South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1878-05-10
Nobody but Sam Weldon"

That was the answer given TO the new
teachers interrogation in regard to q
hoy who stood against tree on tho Gu.
ter edge Of the play ground. Nobody
but Sam Weldon. and pretty Dell Ca.
sey tossed lack her bright curls with q
scornful smile on her Lips.
why do you speak in that way, Del.
lar qneried the teacher; Il don't under
stand
why that's what everybody says
answered Della; his father makes gar.
dens for other people. and his mother
acts 80 queer. Sans good enough. |
suppose, but he amt nobody
The teacher sighed, but dill not re.
primand her pupil for her manner Of
speaking. rightly guessing that she had
heard the expression from older lips.
The dcspised Sam Weldon was boy
OF perhaps thirteen years old, rather
tall Of his age, and dressed somewhat
slabbily. lie had a good natured.
bright face, honest blue eyes, very light
hair combed back from high, intellec-
tual forehead, and a tender sensitive
mouth. just now he was watching q
game Of ball with look Of keen boy ish
interest, and his face thus lighted was
anything but disagreeable.
Soon he became wearied, however,
with watching agame from which he
was excluded. SO turning away he enter
cd the school room & sought to while n.
way the time Of intermission by little
extra study.
While he sat there puzzling over q
knotty example, little browneyed Mag.
gle Bright, the youngest scholar in
school, came up to him slyly. and laid
tiny bunch Of white flowers on his
desk. then laying one hand on his face,
she whispered, Il like you Sam Weldon
If the rost don't; I think you are the
best boy in school,
For n moment the sensitive mouth quiv-
cred, the big blue eyes were full OF tears,
and then giving, her genuine enthusias-
tic boy hug. he answered, i think you
arc the very best girl in the worll, and
am going to wear those flowers in my
buttonholc.
Then they fell to talking about flow.
ers. Sam said he would like 20 get
some wild violets for his mother, and
Maggie knew just where lots OF them
grew, so or they started together to
gather some.
After that Sam Weldon. the nobody,
and little Maggie Bright, the only child
OF the widow who lived i'm the little
white cottage near the school house, be-
came great friends.
They laughed and chatted at recess
and at noon-times, and when it was
rainy or muddy. Sam often times
brought Maggie to school on his should
ers. In the winter season Sam sawed
wood for the widow and shoveled the
snow from her doorsteps. and rs she
was poor he always refused to take any
pay so.it came to pass after a while
that Mrs. Brigh: and little Maggie were
Sans best friends.
Three years went by an Sam was
sixteen. He worked out among the
farmers in the summer. and in the winter
attended the academy iE a neighborinS
village. The country people near Sam s
home still snecred Mt him AID called him
n nobody, but Sam went whistling and
singing on his way, bearing them no i'll
will, and owning too large stock Of
sunshine and good nature la his own
heart to allow their snecrs to make him
very unhappy.
The teachers OF the academy spoke
very encOuragingly OF his future, and
when at twenty he graduated from this
school tEey offered him situation rs
teacher in one departing mt at very
good salary.
Sam accepted the situation, and still
boarding at home, walked his two miles
every day.
The people still sneered and said n
mong themselves Oh? he is nobody but
Sam Weldon. he'll never amount to any.
thing. if he does put on airs
And Sam worked all the harder and
smiled the brighter. Maggie Bright
now fourteen, was one OF his best pupils
and he took q great deal OF pains to help
herin all her studies. She liked tn hear
him talk in his enthusiastic way about
mathematical problems, and when he
talked about birds, and flowers. and
stars, telling the name Of each, she was
very proud OF him; for it seemed TO her
that he was the wisest man in the world.
She studied very hard so he might
| not think her fool. and his kind com.
mendations were the pleasantost thing
Of her lonely life.
UJe day when Sam Weldon had finish
ed his years teaching he went away and
forgot TO tel. where he was going.
Some Of then,were very angry, and tho
gossips talked good deal hut you see
it was nobody but BAN Weldon, and
what could any one expect Of him"
Fight years passed away. during
which time Sans father died and was
buried over on the hillside, while his
mother went TO distant town 10 live
With her sister. II was said
Fight years, and once again Sam
Weldon walked about the old familiar
streets OF his boyhood's home. Every
body knew him the moment they saw
him. for although bis face was bronzed
and blonde mustache hid his sensi.
tive mouth, his big blue eyes we're just
"a earnest and honest "A ever, and in
then, IurL al fdo oil rpiscbiovous e,r;to