Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-06-13

A boy not over eleven years old, whose
pinched face betrayed hunger, and whose
clothing could hardly be called by the name,
dropped into II carpenter shop on Grand Riy-
or avenue the other day, and after much hes
ilation explained to the foreman
eve want to get grayoboard for ma. She
died last winter and the graves are 80 thick
that we can't hardly find hers no more. We
went up last Sunday, and we came awful
near not finding it. We thought we'd get n
gravcboard. 80 VT wouldn't lose the grave.
When we thought we'd lost it, Jack he cried
and Bud she cried, and my chin trembled 30
/ could hardly talk
"Whcre is your father - asked the carpcn-
ter.
"Oh. he's home. but he never goes up there
with us, and we sha'n't tell him about the
board guess he hated ma, for lac wash t
home when she died, and he wouldn't buy no
coffin nor uothin'. Sometimes when we are
sittiu' on the doorsteps talking about her
and Jack and Bud are erwin and / am re
membcrin how she kissed us all afore she
died, he says ed better quit that or well get
what's bad for us. But we sleep up stairs,
and we talk and cry in the dark all We want
to- How much will the board be 7"
The carpenter selected something fit for the
purpose, and asked
who will put it up at the grave -
"Well take it upon our cart replied the
boy, "and l guess the graveyard man will
help us put it up"
''You want the name painted on. don't
yout"
''Yes, sir we want the board white, and
then we want you to paint ON that she was
our ma and that she was forty y-One years old,
and that she died on the second of Novcm-
Der, but that she's gone to heaven, and that
sine was one of the best mothers ever was.
and that we are going to be good all our lives
and go up where she is when we die. How
much will it cost, sir z
How much have you got;"
"Well," said the boy, as he brought out a
little calico bag, and empted its contents on
the bench, Bud dTawod the baby for the
woman next door and earned twenty cents :
Jack he wcoded in the garden and earned
forty cents, and he found five more in the
road | run of ,rrands and make kites and
fixed boy cart and helped carry some ap-
pies into a store, and earned sixty-fve cents.
All that makes a hundred and thirty cents,
sir, and pa don't know we've got it, cause
we kept it hid in the ground under a stone. -
The carpenter meant TO be liberal, but he
said
"A graveboard will cost at least So.
The lad looked up from his little store of
metals to the carpenter and back, realized
first penny was earned and saved, and sud
denly walled out
"Then we can't never, never buy one, and
mothers grave will get lost"
But ho left the shop with tears Of gladnoss
in his eyes, and when Lee returned yesterday,
little Bud and Jack were with him, and they
had cart. There was not only headboard,
but one for the foot Of the grave Ms wei and
painter and carpenter had done their work
with full hearts. aud done il well.
"Ain't it awful nice nicer than rich folk
have" whispered the children, as the board.
were being placed on the cart wont tn,
grave look nice, though, and wont ma be aw-
full glad 7"
Ere this the mothers grave has been
marked and when night comes the three
motherlcss ones will cuddlc close to-
gcther and whisper their gratitude That ii
cannot be lost to them even in the storms and
drifts Of winter UCtroit Fr,, Press.