Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-01-23

sOothed by It,, though he didn't know
why, till hunger forced him to brave
the whipping and all the rest.
He stayed his steps little as he drew
near home, meditating ON how he might
reach ir at the pantry window and help
himself to supper, if only he had jack
knife to cut away one of the laths that
were used to bar the open window in
hot weather.
He was walking slowly, when his bare
toe received a prick from something ly-
ing on the ground. His start Of pain
kicked the cause directly into sight.
That breast-pin, with the golden beetle
on it, surely never belonged to any one
but the teacher; for had he not gazed
on it, wondering all the time she was ex-
planning his geography lesson to him
that very morning.
He had vague sense of Queerness
that a beetle--a mere bug-should be
cut of gold and allowed to fill so honor
able a place. Why, he was not so dirty
as a beetle; yet would she even smile
at him, much less ask for his tin-type,
as he had heard her for several of the
boys photographs?
If Miss Wilton had read his wonder
about the golden beetle, and told him
that the reason for it's being ON her pin
was in limitation Of ancient jewelry
when beetles were worshiped even,
what would he have said thens
Tom picked up the pin, with an
eager hook around'to sec if he were OBJ
served. What! Had he not heard
''Thcu shalt not steals" 0, YES But
things were rather mixed up in poor
TOMS mind.
The teacher had whipped him when
Jim White sprinkled the snuf about,
and again for telling the truth, and not
lie; and here was her pin in his hand.
She would miss it, he knew, and be
sorry to lose it; but he could buy a
Ijack-knife and maybe hat, too, with
the value of IT.
Marin wouldn't lick me then," he
reflected, with a sense Of relief that
showed he appreciated corporal pun
ishment as an argument when it was to
be escaped. BUT when it occurred to
him, moment after, TO buy off that
severe mother of his by an immediate
present d the pin, something made
him hesitate
She would keepit, he felt too sure, to
be willing to risk it in her hands, unless
his mind was quite made up not to re-
store the pin to its'ewner. A little feel
ing of pity, perhaps, for the teacher
for it mEst have cost a deal of money
"a little shame at the thought of not
doing as he would DE done by, maybe,
made him pause; hut more than all else
q dread of what the consequences
mightke, should the teacher, after ALL
find out he had he- pin.
"Fokss has ,sech ways of SEEM
through things" pondered Tom.
But he was inlUck as to supper, FOR
baby .&lmmy, the mothers pet, had
dropped in the yard a huge piece bread
molasses. Tom spied this, in the midst
of his meditations, and easily hid at,
with the pin, under his jcaket, while he
skurried away cut of sight from the
house If he stayed out till pretty late,
his mother, tired with hard das;'s
work, would be abed and asleep, and he
was safe for the night. at any rate.
So he walked toward the village cat
ing first the bresH and then a green rp-
pie, ti&at he had picked up on the road
side
At Eength he heard the sound sof
music. Tom dearly loved to listen ito
the Staging in theschapel when windows
and doors were open, so he could not
be seen, though he ventured close by.
He even sat down on the upper step.
After the hymn was over, rattln,g
cart drove along the street, SO for a
minute Tom couk not hear anythisg
going en- inside the chapel
When it was q1ite again, he heSm,
some enc saying very tenderly amt
softly. He was despised and rejected
of men"
Why, that's ne they're talking
about exclaimed Tom, surprised into
speaking aloud. BM nobody heard hiln,
and he leaned forward eagerly 20 see
what else was going to be said about
himself TO his utter amazement, he
soon gathered that il was Christ Jesus,
the Lori3, and not poor Tom Dolan, son
of the wssherwoman and of the drunk
en- bricElayer, that they were talking
about.
Remember, | said Tom was very
stupid. Sic went out into the dark.
where nobody could see or hear him,
and dropping en- his knees, said: "If
you could stand it, l viii"
1t was & prayer, if il did sound all
wrong. Poor Tom never did know how
to put tiings;" though die did know
how to put himself on the divine side
of life, if he didn't know the usual
ways. And cyas he not Understood as SO
placing himself, and, therefore, worthy
to receive the blessings, You would
have believed it, had you seen the boys
face-brighter, more up-looking. more