Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-01-25

of life I he didn't know tho usual
ways. And wns he not understood rs So
placing himself, and, therefore. worthy
70 receive the blessings You would
have beloved il, had you seen the boy )
facc-bighter, moru up-looking, more
manly han anybody had seen il before.
lie lad learned the Lords Prayer,
This IL repeated; and then, rising from
his krreS. he ran, rs if for his life. to
Miss Wilton's boarding-housc
As he drew near, he heard some one
say
"Its that dirty little Snmk Of a Tom
Dolan.
Then lads voice spoke sharply
Go away, child What do YOU mean
hanging about hcre?'
He dared not enter the gate, under
these circumstances; but he said, with
boldncss that astenishcd Miss Wilton,
accustomed, Us she had been, To his
suffering, laundering ways: | want to
see the teacher
A lady, wrapped in u delicate white
shawl gave u sigh of mingled wcariness
and disgust, as She came down the
gravclcd walk. She had heard of the
straw hat episode. and looked for Moth
ing else than an irata message from
Mrs. Dolan. What was her surprise 10
see her own lost pin, the Gift ot \ dear
friend, glistening in the moonlight, rs
Tom held it toward her
How good Of YOU, Tom, 70 bring il
to mel"
Her voice Altcred little as She
spoke, for Della JAY, one of the big and
hig-hcarted girls, too, had been offered
snuff, since school, by Jim White; and
shc told him shed bet poor Tom Dolan
didn't have any till he (hm) put it in
his desk. And Jim didn'} deny it, only
laughed, and said Tom was used to be-
ing licked and didn't mini il ut all
Della had waNed indignant as she
went ON, and had made her teacher
rather uncomfortable.
Tom was 50 pleased q have Miss
Wilton praise him that lie didn't run
away directly, MS he had planned To do,
but stood pulling at II rag on his Jacket
till he pulled il OIL, while Miss Wilton
considered what todoncx. She couldn't
apologize for having whipped the wrong
boy. That would never DO, of course.
Money was the best balmfor his wound
cd spirit it., indeed. ho we're not, is
Jim White said, too usud t. blows 10
care.
"What shall pay YOU She asked,
iulihlIng for her purse. For once she
was stupid, in her turn.
Tom answered steadily, and With Il
ring in his voice She had never heard
before:
"Nothin. didn't bring il back for
your sake But because lie WAS treated
bad, was despiscd and all that; and,
if ne could stand it, I'm going to try
to"
lie broke into 4 sob and tried tolum
away, but Miss Wilton caught linn hy
the arm, and said.
Forgive me, child, Tor not under
standing YOU
she Won him TO tell her the whole
story, and then She did one or two
strange things for one in her position.
She went home with Tom; paclicd and
even delighted the poor ignorant moth
cr by her account of her son; and
left money for II hat, and for more be
sides.
The next morning She changed Tom
seat at-"for mcritorious conduct" She
told the scholars
Then looking straight at jim White,
who covered beneath hcr glance, She
said
81 believe made mistake in whip
ping Thomas yesterday; but he wished
me to forgive the real offender, hc-
cause Of Him who said Love your
enemies.
The whole school felt thereafter that
Tom Dolan was not the same boy in
the teachers view that he had been and
that it was no longer safe to treat him
as heretofore.
lie never was Il brilliant scholar, but
did his best, and Miss Wilton found her
best for him was different matter from
what it had been.
Later she got position for him AS
GRAND boy III Il store. And 50 he went
on step by step. Never into any lofty
place in the worlds esteem; but the
worlds judgment is not always just and
there are last that shall be first, and
such ~ Tom Dolan will be found 70 be
Of that blessed company.
4 Curious Wager.