years of
age, and the son of one of the noble men
who, when President Lincoln called for
three hundred thousand more" kissed
his young wife and their little boy
good-by" and went to the wars Soon
after his departure baby Mamie came
like stray sunbeam to tighten their
home.
For q few months the letters from the
| soldier husband and father came often,
and at length letter in an unknown
hand told the young wife that she was
widowed, and the little Mamie, who had
| never known fathers caresses, and
Sammy, our little hero, that they were
| fatherless.
Then followed the struggle between
labor and want, in which want often
gained the supremacy, yet with the few
dollars monthly supplied by Government
and her own meager earnings she had
managed to keep her little ones at home,
although many had repeatedly urged her
to place Them with some good family
where they might be more comfortably
| provided for and educated.
| Sammy had resolute!y refused to &C
| cept new shoes until Mamie had first
been provided with pair, and those of
|
what it is to go cold and thinly clad can
hardly realize how self-saCrifcing it was
for the noble little fellow to insist upon
Mamie being first supplied.
AS | said before, conflict was going
| on in the breast Of the child; the mother
read it in mis- changing features, and her
heart yearned for her boy.
g | will go, mother" he said at length.
" am glad sister Mamie has nice warm
shoes, and, as you have some, my turn
will come next"
6 Halloo, Sam Patch! what's the price
of leather?" shouted John Dorm.
say, Bob, his shoes are happy; see 'em
grin" and the two tall, well-dressed boys
laughed uproariously at this poor display
of wit, while the little fellow, although
stung to the quick by the heartless
taunts, walked quickly on in the direc-
ton of the church, the boys following
and ridiculing his ragged shoes and
! patched coat.
Sammy's neatly-mended clothes never
seemed so shabby before, and the white
/
plain as now. He was really unhappy.
He almost wished he had stayed at
| home.
| A light shower of snow had fallen the
| night before, which the wind had blown
| close under the edge of the white paling,
and suddenly John cried out, "See here,
see what I've found! and he picked up,
half covered with the snow, a pocket
| book
"We're in luck to-day, sure" said Bob
" wonder who lost it." Sammy had also
| stopped to see what the boys had found,
and he said, Perhaps the owners name
is inside. Look and see''
John acted upon the suggestion, and
own. Bisbee" was several times written
upon the papers and was also marked
upon the cover, thus removing all doubt
as to the owner of the book and it's yalu-
able contents.
Here, Patchy, we'll divide, and you
can run home now and get some new
boots in the morning" and John handed
a note toward Sammy. The child shrank
| back
"Surely you will return it to Mr.. Bis
bee,'' he said.
Surely we shall not; he is rich enough
now-owns the biggest store in town. A
| likely story Well divide even up and
say nothing about it." returned John
| Dorm
"'Twould be the same as stealing, and
| would not touch cent of it no sooner
than would go into his store and steal
his goods" said Sammy, with very
earnest face.
Very WELL" replied John; I" the less
| you take the better share for US, but let
me catch you telling about it and Ill"
He did not say ao7tat he would do, but he
shook his fist defantly, while fierce
light burned in the eyes of that bad boy
Sammy walked quickly away and was
soon in his class.
| His lesson, so well learned, was but in